File: 84129481.jpg (92 KB, 1023x653)

92 KB JPG

>>3395258

For you, in many aspects, it is a dream come true. You find there is a certain romance to the immediacy and spontaneity of the virtual world you indulge in. Or, at least, you’ve convinced yourself of this because the alternative is to think of yourself as a filthy addict. With a sigh, you lean back in your office chair and let your eyes flutter momentarily closed, thinking of what all’s on your agenda. In real-space, you’ve got some shopping to do – both for groceries and for some actual furniture for the new place. There’s Grayson’s wedding, too, this upcoming weekend; you wince and poke out your tongue in an expression of momentary distaste. Feels like all of your friends are getting married off and leaving you behind, now. With a little bit of a huff, you reach down to grab another bite of the cake donut on your desk. There’s powdered sugar on your fingers; semisolid lemon-jelly crumbs fall onto your jean shorts, thankfully missing your plaid woolen shirt and dusting the tank top beneath. Maybe you are addicted to something.

Ah, well.

You’ve got other friends, anyway, for as much as they’re worth – or at least, you might, because it feels like someone’s conspiring to take them away from you, too. Connected to you strictly through the digital frontier, they’re the kind your grandparents would argue don’t count as real friends, but that’s hardly the point. Just a small amount of time to clear your head of emotions and thoughts of urgent, addictive necessity, has given you a clear course of action as far as what to do in simulation-space. You’ve decided it’s probably best to abdicate your position entirely. The Averron Alliance doesn’t need you, particularly; your technological understanding will eventually be replaced or replicated by someone else, and along other avenues, Ascheritte is undeniably stronger and an overall better player than you are. Even if he is a decidedly poor strategist, he’ll make a superior leader and cause less drama among the guilds by simply being. And as for the Writ Keepers? Dorian, your second-in-command and sole officer, seems either to care about your guild more than you do, or to covet your position as a leader more than you care about your guild. Under his command, you imagine, the Keepers will thrive.

It’s a shame you probably won’t make it back to facilitate the clean transfer of power.

> [[ Continued ]]

File: original_314840_QKR1Gac3r(...).jpg (3.67 MB, 5000x2130)

3.67 MB JPG

>>3395261

Mind wandering, you minimize the windows on your work desktop and stray briefly over to the imageboards. Posts about the game are deleted so frequently as to seem like someone is hiding information, but maybe if you can get the right words out or find someone out there that’s had an experience similar to yours, you can…

“Sydney.” Your project manager’s voice from behind startles you into a near-instant CTRL+Shift+W, but the fact that you have to fumble with your donut to do so makes it rather obvious that you’ve been slacking off. “Shitposting on company time?”

“Say I’m on break, Jay.” You swivel to meet his disdainful expression, and your own contorts into a pout. “Just because I’m salaried doesn’t mean I don’t get those.”

“You’re on break every time I come around. I’m about to be done letting you convince me you’re still working on your report on Kaiser’s LifeChart app—and that’s about the only thing that’s stopping me from calling upstairs to say they made a mistake hiring you, Syd.” Jason frowns. “And I don’t want to do that, ‘cause I kind of like you. Please tell me you’ve made progress – or that I’m just totally wrong, and you’re totally done with the report already.”

“Well,” You begin. “I’m not done with the report, since I stopped working on it.”

Jason stares. “What.”

“Hang on, hear me out.”

“Okay,” He sighs. “Talk fast.”

> [[ Continued ]]

File: Ayla.jpg (105 KB, 565x800)

105 KB JPG

>>3395264

“I got bored and started bug-hunting as I went on researching, right? Turns out, Kaiser’s whole app is basically fucked.” You click over to a minimized window, bringing up an IDE with an enormous cache of partially-obfuscated code. Click-dragging to highlight a large indented section, you point to the screen to demonstrate.

“…What am I looking at, exactly?” Jason quirks a brow.

“There’s this totally pointless function call right here – and you’re loading a file into local memory that basically contains the user’s entire electronic health record in plain text. All of their medical bills, social security info, provider visits, and the LifeChart info—which is a human-readable breakdown of everything they’ve done that day, complete with a spread of thought patterns and ‘how it made them feel’. It’s literally just the same leak that lost NeuraLife five percent of their market cap two years ago, just sitting there waiting to happen again. I just decided to remake the app myself from scratch and send that up with a presentation, but it’s taking me a little while. Since, y’know. Like you said, I’m not actually a real software developer.”

“Syd, first of all—that isn’t what I said, and you know I didn’t mean it. Second of all, you know you aren’t allowed to decompile this software, right?” He tilts his head, leaning in to look over your screen with increasing interest. The warning given is decidedly half-hearted. “Kaiser can get NeuraLife to take action against you.”

“That doesn’t make *any* sense. They’d practically be shooting themselves in the foot, and I don’t…” With a momentary pause and a bit of a huff, you pull out one of your desk drawers and produce a stack of stapled papers, handing it over to Jason. “Look—how about you take my presentation upstairs with you instead of a complaint this time, Jay?”

The manager quirks a brow as he thumbs through the papers. “You did this yourself? This is like forty pages.”

“Plus proof of concept and proposed implementation strategies.” You amend.

“Syd, how the fuck did you do this in a few days without help?” Jason asks, looking incredulously at you.

> Stupefying truth. “I hand-built a calculator and drafted it in a virtual reality cyber-fantasy world where I’m a technowizard named Ayla and time moves at a variable rate that’s up to seven times slower than in real life.”
> Be reasonable. “Maybe I just spend a little bit more time working than you think.”
> Petulant boast. “No idea. Have you tried asking upstairs? I’m sure one of the *real* software developers should be smart enough to know how it’s possible.”

>>3395270
>> Be reasonable. “Maybe I just spend a little bit more time working than you think.”

IT'S TIME.

>>3395270
> Stupefying truth. “I hand-built a calculator and drafted it in a virtual reality cyber-fantasy world where I’m a technowizard named Ayla and time moves at a variable rate that’s up to seven times slower than in real life.”
Ayla is still best girl!

File: 0B72D795-DE2A-42CC-BA24-D(...).jpg (28 KB, 702x169)

28 KB JPG

>>3395258
DO MY EYES DECIEVE ME?? It's BACK

>>3395270
> Be reasonable. “Maybe I just spend a little bit more time working than you think.”

Guess who's back, back again

>>3395270
>> Stupefying truth. “I hand-built a calculator and drafted it in a virtual reality cyber-fantasy world where I’m a technowizard named Ayla and time moves at a variable rate that’s up to seven times slower than in real life.”

>>3395270
> Be reasonable. “Maybe I just spend a little bit more time working than you think.”

welcome back

>>3395270
> Be reasonable. “Maybe I just spend a little bit more time working than you think.”
>>3395277
That's a funny way to spell Aelriss

>>3395353
Florica is the best girl and anyone who disagrees can fight me.

File: 1422324183059.jpg (387 KB, 679x1549)

387 KB JPG

>>3395353
>>3395294
>>3395274
>>3395283

“Maybe,” You respond, meeting his gaze earnestly. “I just spend a little bit more time working than you think.”

Jason gives pause, stopping to think carefully, though he looks away from your eyes to glance over your report a moment later.

“Syd—I’m sorry, alright?” He says, emphatically flipping back a page in a brief show of frustration.

“For what?” You ask.

“…Just—whatever. I’m gonna go give all this a read before I take it up.” He sighs. “You can take off early, if you want.”

“I’m gonna hang around here for a lil’ longer, I think.” You respond. “Close the door on your way out?”

“Yeah, no problem.”

Shaking your head, you breathe a sigh of relief as the door closes.

You won’t be back, you think, because Broken Sky Online wants to put you away. You’re not even sure if that’s just in-game anymore. You’ve managed to learn a lot about the game’s world. It’s given you opportunities you wouldn’t have had otherwise, making use of the game’s altered timescale which you haven’t entirely figured out to accomplish real-world work using engineered methods. It’s shown you things you wouldn’t have otherwise seen: beauty in a little piece of crystal that you didn’t know you’d never hope to lose—and never hope to go a moment without seeing again. You’re thriving. This game has given you life like no other addiction could feel like.

But you’re cracking under the stress. Your mind is running off the hook, ticking a mile-a-minute, and you don’t know how long…

It worsens every time you get closer to cracking the time dilation, is your theory—like there’s someone covering for their mistakes, or something they don’t want you to find out, or maybe you’re somehow being tested. If you’d just kept quiet and continued exploiting it to your advantage, maybe things would have been alright. Curse you and your damn inquisitive nature. You should have been smart enough to let sleeping dogs lie. Now, the ‘Observers’ are challenging you to cryptographic puzzles for the right to continue playing. Their games have started to go too far, and if you go back…

You turn, rise, and lock the door.

Then crash back down in your chair, and pull your rig over your eyes from your forehead. Eye-tracking leads you to the shortcut to launch the game, and a buzzing in your ears sends a tingle down your spine, numbing your mind and drifting you into vertigo. Everyone's waiting for you, but...

The darkness you descend into is entirely unfamiliar.

> [[ BROKEN SKY ONLINE ]]

File: 3462476335.jpg (167 KB, 800x800)

167 KB JPG

> [[ Previous Threads ]]
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Broken%20Sky
> [[ Unique Identifier and Quest Information ]]
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UVYJRhx3qTmuo77uSZrdCtEoLfGzKAeWVJFAY_OJRqI/edit?usp=sharing
> [[ Twitter ]]
https://twitter.com/BrokenSkyOnline

> [[ Ascheritte ]]
> [[ Primary Archetype: Brawler ]]
> [[ HP: 35 / 35 ]]
> [[ PP: 10 / 10 (16) ]]
> [[ Celestial Artifact(s) In Use – Total Committed PP: 6 ]]
> [[ You have 0 unspent EXP. ]]

> [[ You have 1 pending guild invitation. ]]
> [[ You have 1 pending contact request. ]]
> [[ Nel, Tatsumaki, Aelriss, Donnel, Liza, Vyx, and Kengo are online. ]]
> [[ Smith, Ayla, Vision, Sulya, and Florica are offline. ]]

“I live in you.”

> [[ HP: 28 / 35 ]]
> [[ Affected By: Memory of Exile, Fire Resistance Up (Cornelius) ]]

The voice pulses from within your body as the oppressive heat dries your flesh to cracking, light leaking from within the gaps in your ancient armor. In a fair game, dragons have attack patterns; they claw, bite, and tail-whip in predictable sequences, and after circling in the air for a time using breath attacks, they land to fight on your terms. But Broken Sky Online is not a fair game. You, exemplifying the relentless power of Strife Memoriam, are a fine example. Explosive fireballs buffet the floor around you as you dodge toward the wall of the molten fortress ahead. Your claws dig into the stone surface, and you launch yourself upward with a series of grappling leaps, light-leaking eyes fixated on the scaled foe circling overhead. You have reached the top, and can climb no further, but…

…with a final powerful leap, you launch yourself skyward. The dragon roars, a cone of flame erupting from its mouth to consume you entirely, aiming to burn you to cinders before you can reach your target; you spin, putting your moltensteel bulwark forward, and feel yourself wincing, teeth gritting, as you push into the flames. And when it subsides, you see the glint in a reptilian eye as you reach backward with your other hand and pull a Celestial sword from the lingering darkness. You wield the Exile’s blade, a paradox of light and shadow, a bar of gleaming white flame cast in crackling bilateral darkness, and you swing it with furious purpose. It collides squarely with your foe, turning its continued roar into a pained shriek as the ensuing black explosion blooms outward, consuming the two of you in the cold fire.

File: 91551311e2b6d67c89ad43ebe(...).jpg (2.44 MB, 2000x1084)

2.44 MB JPG

>>3395520

> [[ HP: 23 / 35 ]]

The dragon’s claw catches you. The beast snatches you from the air as you slam it into a conical spin toward the fortress wall.

> [[ HP: 12 / 35 ]]
> [[ Affected By: Combat Regeneration ]]
> [[ HP: 13 / 35 ]]

You are carried with it, and collide together with the stone, which explodes inward, sending the two of you tumbling into the fortress interior. It’s dragging you toward the ground. You’ll be crushed inevitably if you don’t escape; struggling, you wrench yourself out of its grasp and push away, recovering mid-air before flailing ungracefully toward the ground. Your eyes widen as you tumble through the air and see the drake on a collision course with a Celestial Materialization Altar standing at the top of the great hall’s stone steps. You had never intended for such a beautiful creation to be destroyed—if only you had been more careful…

The dragon’s body produces a sickening crack as it bounces off of the delicate marble statue and rolls down the steps.

Hey, those things are pretty tough!

You manage to land below, meanwhile, and roll to a stop on one knee, while the dragon cracks the dark rock floor with its body on impact, skidding and bouncing for some distance back towards you. With Strife Memoriam’s reserve of power consumed entirely by your special attack, the Exile’s armor melts off of your body, sloughing from your chest and shoulders in disgusting ropes of ichor that drip and arc and pool beneath your feet. You reach up with a gauntleted hand and peel the remains of the helmet from your face like a sloughing web, staring up at your foe.

> [[ HP: 14 / 35 ]]

The dragon struggles to stand, moving in a measured semicircle around the spot it crashed down in. Beneath it, you can see an unscorched corpse, crushed by the impact in a way that paints a swatch of blood several feet across the floor. Armored and masked, the body is dressed in red regalia decorated with gold effects. The creature looks down to observe her, then roars in rage and sadness, a red glow flickering in its eyes at the sight of you.

File: bb30fe5a55e10af495b365c5d(...).jpg (102 KB, 900x484)

102 KB JPG

>>3395531
You stand, and brandish your sword: the Last Argument of Kings. Your foe prepares its next move, and you...
> Hold out for a Concussive Strike.
> Charge and continue the offensive.
> Defend with your fireproof shield until your allies find a way inside.
> Run, using Molten Step and the environment to stall out Strife Memoriam's cooldown.

–------------

> [[ To-Do: Short-Term ]]
• Survive.
• Discard your cursed belongings, or use Celestial Gems or hallowed ground to break the curse.
• Figure out where you stand in the guild situation.

> [[ To-Do: Long-Term ]]
• Devote resources – yours and those of the other proprietors – to the Observatory’s facilities, upgrading it via Celestial Materialization.
• Locate Ayla’s successor, a technician called Baron, to touch bases with the Excavator effort and all to do with the Earthsea Promenade in order to reach the Earthsea.
• Empower Strife Memoriam through further investment of Celestial Gems.
• Find a way to restore UIs to the Nameless, and ascertain the meaning of ‘einherjar’. Potentially find a solution to short-term unrest.
• Form a concrete position on bounty hunting, perhaps by reaching out to Canderence and other influential solo players.
• Find out what became of Anaximander.

>>3395544
>> Run, using Molten Step and the environment to stall out Strife Memoriam's cooldown.

We got all of this mobility boosting gear for a reason. We can use the interior geometry to let combat regen get us back in fighting shape while we dodge around and wait for our allies to catch up.

>>3395544
> Run, using Molten Step and the environment to stall out Strife Memoriam's cooldown.

Reminder: We Require More Celestial Gems

>>3395544
>> Run, using Molten Step and the environment to stall out Strife Memoriam's cooldown.

>>3395544
> Run, using Molten Step and the environment to stall out Strife Memoriam's cooldown.
Hot damn it's good to be back

>>3395544
> Charge and continue the offensive.
Use it's reluctance to damage that corpse as an advantage in close combat over there!

>>3395564
What if we stay mobile with and rush in for quick strikes then rush away again while it's dazed and in a disadvantageous area?

>>3395544
>> Run, using Molten Step and the environment to stall out Strife Memoriam's cooldown.

>>3395544
>Run, using Molten Step and the environment to stall out Strife Memoriam's cooldown.

We took 14 damage in that last round and we have 14 HP left now, it might be worth taking our healing potion now. Or at least a lesser healing potion.

>>3395765
Can we do that in combat? Its been a while.

File: 210571290510.jpg (428 KB, 1920x1162)

428 KB JPG

>>3395564
>>3395643
>>3395650
>>3395688

The game’s inner workings are kept deliberately nebulous, bar your own HP – which you can’t even see at the best of times unless you’re really paying attention. So you don’t know how long exactly your own Artifact’s cooldown will run. But if you *move*, you can count it out, take advantage of your Combat Regeneration, and survive.

> [[ HP: 15 / 35 ]]

When the next fire blast propagates towards you, air in the empty space wavering with heat haze, you’re ready and already moving normal to it. Foe storms forward, claw over claw, sweeping its head to face you as it breathes. You jump, landing on an obsidian plinth and leaping to another, inferno washing over the previous platform with each subsequent step. For a moment, you wonder where your allies are… but as the only Artifact user in the party, you possess a potential in combat that the others lack that’s landed you so far ahead.

Feet scarcely in contact with the ground, you’re satisfied when you see the cone of flame subside, but your eyes widen when you see your next position anticipated with a large fireball. Turning, you put your large circular shield between yourself and the attack, and feel the heat on your skin when it explodes against you, launching you backwards.

You hit the ground hard, and it collapses beneath you, sending you tumbling toward the glowing magma beneath. As you fall, you right yourself, putting your feet toward the fire. But you aren’t burned when you touch down; in your mind, you can imagine Florica’s distant laughter as a crimson rune expands underfoot to catch you like a hidden platform atop the lava.

> [[ HP: 14 / 35 ]]
> [[ Affected by: Molten Step ]]

You spring upward, clumps of molten rock launched in all directions by the force of your leap and the magic involved. When you see the look in the dragon’s flashing eyes as you rise with sword and shield ready, you know that it expected you dead. With a beating of wings that sends chunks of broken stone rolling across the floor, your foe rises to challenge you again. It moves forward, body slithering with a grace you would scarcely expect for a creature of such size and brutality, before launching towards you with similarly-surprising speed.

Troublesome. Your mobility options aren’t as good when you’re in the air and your Artifact isn’t ready to use.

> Shield wall, making yourself as small a target as possible in attempting to block the attack.
> Brace yourself against the charge with the Last Argument.
> Try to quickly drink a potion and dodge or otherwise tank through the attack.
> Use Concussive Strike in an attempt to launch yourself and your foe in opposite directions.

>>3395779
I'm pretty sure we have in the past

>>3395787
> Use Concussive Strike in an attempt to launch yourself and your foe in opposite directions.
The most Ascheritte option available

>>3395787
>> Use Concussive Strike in an attempt to launch yourself and your foe in opposite directions.

If we can combine offense and defense, so much the better.

>>3395787
>Use Concussive Strike in an attempt to launch yourself and your foe in opposite directions.
Increase the PP to make more effective, we are going to need it.

>>3395787
> Shield wall, making yourself as small a target as possible in attempting to block the attack.
14 HP ain't much when we're fighting a pissed off dragon

>>3395787
>Shield Wall

>BSO is back
>MGNQ is coming back
I love this year so much.

Sidenote: We have Hoarfrost, an ice-elemental punching dagger. Brawler passive will let us it be more than a desperation move and closer to a killshot.

File: Vyx.jpg (208 KB, 836x1558)

208 KB JPG

>>3395810
>>3395812
>>3395817

In the absence of other options, you rely on the Last Argument. Your sword gleams, held high and brought down with might that cleaves the air asunder.

> [[ PP: 5 / 10 ]]

Thoom—and the rushing of the wind. Empty space vibrates beneath the edge of your blade, and you hear the beast rising from beneath you roar, muted by the vacuum between you, as its claw is deflected and its body is battered by the force of the Strike, tip of your sword raking across gleaming scales. It’s thrown off-course, and you’re pushed away and into a high-flying backflip. The only greater mystery than how you always manage to land safely in these situations is how you manage to soar so high in the first place. The dragon beats its wings, thrown back, but not grounded by your attack. As you begin to fall, it charts a new course, flying in a wide arc to intercept you. If it’s to snatch you from the sky again, its attack could be lethal…

> [[ HP: 15 / 35 ]]

You brace yourself, turning to anticipate the attack. There’s a blur of motion from the hole you blew in the wall by entering, and you hear a high-pitched kiai, looking over in time to see Tatsumaki vault from the opening and into a frontflipping axe-kick that bashes the beast between the wings. At the point of contact, there’s a familiar rush of energy, the force of Concussive Strike blooming outward from the martial artist’s heel. It’s a clean hit, sending the dragon ragdolling even further downward.

“LET’S. FUCKING. GO!” – as a more brutish battle-cry in a similarly high-pitched voice echoes from the opening in the wall, the sound of cannon fire serenading the fortress interior, dim space lit periodically with the bright muzzle-flash of each shot. Vyx stands on the edge of the boundary wall, focused in her aim, and with her target on a clean vector toward the ground, her shots strike true. Nel and Cornelius are nowhere to be seen; the latter seems to be lacking the mobility options shared among the rest of you.

You can feel you’re approaching the fortress wall as you fall, allies making their way forward to challenge the boss.

> Use the wall to slow your descent, then approach as your team’s guardian.
> Spring from the wall, attempting a Pegasus charge.
> Fall to the ground and move in quickly, relying on the Last Argument for its spacing and damage.
> Produce Hoarfrost and attempt to maneuver in for a lethal blow.

>>3396094
>Use the wall to slow your descent, then approach as your team’s guardian.
We should protect Vyx with more shielding. We can pega charge into hoarfrost later, if needed.

>>3396094
>> Spring from the wall, attempting a Pegasus charge.

Once we knock him sprawling we can get an eye-shot in with Hoarfrost. Let's coordinate with Tats and give him another one-two.

>>3396094
>> Use the wall to slow your descent, then approach as your team’s guardian.

Could probably top ourselves off with a potion as we do.

>>3396094
> Use the wall to slow your descent, then approach as your team’s guardian.
Take a second to breathe, heal, and strategize with the team before going back on the offensive. Does anyone else have any kind of protection from that fire breath?

>>3396094
>Use the wall to slow your descent, then approach as your team’s guardian.

File: 4fb72b8e572b0c1623d6bf589(...).jpg (65 KB, 736x587)

65 KB JPG

>>3396098
>>3396105
>>3396108
>>3396111

> [[ HP: 16 / 35 ]]

You turn your upper body and plant a hand on the hot rock wall as you draw within proximity, one boot skidding on the stone surface as you fall. Teeth chatter, and you feel as though the very underground is rumbling around you until the very moment you push off, transitioning into a jog with your shield held forward. A fireball launched from the top of the steps blows apart the ground at Tatsumaki’s feet, sending her stumbling backwards; Vyx is a measure behind, having slow-fallen similarly to you to make her way down.

“Ashe!” You hear Nel shout; he’s crested the wall and quickly set up a rope, currently helping Cornelius climb up.

“Try to slow down its movement.” The artificer’s voice echoes. The elemental focus he’s chosen is a rod with an icy crystal at its tip, and you can see cast a white glow across the cavern as he aims. “This is risky, but we can end it here.”

> [[ HP: 17 / 35 ]]

You can feel a frost ringing the back of your head from ear to ear, and mistake the sensation for your fire protection. No: Strife Memoriam is ready.

> Maintain the Memory of Exile. Your Celestial sword will knock your foe prone for the final blow.
> Switch Strife Memoriam’s equipped memory. You’ll have to wait to use it, but if the fight goes long you’ll need a backup plan.

>>3396206
>Maintain the Memory of Exile. Your Celestial sword will knock your foe prone for the final blow.
>plus hoarfrost as we land on it

>>3396206
> Maintain the Memory of Exile. Your Celestial sword will knock your foe prone for the final blow.

As much as I'd prefer to have Rust's lightning or Marble's regen, we can't let this fight drag out for too long. If we run out of juice to keep it disoriented and reeling we're toast.

>>3396206
>> Maintain the Memory of Exile. Your Celestial sword will knock your foe prone for the final blow.

>>3396206
> Maintain the Memory of Exile. Your Celestial sword will knock your foe prone for the final blow.
Switch to our colossal sword for a massive hit to stun it

>>3396206
>> Maintain the Memory of Exile. Your Celestial sword will knock your foe prone for the final blow.

>>3396230
I'd be cool with switching to the hoarfrost dagger if this doesn't work but for now we need to stun and or cripple it

>>3396350
The celestial sword generates from thin air. There's no issue with pulling it out.

I'm only swapping the equipped weapon that we can use as we fall down AFTER the stun/cripple

>>3396371
I feel like we'd get blasted by the artificier's ice blast if we do that

>>3396408
We're falling either way, unless you want to pegacharge out.

If we're doing that, may as well go up for more airtime and slam down harder after the ice blast.

File: 1474855883519.jpg (20 KB, 236x196)

20 KB JPG

>>3396230
>>3396232
>>3396272
>>3396326
>>3396245

‘Your light,’ the voice echoes in your head, ‘belongs to me.’ You crave that light, when Strife Memoriam grows cold against your skull. You would drink the veins of a God dry for more power.

You shake your head to clear away the invasive thoughts, bracing your shield against any further incoming attacks. Your foe is powerful, but its purpose is singular: to strike by claw and by flame. These attacks are predictable, but only just; the dragon’s speed and sheer aggression, still, render it a force to be reckoned with. That, and the fact that it isn’t dead yet. But that’s no matter; if it wasn’t felled by the previous barrage, a second strike from your Celestial sword will surely end it.

“Tatsumaki! Gimme some space, girl!” Vyx is hard to hear in the echoing noise of the place, speaking over incessant handcannon staccato. You can’t imagine being on the receiving end of that barrage, under which even a dragon seems to wither. Her firepower is impressive; though you aren’t aware of how much damage each successful impact inflicts on its scales and the tattered webbing of its wings, you imagine it is as if drowning in a tide of metal. You know your shield can protect from individual fireballs, and so interpose yourself between Vyx and the beast, stone shifting beneath your heels as you intercept each one.

Tatsumaki either doesn’t hear or doesn’t understand the verbal command. You’ve moved ahead, but she darts past you and veers abruptly to the side, drawing the creature’s attention away. Attacking from ambush seemed more successful than any other plan, though; here, all it takes is a swipe of the wing to send her flying into the air and bouncing across the stones. Even with your damage resistance, this foe hits like few others have; a strike like those the two of you have fielded would likely kill Nel or Cornelius outright, which makes them understandably hesitant to engage in close combat.

It’s unlikely that you’d be able to pin this creature down like you once did the Obsidian Pegasus; the Last Argument, while a strong weapon in its own right, is unlikely to sink into the environmental stone. If you could get close enough to the ceiling using the environment, you could use the Memory’s sword to dislodge a stalactite—the alternative, and what occurs to you like a favorable plan, is to simply strike downward with the sword to crush your foe against the ground.

> Pegasus charge, activating the Memory of Exile mid-rush.
> Help Tatsumaki and stage a combo attack.
> Have Vyx draw the creature’s attention to strike when unexpected.
> Call to your allies in the back for an alternative measure. (Write-in.)

>>3396707
>> Help Tatsumaki and stage a combo attack.

Vyx can hem it in with caster fire if it tries to take to the air. Get Tats to pop it up with a concussive strike and then we can pegacharge- exile burst spike it to finish it.

>>3396707
>> Help Tatsumaki and stage a combo attack.

>>3396707
>> Help Tatsumaki and stage a combo attack.

>>3396707
>Help Tatsumaki and stage a combo attack.
I guess that also works. We combine Concussive strikes to launch it into the air, Pegacharge exile burst to juggle, and finish it off with that ice burst thing.

>>3396707
>> Help Tatsumaki and stage a combo attack.

>>3396707
> Help Tatsumaki and stage a combo attack.

File: Cornelius.jpg (273 KB, 787x900)

273 KB JPG

>>3396721
>>3396723
>>3396725
>>3396731
>>3396739
>>3396775

You turn, then, watching Tatsumaki recover. She’s stumbling in rising to her feet, and you pick up the pace, darting forward; you hear a yelp from Vyx as a fireball passes through the space you occupied just a moment ago.

“What’s the deal?” The gunner shouts. A look over your shoulder reveals her cartwheeling away; luckily, the drake’s attention remains focused on you. Claw over massive claw, it continues, breaking apart the ancient masonry beneath as it lunges forward. “You trying to give me an angle? A little warning would be…”

“Ascheritte!” Cornelius’s voice calls out to you. “Are you – ready, or?”

“Not yet! Tats – give it a Concussive Strike!” You say, and give it a little more: faster and lower to the ground in your approach. In your charge, you lure the beast towards her. The best you can do is gesture ‘up’ as you approach, and hope that she can get out of your way. Because you aren’t stopping anytime soon—or at least, the sound of unseen cavalry and the golden wings unfurling from your shoulders decree as much. You’ll run right through her, unless…

> [[ HP: 18 / 35 ]]

“TATSUMAKI, GET OUT OF THE WAY.” Awh, Nel. At least he’s doing something.

The cat-eared brawler hits the ground in a prompt dive-roll, passing beside you as you sprint. You can see her bloody face and dazed expression… You turn in an attempt to skid to a stop, boot-heels carving trenches in the ground underneath, and whip around completely in time to hear the familiar explosive reverberation and see the dragon launched skyward by an impressive kick.

This is awkward. The Power Charge typically works to your advantage, but now you’ve got all this momentum in the wrong direction and not even you can stop it.

> Dig in, turn, and take a running vault off Tatsumaki to deliver the finisher.
> Keep going, and use the Exile’s memory to go up the wall and around. You can probably make it in time.
> Slow approach - move in and wait for the landing, or react to the aerial recovery.
> Write-in.

>>3397247
>> Keep going, and use the Exile’s memory to go up the wall and around. You can probably make it in time.

>>3397247
> Keep going, and use the Exile’s memory to go up the wall and around. You can probably make it in time.
Stopping our Pegasus charge seems impossible, combining it with our creepy climbing form seems like the best bet to get elevation quickly. Use the jump boost from the boots near the apex to get the last bit of height and then use the finisher to turn the dragon into a meteor.

>>3397247
> Dig in, turn, and take a running vault off Tatsumaki to deliver the finisher.
How big is this room? I'm not sure we'll make it in time. Jump off of her and use the exile finisher move to blast the dragon back into the floor.

>>3397247
>Keep going, and use the Exile’s memory to go up the wall and around. You can probably make it in time.
If weve got a free hand while doing all of this, pull out the longcaster and fire at the dragon the whole way. We dont need accuracy, we need its attention

File: Nel.jpg (110 KB, 987x1695)

110 KB JPG

>>3397254
>>3397326
>>3397508

The circlet enshrines your head, and from it blooms a coat of shadow that washes over your body from the mirror crest in the center. A jagged helmet takes form, and the Exile’s armor beneath it; thoughts of years spent in torment leave your mind singularly-focused and your purpose clear. You drop to all fours, the wings of the Pegasus still bright behind you. Curious, that you would accept power at any cost, when the Memories you have archived let it flow into you at no cost whatsoever.

> [[ Affected By: Power Charge, Memory of Exile ]]

By the time your fluttering black cloak vanishes beneath the material shell, your lateral momentum has already become vertical momentum. The transition is difficult; the lingering effect of your Pegasus cuirass wants your body to resist changes in its motion, but the Exile’s uncanny ability to circumvent modifiers to your movement causes you to simply clamber upward the stone face – iron nails digging in – at a speed that makes you appear truly horrifying from outside. The dragon reaches the apex of its height, and from across the molten hall, you see Vyx lock-on and fire, measured barrage of rounds buffeting the creature with explosive force on impact. You launch yourself from the wall, sailing toward the beast...

It recovers mid-air and roars. But its presence cannot frighten you in your state, and through the immense pressure it exerts, the Pegasus abides. The Celestial sword emerges in a black flash, and you cast it down; an explosion bathes the room in darkness, carpet of shadow rushing away from beneath the point of impact and crawling upward the walls to vanish in the corners of the place. Stones break from the ceiling, shattering on the floor and exposing magma beneath. The dragon is sent spiraling downward, crashing in the middle of the floor; the Exile’s armor breaks and melts around you as you spin and fly backwards, sending trails of oily droplets splattering in all directions.

> [[ HP: 14 / 35 ]]

As you crash to the ground in a puddle, your increased fire resistance promptly fades with the consumption of Cornelius’s focus for a final effort. Over your head, contrasting shadow with brightness, you see the power of pure ice rendered as a beam of blue light that pierces your foe. The air is hot and dry, but from here you can feel the cold of it and hear a strange crackling over the creature’s weakening cries. Its movement slows, light in its eyes burning out. It meets your gaze as a statue rimed with frost.

> [[ young earthcrowned drake was defeated. ]]
> [[ You have 1 unspent EXP. ]]

> [[ Continued ]]

File: 29ebab8867a0cc8b54d3cf2d3(...).jpg (35 KB, 736x281)

35 KB JPG

Will likely be updating intermittently tomorrow. I'll post in the usual spots when I'm back for another proper session.

>>3397638

Vyx and Tatsumaki maneuver to your side; tilting your head back, you can see Nel and Cornelius descending a rope from the hole you made in the wall. You roll over to glimpse the red-cloaked body lying at the bottom of the ancient, crumbling fortress’s stairs, and the Celestial Materialization Altar at their peak.

“Gotttem.” Vyx says, holstering her guns after a quick spin of each. “You okay, Ashe?”

“Yeah,” You respond. “Think so.”

“Good.” Cornelius says. He’s already menuing—a brief look at the party status on his Identifier, then he makes his way over to the frozen dragon. “Let’s check this place out, see what we’ve got.”

“That’s – a fresh body.” Nel says, looking over at the nearby corpse. “Was there someone else here? They don’t look like a player.”

> Write-in.

>>3397640
>Beneath it, you can see an unscorched corpse, crushed by the impact in a way that paints a swatch of blood several feet across the floor. Armored and masked, the body is dressed in red regalia decorated with gold effects. The creature looks down to observe her, then roars in rage and sadness, a red glow flickering in its eyes at the sight of you.
looks like a dear friend of the drake. I'm guessing the drake made this place its home to watch over the corpse.

>Let's loot this drake first. Anyone a fan of butchering? Just incase, I'm doing this with shield out.
>How stable is the floor? The Altar will probably be fine even if the floor crumbles, and I can fly people out one at a time, but I can't say the same for the drake.
>You alright, Tats?

>>3397640
>Whoever they were, the drake wasn't happy to see them go
>Might be this was meant to be a paired boss

Check on tatsu, get looting.

>>3397671
Alright, test draft of the upgrades bin

https://cryptpad.fr/code/#/2/code/edit/wX4vOVTDIyg9nqGiEHEjrl-i/

>>3397640

Let’s get Tats on her feet, then see how many gems this bad boy was packing.

>>3397640
Let's investigate that human corpse. Do we get a sick dragon memory out of this?

>>3397744
If we do we’ll have to give up one of our old memories to get it since we’re at 4/4 capacity. Do we push out Ruby or Marble? Rust gives us too many options and Exile just let us double dunk this dragon, so it’s probably worth investing in.

>>3397744
>>3397757
Dragon would give us....
>fireballs
kjorikos has ranged, ruby has lasers

>flying
kjorikos has flying

>strength
Ruby has it

>being a fucking dragon
okay, that one's unique

Marble is our best healing option, so we really shouldn't drop it.

>>3397758
Yeah seems like this might be a direct upgrade over Ruby at the cost of our projectiles having travel time.

>>3397780
combatwise, probably. But ruby is way better for structural puzzles, like making bridges.

Of course, we could just FLY, but that's a little less party oriented...

>>3397758
I'd argue that Marble is probably the least useful one

>>3397801
The HP regen on Marble is insane, though. Stacked on top of our skill-based regen it’s our best option for tanking hits.

>>3397801
Mix it with shield mastery, intervene, and a lot of HP/PP, and we kinda just don't die.

>>3397660
>>3397640
+1

>>3397660
Let's go with this

What do you guys wanna do with this area? Cash in a bunch of gems from this boss to turn it into another base? Maybe a private one for our guildless crew and friends? Or just take the gems for other uses and leave this place alone?

>>3398144
I'm reading through the archives now, to see what all the options we get at a celestial altar are.

I forget where exactly this location is relative to everywhere else. It may make a good place for another gate/base. Otherwise I think we can get some sort of phat lewt from 1st time discovered altars.

File: erin-lin-20150729.png (566 KB, 719x428)

566 KB PNG

“You alright, Tats?” You look over to the Brawler, who returns a quizzical glance at you before giving a smile and a shrug. There’s a disconnect, mentally, given she looks all bloody and out-of-line, but you know she’s alright.

“We should loot this thing.” Nel says. “I’ve got the map up-to-date, and with the surrounding areas too—originally I thought this area would be larger, but it looks like anything else that’d have been part of the structure is totally underground or completely molten. But if this place collapses…”

“I mean, isn’t there a Celestial offering on the Altar? If we have to, we can just take control of this place.” Vyx says. “That’d be a real quick fix, right?”

“Or we split it amongst ourselves.” Cornelius responds, checking his own map. “And let this place be sealed off. That seems to be the dominant strategy now that the areas outside Averron are getting smaller. This isn’t exactly the most tactical location, either, I think. It’s rather out of the way, for one, and not a strong midpoint between the Observatory and the deep branches—too far above Tethiss’s Claw.”

“That right?” Vyx asks, tilting her head toward Nel.

“Yeah, that’s right.” Nel nods.

“We’ve got time to decide.” The Artificer says. “It looks like the cavern’s settling. Crafting materials—any preferences? I’m splitting them evenly otherwise. There’s a strong elemental focus, too. I just burned my last one out, but fire doesn’t seem like it’s going to stay particularly useful down here forever, so I’d be alright with passing it up.”

> Inventory [[ young earthcrowned drake ]]
cryst of fire
red dragonwing webbing x12
pristine red dragonscale x12
immature dragonbone x8
dragon’s claw x2

> Inventory [[ Lucretia, flamespeaker ]]
Celestial Gem x4
earthcrowned prophet’s regalia
sacred egg

>>3398174
>Sacred egg
Hmmm

>>3398174
We need more celestial gems

>>3398180
We'll go straight to the fortune teller if we get that.

How many people are in our current party again?

File: 1541391236025.png (333 KB, 719x383)

333 KB PNG

>>3398174

As you look upon the bloodstained body, you feel a chill run down your spine. This moment, you know, was prophesied—yet still, you hold your child close, though his kin see fit to set the Sky alight. Borne inexorably into the earth, you watch as all that remains of the world is reduced to ashes around you. Before you can return to face them, you must build a fortress from which to rule the underground…

> With the Memory of Fire, trade physical strength for the power of a prophet of pure flame.
> Massively increased fire resistance, and temporary dominion over those born of flame, are each weakened as the user consumes Celestial power to travel by and cast pure fire.
> Be warned, seeker of Strife: the strength of a flameborn prophet is truly arcane, but if quenched by pure water, you will know Calamity.
> Strife Memoriam remains inactive for a short time after reallocating equipped Memories.

>>3398185
Shit yeah. Let's get rid of the ruby memory for this one. I want that egg too.

>>3398185

“Oh, man—we got four Gems. Conversely, we only got four Gems.” Vyx grumbles.

“There’s more up there, you said?” Cornelius asks. “We’ll figure it out.”

“What’s the egg for?” Nel asks.

“Maybe it’ll hatch into a dragon.” Vyx suggests.

“I’ll take it to the fortune teller if I end up with it.” You respond.

“Ascheritte, you can’t take care of a dragon. You can barely take care of yourself right!” Vyx says, looking at you with an idiot grin.

[[ 1 ]]
> Accept the Memory of Fire into your splendor at the cost of another Memory.
> Abandon the Memory of Fire.

[[ 2 ]]
> Offer looting suggestions.
> Inspect the Celestial Materialization Altar.
> Other. (Write-in.)

>>3398222
> Accept the Memory of Fire into your splendor at the cost of another Memory.
Get rid of ruby
> Offer looting suggestions.
1 gem and 1 egg to us. I'd offer to pass up the gem if we didn't do so much in the fight

>>3398222
Can we put off accepting or abandoning the Memory of Fire, possibly burning a gem at the altar to increase our capacity?

>>3398225
Seems reasonable, if we can't delay on accepting/declining the memory.

Otherwise evenly divide the more minor loot. Vyx may want an extra dose of webbing if she's willing to pass on the other stuff.

Can we see what the Earthcrowned Prophet's Regalia's stats are before we call yay or neigh on it?

>>3398222
> Accept the Memory of Fire into your splendor at the cost of another Memory.

As much as I love Ruby we’ll probably get hulk strength through our skill tree at some point. Fire has more utility.

>>3398225
Supporting, and also lobbying for at least one claw to make into a weapon.

>>3398266
I think we were gonna get the crafting materials divvied up evenly among everyone

>>3398289
Yeah but there are only two claws. I’d like to get one as part of our haul.

Also not sure how I lost my trip. On a different device at the moment; sorry about that.

>>3398312
Sure, but only if no one else wants it. Getting the Egg and the Celestial Gem both is a large part of the haul anyway.

Though I'm hopeful for what closing out the Altar might bring.

As I re-read the archives I note:
-Vyx wrote an item and crafting guide, we should ask her about our equipment loadout while we have her around.
-We need more celestial gems
-There's a decent chance that dematerializing the altar here will grant a few CGs, it'll also probably bring this place crashing down
-That egg is possibly a Phoenix egg, not a dragon egg
-The Heretic Forgemaster at the Observatory needs to be fed more of whatever he wants, and will also likely have new equipment when we return.
-If we don't dematerialize this altar, there's the possibility of turning this place into hallowed ground. This would likely let us remove the curses from our equipment (might be easier to just farm more materials for them. Particularly, silverwing materials correspond well with our playstyle and the Forgemaster could likely make us a matching set of gear if we brought enough), it would also prompt Observer attacks or Observer-backed attacks.

>dragon claw
good for weapons I guess, but unless we're looking for a spear or want our shield to be punchy, I don't think we want this.

>immature dragonbone
hell, we've got some protoribs. We'll surely have enough to make a bone SOMETHING if we take this.

>dragonscales
Combine with shield for more fire resistance. Simple, solid buff.
Combine with boots for more....molten step uptime? Extremely situational.
Combine with cloak for fire res. We could go for some sort of all elemental thing with this.

>Webbing
I dunno about this. Maybe if we combine it with the cuirass or leggings, we could make some sort of gliding apparatus?

>cryst of fire
we could check if this would help making a fluxsabre. Otherwise, My money's on upconverting the pegacharge into a jetpack.


I'm definitely for splitting the gems evenly. I'd also like to pass on the egg, unless we can use it to make hallowed ground.

>>3399130
Webbing+Pegasus Cuirass+possibly cryst of fire seems like it could definitely be some sort of flying thingy the Heretic Forgemaster could make.

>Not wanting the mystery box

>>3399143
That's because I'm thinking we can convert this dungeon into a dragon nursery. Why take ONE egg when you can have a whole BOATLOAD of dragon eggs?

>>3399147
The lore states that this is where the Earthcrowned Phoenix (or something like that, whatever that was) fell at. My bet's on that being a phoenix egg, it's even called sacred.

As for turning it into a dragon nursery...I'd rather take the CGs and improve the Observatory

>>3399166
Fair. We DO have enough on our plate without trying to set up a dragon brigade.

Unless Aelriss is up to it.

Man we still gotta try out our new fluxsabre on some lesser mobs sometime. I bet that thing kicks ass.

Also I'd really like to logout and establish our real world self as a character at some point. Poor dudes gonna die from dehydration or something.

>>3399227
She's had a traumatic experience with fire, so...I don't think so. That's why she dipped out on this expedition and got shy in the fight with Kjorikos

>>3399270
It's been like an hour or two since we last went under because of the time dilations. And meatspace is always the most boring part of VR-based stories.

Sorry, one more post of indecision before I commit. I'm thinking of a few packs:

>>Rocket Set
>Cryst of Fire, 6-8 webbing, 4 scales
We might have to give up a gem for this, but it should be enough for the jetpack and a little something for the cloak.

>>Defensive
>Egg, 8 scales
solid, if possibly boring option

>>Monster hunter
>claws, bones
We'll make something neat for arms, and possibly convert Last Argument into a dragon nobility relic

>>3399298
Last Argument can only be upgraded by using CGs.

I'd be willing to back
>Cryst of Fire, Sacred Egg, Webbing, Scales, Maybe some bone, Maybe the Prophet's regalia too for not taking a CG
Because with those materials we ought to be able to heftily upgrade the cloak and our breastplate. Both of which could use some bulking up.

We ought to get a fair amount of CGs from the altar anyway. We may need to roll to resist temptation though

>>3399368
that's a LOT of stuff.

And CGs are the minimum requirement for doing anything to relics, adding other stuff isn't off the table.

>>3399377
Well the basic materials'll be distributed evenly. The Cryst and the Egg are the main thing, and between them make up the difference of not getting a CG. The regalia is just a possible bonus, since I'm not sure anyone will necessarily have any interest in it.

>>3398174
Screwit, too many good options for us. My final vote will be:

>Cryst of Fire
>Webbing x8
>Dragonscale x6
>earthcrowned prophet’s regalia
definitely give up our gem spot. We can haggle down the scales to 4, but no further than that.

Wonder if we can salvage the cloth material of the regalia to add to the cloak.

>>3398222
and I forgot the memory thing.

> Accept the Memory of Fire into your splendor at the cost of another Memory.
sacrifice Ruby. I guess Ruby ultimately doesn't have any lore memories tied to it.

>>3399442
>Combine cloak and regalia and breatplate with Cryst of Fire, scales, webbing and CGs into new armor
Well that'd be pretty cool. Of course, if we bought the 1-CG upgrade for the Forgemaster himself he might be able to whip up something similar anyway.

>>3398222
>> Accept the Memory of Fire into your splendor at the cost of another Memory.
Ruby

> Inspect the Celestial Materialization Altar.
Finish the looting first before divvying

>>3399466
Fair. Supporting

File: 2141829515.jpg (26 KB, 490x368)

26 KB JPG

>>3398222

You feel warmth from the glow of pure fire on your skin.

> [[ The Memory of Ruby has been forgotten. ]]

“That’s kinda fair. I’d still like to hang on to it, though.” You respond. “I play close to the Alliance, so anything that develops from the former isn’t gonna be a surprise to you guys at all.”

“More than reasonable, given your contribution to the fight.” Cornelius says.

“Awh. I was hoping I could keep it…” Nel frowns. “I guess we’ll be able to craft a couple of armor pieces, at least.”

“I’d hate to be insistent, but I plan to take one of these Gems. It will more than compensate for my loss today.” Cornelius adds. “As for the others—I would suggest Ascheritte receive the foremost, while Vyx and Tatsumaki each contributed a fair amount of damage and utility…”

“You wouldn’t even have been able to get up to that ledge without me!” Nel folds his arms. “Your damage should count for me too!”

“Oh, just give mine to him if y’all are gonna start an argument.” Vyx rolls her eyes, leering momentarily at the alluring glint of the jewels. “Just remember you owe me a big time cut-in.”

“Hang on,” You suggest. If you back out of a Gem, you’ll be able to get an extra unique item, or just the lion’s share of the crafting materials. It would *hurt* you to do so… but you’ll need upgrades if you plan to continue your pursuit. “I… might back out myself, if it means I could get more of something else. If there’s more Gems on the altar we can see how many we have before deciding.”

“Ascheritte’s suggestion makes the most sense. The bulk crafting resources aren’t in even amounts – so some of us will have to take less of some materials and more of others. We can distribute them when we’re done, and if you’d like to trade we can sort it out when we’re in a safe spot.”

Idly, you inspect the body. The earthcrowned prophet’s regalia is a layered scarlet cloth robe; though the material is sheer, it appears quite durable. Golden trim is delicately sewn in in patterns depicting the heads of dragons. Myriad chains with small golden necklaces covered in charms hang and arc between the layers of cloth.

“There are five items outside of the bulk materials – two claws, this robe, the cryst, and the egg. Does anyone want a dragon’s claw more than anything else?” Cornelius asks.

“Me.” Vyx says. “You still owe me though.”

“Okay, that makes that easier.” He makes his way to the top of the stairs – and shudders visibly, leaning in to inspect the altar. You follow after him, stopping at the sight of the breathtaking spectacle. “Friends? We could become a new world power with this, you realize.”

> [[ Continued ]]

File: 7a933e4d743593d322705c775(...).jpg (206 KB, 1200x650)

206 KB JPG

>>3399576

Carved from a single tablet of obsidian, this statue depicts a woman who genuflects before an everlasting fire, individual folds of the fabric of her clothing affected in flawless stone. The brazier is overflowing with jewels.

> [[ Greater Celestial Materialization Altar ]]
> Celestial Manifestation “Earthcrowned Fortress”
> MANIFESTATION GRANTED BY:
a Precursor, “to steal vengeance from beneath the burning sky.”
> [[ Offer Celestial Gems ]]
* Create Celestial Artifact
* Enhance Celestial Artifact
* Empower Mundane Item
* Enhance Celestial Manifestation
* Destroy Celestial Manifestation (To The Victors Go The Spoils)
> [[ Offer Item ]]
* Offer an Item to the Celestials

> Inventory [[ celestial offering ]]
Celestial Gem x11

“Oh, hot damn.” Vyx says. Tatsumaki’s eyes are sparkling.

“In case it was unclear, my vote is to destroy this place. We’d have enough Gems for each of us to take three for whatever we like between Averron and the underground.” Cornelius looks to the group. “Artifacts, personal upgrades—whatever we want.”

“What? Even if it’s not the most convenient spot, we could use an away base. Or a secret hideout—or a forge?” Nel says. “There’s probably a lot of hidden lore down here, too! Ashe and I have friends that really care about that stuff.”

“I’m with Cornelius.” Vyx nods. “Sorry, but—I got benchmarks to meet, and I feel like none of the guilds really want to be here anyway.”

“Tatsumaki should get a vote.” Nel says. The martial artist looks over at him and smiles.

“She doesn’t even have a clue what we’re talking about.” Vyx huffs. “How does she not get bored? I get bored enough listening to people normally.”

“Ascheritte? You got any thoughts?” Cornelius looks to you.

> Suggest destroying the Manifestation and splitting all fifteen Gems.
> Suggest using some number of the Gems to somehow edify the area and splitting the remainder.
> Suggest using the entire offering to establish facilities that put this area under your, or the Alliance’s control.

>>3399585
> Suggest destroying the Manifestation and splitting all fifteen Gems.
This would be a sick away base but I don't want to spread ourselves too thin. We could focus more on upgrading the Observatory with these gems, which is already a pretty sick base of operations and any upgrades would benefit the entire Alliance instead of just our few friends.

>>3399585
> Suggest using some number of the Gems to somehow edify the area and splitting the remainder.
More dragon spawns would be great for farming, and this place is tied to the egg, best not destroy it entirely.

>>3399585
>Suggest holding off on destroying it. Plenty of time to pick around the place for mining spots, especially since there's no monsters here.
>Heck, even the magma could come in handy.

>>3399617
I think assuming that this place would give us multiple dragons is a bit of a stretch. The dragon that we just killed just came here to ride out the apocalypse that wiped out their civilization with the human that it wanted to protect, there's nothing about this place that's inherently linked to dragons.

>>3399617
Actually wasn't there evidence that the Earthcrowned Phoenix was killed near the entrance to this place? I bet the sacred egg is just that phoenix reincarnating as phoenixes like to do.

>>3399585
>Suggest destroying the manifestation and splitting all fifteen gems
This place feels like a place of darkness and vengeance, I don't think I mind destroying it

>>3399618
It seems like destroying it is a prerequisite for taking the gems, but if not I don't see any reason to destroy it.

>>3399630
That's what I've been saying, and why I've been lobbying to definitely get that egg.

We'll show Euonia what's what.

>>3399641
I'm so stoked to have a phoenix companion, you don't even know

I don't remember the costs for certain upgrades for Strife Memoriam, but I definitely think we should put these toward it. We use it so much that it's definitely worth the investment.

>>3399585
> Suggest destroying the Manifestation and splitting all fifteen Gems.
Worth it

>>3399666
Here's the last list.
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/1978591/
Post: 1983887

There's also Observatory upgrades to consider.
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/993431/
Post: 996204
I'd definitely support spending the 1 CG on enhancing the Forgemaster.

>>3399692
> [0] Strife Memoriam becomes contained within the holder’s eye. Improves connection to memories. Imparts a free upgrade point. (Commit: 8 8)
I still want to do this.

> [4] Address the nature of a single memory, then Purify to permanently alter its functionality and weaken its hold over Strife Memoriam, or Exalt to immortalize its power. A Celestial Technique may be discovered. (Commit: 8 12)
Also this has to be worth it. Celestial techniques seem to be powers that can be used without activating the memory and also offer a lot of lore expanding opportunities.

Sidenote

>“Have the Observatory’s proprietors considered the possibility of teleportation, Ascheritte?” Smith asks.

>“Haven’t even thought about it.” You respond. “But we’d need somewhere to go – an away base, or something, which means we’d need to find somewhere with an Altar to set up camp, as well as enough Gems to secure a facility.”


>>3399635
No, the 11 is what we get for sure. We get MORE if we destroy it

[[ Strife Memoriam: General ]]
> [X] Request a unique upgrade. (Commit: 8 ???)
> [X] Change Strife Memoriam’s form, or fix Artifact into body. Request options to determine cost or gain. (Commit: 8 ???)
> [1] Reduce devotion cost (Commit: 8 6)
> [1] Increase maximum number of allocated memories (1 2) (Commit: 8 10)
> [1] Increase maximum number of stored memories (4 5) (Commit: 8 10)
> [2] Increase uptime. (Commit: 8 10)
> [2] Acquiring Celestial Fortitude resets Strife Memoriam’s cooldown and affords significant temporary power increase. (Commit: 8 8)
> [4] Address the nature of a single memory, then Purify to permanently alter its functionality and weaken its hold over Strife Memoriam, or Exalt to immortalize its power. A Celestial Technique may be discovered. (Commit: 8 12)

[[ Strife Memoriam: Rust ]] (Commit: 8 12)
> [2] While Rust is the allocated memory, all outgoing non-elemental magic damage is increased.
> [2] Improve levitation capabilities while the Memory of Rust is active. The user may now glide as long as the memory persists.
> [3] Lesser Art: While Rust is the allocated memory, spend PP to temporarily freely wield pale flame as long regardless of Strife Memoriam’s cooldown. Requires a free hand.

[[ Strife Memoriam: Marble ]] (Commit: 8 12)
> [2] While Marble is the allocated memory, all outgoing unarmed melee damage is increased.
> [2] Improve dexterity while the Memory of Marble is active. Penalty to weapon skills is nullified, but native bonuses are not applied. The user has improved ground mobility and can stand more quickly when knocked prone.
> [3] Lesser Art: While Marble is the allocated memory, spend PP to recover health.
> [4] Lesser Art: While the Memory of Marble is active, spend PP to teleport from an unobserved location to another nearby unobserved location.

[[ Strife Memoriam: Exile ]] (Commit: 8 12)
> [2] While Exile is the allocated memory, gain minor improvement to all Sword skills and minor resistance to abnormal status.
> [2] The Memory of Exile’s special weapon can strike an additional time, and will no longer damage the user.
> [3] Celestial Technique: Ì̸̢̨̨͕͙͙̙͕̦͎̞̔͆͑̓̓̆̋̏́͋̚͜͠ êTŒee”̶̛̰͔͔̭̜Ḳ̴̢͙͖̺͇̠͉̂̿̾̇̀̇͒̚ͅṄ̴̨̨̧̥͇̙̙̱̥̤̈́̉̌̔̊̀͆̆͌̓̄̂̿̕&îêT?O̸̡̳͕̜͖̎͑͆̓͗͛̉̕͝W̶̛̳̦̤͓̭̙͎̽̇̾͊̃͛̏͜͠͠¤zûýæzoY̶̡̨̢̨̘̮̩̜̞͒̍̉͜Ǫ̷̱͚̝̯͍̹̣͍̙̹̈̉̏̚̚̚͜͜ͅU̵̡̬̭̮̪̫̬̦̫̩͈̩͚̘̿̀͐̒̓́̌̒̽̿ͅ

> [[ Investing in an individual memory will improve further upgrade options. ]]

Here's the Strife Memoriam upgrade options in case anyone else was wondering.

>>3399739
I love the idea of setting up teleporters, I just hate the idea of paying for it all ourselves. The o
Alliance should pony up some gems toward the Observatory, just as we already have and more considering they represent several guilds and aren't just one person.

>>3399751
As of now we've invested [2] CGs more than the other founders. The other founders presently plan on investing CGs to set up [2] Advent Gates (1 in Averron City, 1 in the Observatory) but they are willing to defer the allocation of gems for the Observatory to us if we disagree with that step.

Personally, while the ease of travel from a gate is highly valuable, I think that a Sidereal Armor+NPC Upgrade to it, and self-repairing keepers might be an on-par investment.

>>3399716
The lesser arts seem worthwhile too. Particularly both of Marble's lesser arts.

File: 62edb0da22112c5a5a9f126b9(...).jpg (87 KB, 1000x564)

87 KB JPG

>>3399612
>>3399631
>>3399674

“Destroy it.” You respond. “This place just feels foreboding. Even if we were to shore it up with some facilities there’s not a ton of good I can see coming from keeping it around.”

> [[ Contact Request: Kinoue ]]

Your UI pings. Never heard that name before.

“That’s three to one and whatever Tatsumaki would have voted, so.” Cornelius says. “Fifteen Gems our way. Ashe, you still want to back out of your share? At the risk of sounding like a dick—it could make splitting up the other equipment cleaner if someone wants more or less of any other particular thing.”

Another ping. You turn off your notifications, but keep an eye on the screen while you decide.

> [[ UI Messenger – Kinoue ]]
> [[ Kinoue ]]: Hi!
> [[ Kinoue ]]: Sorry if this is weird, but - are you the Observatory guy? I’m new and someone said you could help me. xD

[[ 1 ]]
> Request a dragon claw.
> Request the cryst of fire.
> Request the earthcrowned prophet’s regalia.
> Request a sacred egg.

[[ 2 ]]
> Accept three Celestial Gems.
> Accept two Celestial Gems, trading the third to the party share for more items.

[[ 3 ]]
> Respond to Kinoue. (Write-in.)
> Let the message go for now.

>>3399765
I honestly expect the Alliance to invest a shitload of gems into the Observatory as they consolidate power. Considering their resources and the Observatory's status as the claimed hub nearest to the Earthsea, it's a no-brainer. I also think that our guildless group should invest the gems for our own ends individually unless we intend to form a guild of our own, in which case I'm all for using the gems on guild infrastructure upgrades.

>>3399777
> Request a sacred egg.
> Accept three Celestial Gems.
> Respond to Kinoue. (Write-in.)
That's me, what do you need? Props for spelling my clusterfuck of a name well enough to message me btw

>>3399777
>Request Sacre Egg
>Request Cryst of Fire
>Request Earthcrowned Prophet's Regalia
In that order of priority.
>Accept 2 celestial gems, trading the third to party share for more items

>Respond to Kinoue
"Sorry guys, let me answer this message real quick before we do this. It's coming at an odd time and seems ominous."

>>3399777
> Request the cryst of fire.
>"I've got an idea for it. Can anyone say: jetpacks?"
Also, if the aim of the egg was to remove the curse, we can always ask a favor from whoever takes the egg.


> Accept two Celestial Gems, trading the third to the party share for more items.

> Respond to Kinoue. (Write-in.)
>What's up?

>>3399739
>>3399787
side sidenote, I can't actually find proof that destroying an altar gives out gems.

On the off chance it doesn't we can always tell the Alliance about this place and THEY can spend gems on it.

>>3399777
> Request a sacred egg.
> Accept three Celestial Gems.
> Respond to Kinoue. (Write-in.)
Whatchu need

All you people wanting mediocre items over 3 gems are crazy

>>3399805
How would the egg remove a curse? It's a phoenix egg, well worth hatching.

>>3399805
The aim of the egg is to get a kickass phoenix bird-companion

>>3399821
>>3399822
alright, just checking.

>>3399819
Supporting this. CGs are the jet fuel. Everything else is secondary.

>>3399819
It's wanting boss-tier items over 1 gem. Seems like a fair trade. There's more utility out of getting high-grade items for our gear than getting 1 more gem.

File: index.jpg (264 KB, 1920x1200)

264 KB JPG

>>3399861
>>3399819
>>3399794

This is the key—this is the score. You conquer stronger opponents and cast yourself into battle for the prize of Celestial Gems. *That* is what you do, and something within you demands more as you reach for the altar.

“I’m good.” You respond. “Might have to take a message in just a second, though.”

“I’m eager to get back topside, myself.” Cornelius says, working with his menu.

> [[ UI Messenger – Kinoue ]]
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: Yeah, that’s me. What do you need?
> [[ Kinoue ]]: Well, this game is really complex—I’m just trying to get it all figured out!
> [[ Kinoue ]]: Oh, and
> [[ Kinoue ]]: The map is really wonky so I don’t know the best way to the lower branches from the Observatory.
> [[ Kinoue ]]: You’re not anywhere near there at all, are you?
> [[ Kinoue ]]: Heck, you probably don’t have time to help someone like me out. xD

> [[ You received 3 Celestial Gems. ]]
> [[ You received sacred egg. ]]
> [[ You received 2 red dragonwing webbing. ]]
> [[ You received 3 pristine red dragonscale. ]]
> [[ You received 2 immature dragonbone. ]]

“Good stuff, boys. Anything we gotta do before we close this chapter, or are we good to go?” Vyx asks.

“Looks like we’re done.” Nel seems a little disappointed, though there’s the lingering color in his cheeks afforded by holding a Celestial gift close. “We should get moving, yeah?”

There isn’t much more to explore around the fortress, it seems like. You could take another look around immediately outside; anything else of value would be out in the underground branches proper.

[[ 1 ]]
> Respond to Kinoue. “I’m on my way back up with some friends now if you’d like to meet us at a landmark.”
> Respond to Kinoue. “Yeah, busy at the moment—hopefully understandably. You might be able to find a guide up there, though.”
> Ignore Kinoue.

[[ 2 ]]
> Nothing left to do here. Close out and head back up toward Averron.
> Nothing left to do here. Close out and take a look around outside.
> Stay in the fortress for a while and rest.
> Other. (Write-in.)

>>3399861
We dont have much PP at the moment, and 2 concussives is a very nice number to work with.

Gems at the moment would go to observatory stuff, and we dont need that many for stuff we personally pay for.

>>3399981
>Respond to Kinoue. “Yeah, busy at the moment—hopefully understandably. You might be able to find a guide up there, though.”

>get some mining done. If this place has silver or gold, youre already up for some cashmoney

>>3399981
This is starting to feel like a PKer.

We should be very careful as we exit.

>>3399981
> Respond to Kinoue. “I’m on my way back up with some friends now if you’d like to meet us at the Observatory.”

> Nothing left to do here. Close out and take a look around outside.

Have Nel scout where we can’t. When we’re sure it’s clear, break it down.

>>3399981
>Respond to Kinoue. "Yeah, busy at the moment. Give me a few and we might could meet."

>Nothing left to do here. Close out and take a look around outside.
Make it clear to everyone that we're suspicious of an ambush for no clear reason.

>>3399981
> Respond to Kinoue. “Yeah, busy at the moment—hopefully understandably. You might be able to find a guide up there, though.”
> Nothing left to do here. Close out and head back up toward Averron.

>>3399981
> Respond to Kinoue. “I’m on my way back up with some friends now if you’d like to meet us at a landmark.”
Just got done with a raid that went really poorly. Down to just me and two others. Might not respond for a bit, shits getting real.
> Nothing left to do here. Close out and head back up toward Averron.
I'm all about misleading possible PKers just in case. Have Tats and Vyx with us and the others stay out of sight nearby as we exit here.

Oh shit, also heal up and tell others to do the same. Switch to our new Memory too.

If we're assuming that this is a PKer, why might we be targeted right now, just before the merger? Does someone in the alliance take issue with our power as a guildless player? Is this Freakshow? Are we just being paranoid and this is actually a newbie player looking for help?

>>3399981
Change >>3399992
To
>Not really sure when I'll be back. Could be 5 minutes, could be 2 hours. You're better off asking for a guide.

>>3400236
They could be targeting the observatory, wanting to claim it for themselves

>>3400236
Didn't we have a kind-of alliance with Freakshow when we faced off against Cidren with Freya?

I'll admit it's been a while since I last read BSO though. For all I know, that alliance could have been broken.

>>3395258
Late but
IT LIVES!

❤️

File: jung-park-123769.jpg (121 KB, 600x728)

121 KB JPG

“There’s still all this stuff out here.” You remark. With the dismissal of the Celestial Manifestation, the whole of the fortress—even the Celestial Materialization Altar—simply vanished from around you with little fanfare but the flickering of a faint glow of sickly green, cave system adjacent reshaping itself as though it were never there. It’s a fine measure, you think, as otherwise you’d have been entombed in rock and magma, or buried in an avalanche of falling stones. You and the party are making your way back across the bridge over the lava to the underground proper. “Still some statues and sconces. Anyone see anything of value? Resource nodes?”

“Who’d want any of this junk?” Vyx asks. “It’s just bad furniture.”

“Players can craft things like this,” Cornelius says, fingers drifting over an obsidian sphere at the top of a column. “But to make truly interesting designs requires one to divert from the game’s blueprints with an aesthetic eye like a real-life artist’s. I imagine rare and unique decorations will eventually have their own market much greater than what currently exists in Averron.”

> [[ UI Messenger – Kinoue ]]
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: Busy at the moment, sorry. Hope you can understand. I dunno when I’ll be back—maybe minutes, maybe hours.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: But I’ll be around if you still want to meet later! For now it’s best if you find a guide.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: Have you tried the Overlook? There’s usually plenty of people who go up there to find parties for hunting.
> [[ Kinoue ]]: I haven’t! I took a quick look at the shops, but I don’t have a ton of money.
> [[ Kinoue ]]: I was hoping someone could give me a tour. :v
> [[ Kinoue ]]: All those spiral staircases get me dizzy! xD Anyway, thanks! I figured you’d be busy. I’ll try my luck again!
> [[ Kinoue ]]: Good luck with whatever you’re up to!

“Aelriss made a butt-ton of money selling the paintings off the walls from Kjorikos’s place, before it became the Observatory.” Nel says. “And I imagine there’s mineral veins nearby I could pinpoint if I look around.”

“I’d really like to get back to HQ, actually.” Vyx says. “Feelin’ out of it, sorry. I’d probably just go up myself if you guys do any mining.”

“I wouldn’t mind a quick search for valuables.” Cornelius says. “But I’d like for us to get our feet out of the dust soon too.”

> [[ Contact Request: Fauxley ]]

Why are you blowing up?

> [[ Continued ]]

File: Liza.jpg (219 KB, 1500x2322)

219 KB JPG

>>3400293

"What's her name?" Vyx says, looking at you with a little smirk.

"Can't say." You roll your eyes, bringing up the menu. "She cooler than you, though."

"Ouch." The gunner winces.

> [[ UI Messenger – Fauxley ]]
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: Heyo; who’s this?
> [[ Fauxley ]]: Hi, Ascheritte. I’m a Technician affiliated with Baron and the Talents.
> [[ Fauxley ]]: I wanted to let you know that we’ve currently begun work on special weaponry using the blueprints from the Hecatelia report.
> [[ Fauxley ]]: Liza made a very heavy-handed suggestion that I extend sales opportunities to Alliance members and their affiliates before opening up to the general public, which is why I’m messaging you now.
> [[ Fauxley ]]: I understand you’re hunting at the moment, but if you’d like to arrange a meeting to see what we’re working on, or so that I could extend you my *shopping list*, I’d very much appreciate that.
> [[ Fauxley ]]: That’s whenever. You can come to the workshop, or we’d be glad to come to you.

[[ 1 ]]
> Stay and mine with Nel.
> Search for valuables with the party and head up.
> Hurry up without any additional searching.
> Other. (Write-in.)

[[ 2 ]]
> Respond to Fauxley. “Thanks for letting me know. I’ll keep in touch.”
> Respond to Fauxley. “If you want to wait for us at the Observatory, we’re heading up there.”
> Ghost Fauxley.

>>3400294
>> Stay and mine with Nel.
> Respond to Fauxley. “Thanks for letting me know. I’ll keep in touch.”

Staying to protect Nel is more important than whatever this girl is trying to sell us imo. Nel's our bro.

>>3400301
Plus, we'd likely be first on the list for whatever ores he mines up.

>>3400294
> Search for valuables with the party and head up.

> Respond to Fauxley. “Thanks for letting me know. I’ll keep in touch.”

>>3400293
> Search for valuables with the party and head up.
> Respond to Fauxley. “If you want to wait for us at the Observatory, we’re heading up there.”
Must have some gear worth getting if Liza's being so intense about it.
Looks like we were being needlessly paranoid there

>>3400294
> Search for valuables with the party and head up.
> Respond to Fauxley. “If you want to wait for us at the Observatory, we’re heading up there.”
Is it wrong that I was sort of hoping for some PvP and political intrigue?

>>3400294
>Stay and mine with Nel.
>>3400294
>Respond to Fauxley. “Thanks for letting me know. I’ll keep in touch.”

In all honesty, I think it's about time we replaced our Onyx-studded gloves or gauntlets or whatever. Just my opinion, but they're a crafted (iirc) item that we got early-game.

>>3400335
Yeah those things are trash, we never use unarmed attacks.

>>3400344
We did, for a bit. But now that we've got Last Argument, I agree.

I think it was literally for like two threads, and a couple people were suggesting we become Tatsumaki 2.0.

File: Canderence.jpg (88 KB, 560x835)

88 KB JPG

>>3400301
>>3400311
>>3400329

> [[ UI Messenger – Fauxley ]]
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll keep in touch.
> [[ Fauxley ]]: Please do. You can contact Baron in my stead, obviously.

Should be safe to turn your notifications on.

Ping!

> [[ UI Messenger – Crimson Guardian Liza ]]
> [[ Crimson Guardian Liza ]]: Did you just blow an Altar?
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: Yeah, on the first date, too.
> [[ Crimson Guardian Liza ]]: …
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: Sorry, forgot who I was talking to. Got like 7 people blowing up my feed.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: How could you tell? Does it do something upstairs?
> [[ Crimson Guardian Liza ]]: Hang on, dealing with something.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: Something my fault?
> [[ Crimson Guardian Liza ]]: No. Talk to you in a bit.

“We’ll take a quick sweep. See if we can’t grab some decs to sell.” You nod.

“Worst case, we can market some shit to pay for equipment repairs.” Vyx adds. “I’m for it. Everyone move a rock and steal a priceless artifact.”

“Awh. Ashe, you want to go mining somewhere else later?” Nel asks.

“We’ll see. I could definitely use the materials.” You respond.

Ping!

> [[ Contact Request: Iwitavor ]]

FUCK.

> [[ UI Messenger – Iwitavor ]]
> [[ Iwitavor ]]: FUCK

Seems like this guy’s on the same page as you. You work as you meander about the place, rolling a stone out of the way or moving what looks to be an ancient door that leads to not much of anywhere in search of trinkets.

> [[ UI Messenger – Iwitavor ]]
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: Can I help you?
> [[ Iwitavor ]]: YA
> [[ Iwitavor ]]: KYS U DUMB BITCH
> [[ Iwitavor ]]: WHERE U AT BB??
> [[ Iwitavor ]]: 1V1

> [[ You received carved lavastone idol. ]]
> [[ You received jewels. (+121#) ]]

There’s a bittersweet taste in your mouth.

Ping!

> [[ Contact Request: Head Hunter Canderence ]]

You make an audible sound of disgust.

“Everything alright?” Cornelius asks.

“Yeah, just my adoring fans.” You respond. “They get antsy between public appearances.”

“Hey, there’s citrine down here!” Vyx shouts. You see Nel wandering over.

> [[ UI Messenger – Head Hunter Canderence ]]
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: Ashe.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: I wanted to give you a little heads-up since you seem important and like a decent guy.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: And also it felt a little bit unsporting to me, for the same reasons.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: What’s up.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: There’s a bounty on you.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: Larger than any price anyone’s ever put out in Averron—that goes for protection, gambling on duels to yield, anything.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: 50,000# for your UI.

[[ 1 ]]
> Seems like people are finding things. Keep looting.
> Call off the search and head up.

[[ 2 ]]
> Message Canderence. “So cancel it.”
> Message Canderence. “Who wants me dead that bad.”
> Message Canderence. “On what grounds?”
> Other. (Write-in.)

Should we continue playing with greatsword+shield or go for duel wielding greatswords?

>>3400384
>> Seems like people are finding things. Keep looting.
Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck.
> Message Canderence. “Who wants me dead that bad.”
Someone from Freakshow, probably Anaximander.

>>3400384
>> [[ UI Messenger – Iwitavor ]]
>> [[ Ascheritte ]]: Can I help you?
>> [[ Iwitavor ]]: YA
>> [[ Iwitavor ]]: KYS U DUMB BITCH
>> [[ Iwitavor ]]: WHERE U AT BB??
>> [[ Iwitavor ]]: 1V1
It wouldn't be a true MMORPG without people like that.
> Seems like people are finding things. Keep looting.
> Message Canderence. “Who wants me dead that bad.”

>>3400384
> Call off the search and head up.
> Message Canderence. “Who wants me dead that bad.”
> Message Canderence. “On what grounds?”
OH SHIT
>>3400385
We're not really a big shield guy, we just used this one for the fire resist on this raid. I'm more of a fan of the colossal weapon build personally

>>3400385
Greatsword + shield is what I wanted in the first place desu. Never hurts to have a weapon on standby, like Dross, though.

>>3400399
ANAXIMANDER DID NOTHING WRONG

>>3400384
> Seems like people are finding things. Keep looting.

We're with a sizable group and this might be the last time we can do this safely for a while.

> Message Canderence. “Who wants me dead that bad.”

>>3400406
Anon, pls. He did nothing wrong, but I still want him dead.

>>3400399
I doubt it's freakshow, less so Anaximander. He's been gone for a long ass time.

>>3400401
>>3400402
We should use this lvl up to settle our build. I hope there's no salt regardless which option wins.

>>3400384
> Seems like people are finding things. Keep looting.
Heal up, level up, switch to dragon memory
> Message Canderence. “On what grounds?”

File: 1480140390758.jpg (2.07 MB, 2472x1212)

2.07 MB JPG

> [[ UI Messenger – Head Hunter Canderence ]]
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: On what grounds? Surely there’s a reason.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: It was originally… exposure. But it got out of hand.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: Exposing what? I haven’t really done anything.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: Lemme explain. Give the forum thread a read «here» and I’ll give you the condensed version.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: Now, this isn’t something with proof we can consult, because most every witness is dead, fair warning.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: Here’s what happens. Group of four people, an Explorer and Tech from the Talents, and two hunter-trader types they picked up at the Observatory, head down to one of the safe gathering areas on a little resource expedition.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: It’s «this» spot?
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: I’m reading, one sec.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: That’s straight above the Rift. Is that really a safe area?
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: There are confirmed no monster spawns in the whole zone.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: Anyway, they’re just picking up materials, when a squad of monsters comes in all the way from Tethiss’s Claw.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: Two araneid soldiers and two araneid viziers—those are spellcasters, by the way.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: Why didn’t they fight? Try to run, or something?
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: Ascheritte, the average BSO player is not like you. Spellcasting mobs are rare. Usually seeing just one in a normal hunting ground is occasion to run.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: They did run. All of them still died except the Explorer.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: So what does this have to do with me.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: The Araneids were supposedly chanting ‘Ascheritte’ the whole time. Something like ‘bring us Ascheritte’.

You are at full health. While you work, you spend the sunk time reflecting: assessing your inventory and preparing Strife Memoriam and your own status for what is to come.

> [[ You received jewels. (+87#) ]]
> [[ You received blank lavastone tablet. (3) ]]
> [[ You received lesser lava essence. ]]

> [[ Continued ]]

File: 1515126512361.jpg (285 KB, 1364x768)

285 KB JPG

>>3400546

> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: Now, she was understandably pissed and wanted answers, but she didn’t know whether to do a callout post or demand satisfaction or go to you or the Alliance directly, so she just put up a 2k bounty with the post hoping it’d make you explain yourself and come make things right.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: Well, the forums move fast and I can’t keep up with them when I’m fighting around the clock.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: You said 50k, not 2k. Who gave her 48k.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: Continuing. A few people corroborated her report and threw in a few hundred each because they were curious too. Saying they’d heard your name, or they knew who you were from the Observatory.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: When it got to 10k, my lieutenant, Bladez, doubled it out of pocket because he wanted to see what would happen.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: That was a couple hours ago.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: There’s 30,000# missing here. Think of how you’d feel if you were missing 30,000# and also going to die.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: Right.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: Just a little while ago, someone made an anonymous addition to our trust—which you aren’t supposed to be able to do, by the way. I’m trying to figure that out right now.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: One anonymous guy left 30k. He have any alias?
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: They’re called the ‘Calamity Sage’.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: So this is a callout that went viral, and now everyone in Averron wants to cash in on my head like I’m a walking lottery.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: Yes.

[[ 1 ]]
> Keep the Memory of Exile allocated to Strife Memoriam.
> Allocate the Memory of Rust.
> Allocate the Memory of Marble.
> Allocate the Memory of Fire.

[[ 2 ]]
> Spend EXP on Armsmaster, Guardian, or Fleetfoot perks.
> Spend EXP on HP or PP.
> Spend EXP on weapon skills.

[[ 3 ]]
> Message Canderence. “If the system is being abused, why don’t you cancel the bounty?”
> Message Canderence. “You have to be in Averron to add to the trust, right?”
> Message Canderence. “You and your lieutenant are a part of this too?”
> Other. (Write-in.)

>>3400547
> Allocate the Memory of Fire.
Might as well test it.
> Spend EXP on Armsmaster, Guardian, or Fleetfoot perks.
Time to settle if we are going to use shield or not in the future.
> Message Canderence. “If the system is being abused, why don’t you cancel the bounty?”
> Message Canderence. “You have to be in Averron to add to the trust, right?”

>>3400547
> Keep the Memory of Exile allocated to Strife Memoriam.
Most useful memory imo.
> Spend EXP on Armsmaster, Guardian, or Fleetfoot perks.
Guardian.
> Message Canderence. “If the system is being abused, why don’t you cancel the bounty?”
> Message Canderence. “You have to be in Averron to add to the trust, right?”
Something's fishy. I don't like it.

>>3400547
> Allocate the Memory of Rust.
If we're about to get bounty hunters I want to be able to fly and shoot lightning.
> Spend EXP on Armsmaster, Guardian, or Fleetfoot perks.
Combat regen level 2.
> Message Canderence. “You have to be in Averron to add to the trust, right?”
> Message Canderence. “You and your lieutenant are a part of this too?”

>>3400558
>>3400547
> Spend EXP on Armsmaster, Guardian, or Fleetfoot perks.
Shield Mastery

>>3400574
Correction: Shield Mastery. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.

>>3400547
>so uh, if i resolve this can i pocket that 48k?

Wait is The Last Argument of Kings still broken?

>>3400605
no

Had a look in previous threads.

Thethiss or whatever is definitely the cause of the curse. We can kill/parlay with her if spending a gem to clear the curse isnt worth it.

Need to ask tats and the others what araneids are weak to, since we kinda just cleaved them. Normally spiders are weak to fire, but these live pretty close to magma...

>>3400622
I thought we got cursed once we fought Cidren, and that spooky shit got us. You may be right, but I'm pretty confident that that's what caused it.

Gonna look through the older threads rn.

Is it over?

>>3400622
Also, Calamity Sage might ve related to the earthsea seal. That place was called calamity rift

>>3400686
It's late. I might post one or two more but things will be intermittent until I come back around.

File: underground_city_blue_fantasy.jpg (318 KB, 2560x1440)

318 KB JPG

> [[ UI Messenger – Head Hunter Canderence ]]
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: If the system is being abused, why don’t you cancel the bounty.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: Public trust.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: This may be a little presumptuous.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: But I would argue that at this point I constitute a not-insignificant amount of the public trust.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: And we constitute a not-insignificant amount of the law of the land.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: Would-be ninja looters, ambush attackers, last-minute party-PKers—people that refuse to accept fairness in all regards. Without us they have nothing to answer to.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: Maybe let people be good, then?
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: They aren’t. They still aren’t now that we’re involved, but they’re better now.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: People know now that it’s not just their reputation that they risk when they behave in bad faith.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: That alone is enough to make Averron a better place.

> [[ UI Messenger – Iwitavor ]]
> [[ Iwitavor ]]: STUPID BITCHJ
> [[ Iwitavor ]]: DO U HAVE HADNSD???
> [[ Iwitavor ]]: FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG 50K ######
> [[ Iwitavor ]]: ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)
> [[ Iwitavor has been added to your ignore list. (You will no longer receive messages from this player.) ]]

> [[ Continued ]]

File: Freya.jpg (90 KB, 403x834)

90 KB JPG

>>3400713

> [[ UI Messenger – Head Hunter Canderence ]]
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: A while ago I had a long talk with someone I know you don’t really like, and they had a pretty similar-sounding approach.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: You know who I mean?
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: This enterprise serves the people. Meanwhile, Freya kills whoever she deems fit. That’s why there’s a price on her head too. Don’t confuse us, for your sake.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: You have to be in Averron to add to the trust, right?
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: You can go remotely through the forums, but it’s linked to your Unique Identifier. Can’t hide your identity—it’s part of why the system works.
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: We don’t know of anyone outside the city that’s achieved access to our servers, so...
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: The Calamity Sage is someone in the city?
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: Signs point to yes, unless something beyond our understanding is happening.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: Well, look. You’re not really in a great place here either, you realize?
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: The whole deal with the Rift wasn’t just to save us, which it was.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: It was to convince people that this game isn’t ruled by the rich. If people find out this part of the story…
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: I know. I know. That’s why I’m trying to help you.
> [[ Ascheritte ]]: If I can solve this problem with Tethiss’s Claw, will you sort out the bounty?
> [[ Head Hunter Canderence ]]: Yeah. I’ll do everything I can in that case. But if you don’t, it’s just gonna get worse, one way or another.

[[ 1 ]]
> Allocate the Memory of Rust.
> Allocate the Memory of Fire.

[[ 2 ]]
> Spend EXP on Armsmaster perks.
> Spend EXP on Guardian perks.
> Spend EXP on Fleetfoot perks.

[[ 3 ]]
> Message Canderence. (Write-in.)
> Message another player. (Write-in.)
> Inform the team that it’s time to move out.

>“The Entombed who defeated the Earthcrowned Phoenix, named Linastra, failed to discover the hidden door. She kept the Symbol of Fire and planned to return, until she was killed when an araneid caused her to fall from a great height. She was incapacitated, but landed within the reach of the King’s Hand. I will mark the entrance on your map, if you wish. Bring protection against fire, for I sense a roaring flame within.”
>Unique Identifier: Linastra (broken)
just doublechecking that Entombed are players, and this Linastra chick killed the phoenix.

After reviewing the archive, I've got 2 theories at the moment:

>Tethiss is the mastermind behind the Earthsea Invasion, and she's not happy about it being stopped.

>The curse allows Observers to hack Ascheritte's name onto whatever they want, including [Enemies of Tethiss]. Basically blackmail caused by the curse.

So there could be some point to crushing a gem to break the curse AND picking a bone with Tethiss.

>>3400716
> Activate the memory of fire
> Spend EXP on Guardian perks
> Inform the team that it's time to move on

>>3400716
>> Allocate the Memory of Fire.
> Spend EXP on Guardian perks.

> Message Canderence. (Write-in.)
>What about linking without a Unique Identifier? Say, something infamous for fucking with HUDs?
> Inform the team that it’s time to move out.

>>3400716
> Allocate the Memory of Fire.
> Spend EXP on Guardian perks.
> Inform the team that it’s time to move out.
Time to hunt some spiders

>>3400716
>> Allocate the Memory of Fire.
> Spend EXP on Fleetfoot perks.
>Warn the team that there's some fuckery going on with the Araneids.
> Message Canderence. (Can you at least get Bladez to retract the 10k he put on me for lulz?)
>Pop a CG to uncurse ourself.

>>3400716
right, forgot

adding to >>3400735

>assuming we can pop the curse removal now, do it.

Guys, I have some catching up to do but that first part got me worried, did Ayla lost her UI? Why does she need a sucessor?

>>3400818
Every time she logs in, she fights a battle she's never sure she can win.

Reminder since it’s been a while—we started getting weird curse messages about HER disapproval ever since Freya used her Lifedrain power to transfer health from an araneid to us. Pretty sure this is related. We may want to see if she can do anything about reversing it.

Assuming she doesn’t try to punk us for fifty large.

>>3400716
> Allocate the Memory of Fire.
> Spend EXP on Fleetfoot perks.
> Message another player. (Write-in.)
Text Aelriss, Ayla, Nel, and Tats about it. We could tell our whole current party but we don't know the artificer too well

I'm not a fan of the shield build personally, we just used a bunch of resources for our colossal two handed greatsword. If guardian does win I'm a big fan of combat regen though.

>>3400832
Support

>>3400828
This seems tp be related but that 50k is very tempting, that first guy that contacted us was sure after it.

>>3400716
> Spend EXP on Fleetfoot perks

>>3400823
Shit, and do we have any idea on how we can help her with that? Being killed off like thats sucks ass.

>>3400845
Right, I’m just saying if we don’t want every araneid from here to Tethriss’ boudoir to keep chanting Ashe’s name, our options are get the stolen vitality out of our body or kill the matriarch.

>>3400723
Freya sucked some life out of an Araneid Soldier before we fought Cidren. We've been getting weird stuff about Tethiss (queen of the araneids) since then.

Seems pretty clear that Observers donated the 30k though,

>>3400845
>>3400828

I don't think Freya would punk us for it. She's got a bounty too, so even aside from personal convictions she might get robbed when she tried to cash in on us.

>>3400893
That happened BEFORE the Ciedran curse though, which is starting to confuse me.

There was a different curse before that, right? With Marble?

>>3400899
Yeah, that got resolved when Kjorikos and Velika murder-suicided each other in the boss fight.

>>3400912
So what IS this? Is it even related to the curse at all?

I guess it's possible that the curse amplifies faction enmity, but it's just as likely that Freya no-sells some of the enmity she generates from lifedrain, whether from upgrades or a black icky stuff perk.

Do we have a spare bottle? Maybe we could bottle up 10hp worth of blood and heal it back up safely. Dunno if that'll help with ANYTHING, but who knows.

Fuck using CG to remove curses just hunt the spiders and our bounty will be removed.

>>3400716
>Allocate Memory of Fire
>Spend EXP on Guardian Perks
I think we would've been better to just buy more HP, but whatever.

>Inform the team that it's time to move out.
Message Nel and Tats (for what that's worth) to tell them the situation, and that we've got to go to Tethiss' Claw in order to resolve it. Also message Freya, and tell her we need to meet up in the wilderness and head to Tethiss' Claw, now. I anticipate she'll be joining us as the 5th member of our party for this expedition.

Cornelius is a sticking point. Right now no one knows he's with us, so they're not going to make overtures to him to try and get him to doublecross us. Right now we also outnumber him and could easily gank his ass. That being said, his trustworthiness is in question, because when he finds out about our bounty he could easily message someone to coordinate a strike on our party.

He's valuable support and we need as much as we can get where we're going but we need to feel him out first. Let's do this by seeing how he reacts to meeting Freya. That ought to tell us whether he's in it to get money or if he's more willing to cooperate with buddies.

>Current Party 4/5
-Ascheritte (Brawler, DPS)
-Nel (Explorer)
-Tatsumaki (Brawler, DPS)
-Cornelius (Artificer, Support)

The fortune teller told us previously, that we must bleed every drop of Tethiss' blood from our veins if we hope to be judged fairly in her court. I think the best way to do this would be to have Freya sap us down to 1 health as soon as possible, and before heading into Tethiss' Claw. A risky move, but I don't think any other way is going to cut it.

>>3400943
>The fortune teller told us previously, that we must bleed every drop of Tethiss' blood from our veins if we hope to be judged fairly in her court. I think the best way to do this would be to have Freya sap us down to 1 health as soon as possible, and before heading into Tethiss' Claw. A risky move, but I don't think any other way is going to cut it.
Or git gud enough to kill her. She's a precusor right? We want to kill them for CGs anyway.

>>3400849
Nope because the same shit happens to us.

I am pretty sure she still has her UI though else we could not message her or know she’s offline.

>>3400716
Ask Canderance if the sage put bounties on anyone else? And when that happened. It might be tied to the altar we destroyed.

>>3400953
Well, when she get's back online we should look into that after we deal with the curse, that shit can get dangerous fast

>>3400947
I'm not saying we don't kill her, but given that (her blood) has caused several instances of mental effects on us it's best to get it out of us all the same before going into her lair.

>>3400953
Also we might want to use some of our CG to build a holy shrine. Might be a safe spot to log in and out and it’d remove curses too.


>>3400967
Issue is we have no idea how they do it. At all.

>>3400970
Those mental efects could have been strife memorium doing weird shit as usual.

>>3400975
Nah it started after araneid infusion. The only memory that really fucks with us is exile with the Black speech evil monsters making it so they whisper at us.

>>3400975
It's pretty clearly the Araneid blood doing it. All Araneids are tied into a hivemind with Tethiss at the heart (so she's also a weak point), and so that's what seems to be affecting us. It even nearly prompted us to attack one of our comrades to try and steal their artifact.

>“But, if you are possessed of the capacity to excavate and move the earth, you could travel to the Earthsea Promenade—and, should you choose, unite the excommunicated kingdoms once more—assuming you are ready to face the Old King.”

We should do this at some point.

>>3400997
He’s the end boss of the game, at least for those who go down instead of up.

>>3400971
I'm down for establishing a shrine in the Observatory after we warp in an upgraded Sidereal Armor or two.

>>3400997
That might entail parlaying with Tethiss rather than killing her. Maybe.

>>3400992
They were saying ro Bring Asheritte right?

What if after we got the blood in us we were identified as a member of the hivemind, a part of it.

We should try the bloodletting, if for anything else, to try what the oracle said about getting eid of the blood in us

File: kidney-dialysis-machin-500x500.jpg (43 KB, 500x500)

43 KB JPG

what we need is to magic pic related into existence by technomagic and filter that cursed spider blood out of us kek
get Ayla on the job asap

>>3401044
>>3401014
OR, we go the other way

If the mechanics of this are primarily a hivemind connection through blood, then we kill more araneids and chug blood until we can mentally talk to Tethiss.

And then I dunno, overpower her and become the new hive....king?

Significant risk of getting mind controlled, but hey you gotta live a little!

>>3400943
That araneid life essence mixed completely with our own, even at 1 HP a tiny ratio of it would still be there. I think we just have to go kill her. But contacting Freya about it sure wouldn't hurt, unless of course she wants the bounty money.

>>3400716
> Allocate the Memory of Fire.
> Spend EXP on Fleetfoot perks.
> Message Freya

>>3401091
If it’s a tiny proportion then it may be fine, it just has to be small enough that we don’t get mindraped anymore.

Here’s the real question: how do we get access to a celestial altar to upgrade Strife’s memory cap before we kill Tethiss?

>>3401114
Sneak in and out of the observatory?