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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2015 3:13:03 GMT
"Excuse me... Sorry..." His words were muttered out onto deaf ears as he gently shifted through the tight crowds that filled the busy marketplace that had sprung up all of a sudden in a large winding street along the overgrown buildings of the town. Wandering the many bustling and busy market stalls, Dorian inspected the goods with keen, scrupulous eyes, his violet hues focused on the displays as he went in search of the precious sugary goodness that he had missed for quite some time since first arriving in this new world. His sweet tooth was beginning to ache after having gone so long without being fed, and it was starting to irritate him. So much so that he was ignoring the fact that he was surrounded by people he didn't know, all yammering and pushing and shoving to get at the discounted foods and other assortment of goods.
Pausing for a brief moment where the crowd had somewhat dispersed, Dorian lifted his eyes to the sky, opening them wide as he scanned the puffy clouds that had formed, slowly drifting through the blue. "So peaceful... and so real..." His words were lost in the loud murmur around him, but he heard them all the same. Such a vivid world, lifelike in almost every way. And yet, it felt weird being here, as if a nagging pain on the back of his neck. Of course, that could also be the strange sensation of his tattoo that imprinted across the back of his shoulders. That would take a while to get used to. Releasing a long, drawn out sigh, he drops his head back down comfortably, stepping forward to trudge on and survey the area once more.
After gently slipping through crowd after crowd, he spies a particularly busy stall, peering through the gaps between the people pushed together tightly to spy an assortment of sugared goods and sweets. So far all the food he had gotten a hold of had been horrible and bland, devoid of flavour, but he wasn't about to give up yet. Stepping off to the side, he patiently waits for the large crowd to disperse from the stall, hopping from one foot to the other anxiously as his patience slowly wears thin. Eventually, as the last few people move away from the stall, his eyes droop as he spies the remains, no more sweets left on display. With a dejected and silent whine, he turns and walks away, looking down at the ground in pained disappointment.
Notes: - Words: 420 Tags: @sugarygiggles
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2015 5:00:38 GMT
A girl with shoulder length black hair, which was short by her standards, and striking purple eyes waited not so patiently in a rather long line at a food stall downtown. She was a fox tail, although for some reason her tails did not match her hair and were a golden blonde. Her usual appearance was quite a bit different, with long blonde hair, almost always kept in two overflowing pigtails and green colored eyes. Today, she was under the affects of a skill she had learned – Form Shift, which allowed her to temporarily modify her appearance. Right now, she could only change her hair and eyes, which explained the mismatched tail fur. Anyone who looked closely enough would still recognize the face of the Sorcerer, although she hoped in the busy hustle and bustle of the afternoon, no one would.
The reason for her disguise? She was waiting in line at a rather well known sweets stall. This was just one of the ways she kept her sweet tooth a secret from just about everyone she knew. Perhaps only one person was aware of it, although she couldn't remember ever directly discussing her addiction. Yes, it was closer to an addiction than anything else. Once the goods were purchased and she was a safe distance away, she would cancel the spell but until then her thoughts were only on two things: don't get noticed and get chocolate. After what felt to be about the equivalent of six eternities, Artemisia finally had her chance in line. Her eyes scanned over the selection, quickly pointing out an array of this and that's she wanted. The transaction was completed quickly and wordlessly, as she couldn't disguise her voice and didn't want to chance anyone hearing her that she may know.
The petite female turned, ready to scamper off to her usual place, when she saw there was a rather dejected looking individual staring at the now empty display. Artemisia herself had arrived later than usual and had almost missed out, she had been one of the last customers to be served today. As popular as the stand was, it sold out quite quickly. Looking down, the young man turned and started to walk away. An inner conflict immediately sprung up inside her tiny body. She felt the weight of her rather large purchase in her hand and knew she had been part of the reason this person had that expression on their face.
But, first come, first serve. These were rightfully hers.
But, the joy of sweets should be shared with all.
But, she wanted these. They were hers.
But...
She kept going back and forth in her mind, but her feet had already begun to move forward. She didn't recognize this person so it was unlikely they would look at her and recognize her immediately. Having decided to do a good deed for the day, she called out to the dejected Adventurer. “Hey, wait.” She lurched forward and grabbed the guys shoulder to make sure she got his attention. Once he turned around, confused as he probably would be, Artemisia leaned forward and quickly whispered to him "Don't draw attention, just come with me." She realized it sounded a bit creepy but she needed to get out of view. She really didn't want her secret spreading. After speaking her ominous words, she grabbed his wrist and tugged gently, indicating he should follow her. This poor person, they were probably so lost and confused.
-- Notes: I'm not really happy with this, but hopefully as we go it'll get better. I'm hoping after the sweets bit, they can move on to more mentor-y things? If he has any questions or anything for her or needs help with a simple quest or something. Words: 582 Tags: @serenityspace
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2015 5:20:33 GMT
Dorian was about to disappear into the crowd when he heard a small voice behind him, catching his attention slightly. As he tilted his head around to see who had spoken, he felt the gentle grasp of someone's hand upon his shoulder, drawing his eyes wide in surprise as he turned around to face his assailant. His view was drawn to the fox tail that had gathered his attention, noticing her strikingly dark hair, though he was surprised to see the familiar colour of violet in her eyes, his own lavender hues sparkling somewhat in the afternoon sunlight. Despite his confused expression, he let her lean in close, hearing her whisper somewhat ominous words to him before grabbing his wrist and tugging.
He stood for a moment, trying to assess the situation as best as he could; he didn't know this girl at all, and yet she didn't seem to be the kind to... He shook his head quickly, shaking out what thoughts would undoubtedly arise, replying with something akin to an "Um..." Against his better judgement, he decided to risk the obvious trap, accepting the tug of her hand on his wrist and stepping forward to follow along behind her. Before they moved anywhere, he silently swallowed down his nerves, speaking out to introduce himself to the girl that was now leading him to whatever fate he had in store for him. "I'm Dorian, if you wanted to know..."
Notes: Sorry it's a bit short. And certainly, more mentor-y things is an obvious goal. Words: 240 Tags: @sugarygiggles
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2015 19:39:37 GMT
Artemisia shook her head at herself as she dragged the person she didn't even know behind her. The short black hair swished against her forehead to emphasize her movement. She was surprised he had come so willingly with her, after what she had done she expected him to yank back and demand to know just what she was doing. Hopefully he wasn't having unrealistic expectations about what her forceful action might have meant. A voice spoke up from behind her, presumably belonging to her now captive Adventurer and introduced himself as Dorian. Artemisia peeked over her shoulder at him but said nothing, turning back around to face forward. She kept a purposeful and even stride, heading further out of the town center. The crowds thinned out and soon the streets became sparse with people.
Artemisia slowed her pace and eventually came to a stop at the mouth of an alley. She had had her disguise on for much too long and it was beginning to become a drain on her mana. Releasing the wrist she held, the fox tail stepped into the alley. “You wait here a moment,” She said quietly before slipping into the shadow of the two buildings. “I'm sure you're confused with what's going on...” She muttered, her voice sounding a little far away. “I saw the look on your face at the stall,” She explained. Sort of. “In thirty seconds, you can come into the alley and there will be a small bag on the ground. There's nothing wrong with it, don't worry. It's desserts from that place, you can have mine. But you must count to thirty before you come in here!” She was attempting to use a slightly different tone to her voice than normal. She really didn't want some random stranger to put together who she was and what her name was. She wasn't sure why she had decided her sweet tooth would be such a guarded secret but it was. And it would stay that way.
After speaking the directions, Artemisia set down the bag full of various goodies and delicious bites and continued down the alley. She knew this area pretty well and one thing about this alley was that there was an exit at the back, if you knew where to look. Once she reached the end of the alley, her eyes adjusting to the darker surroundings, she knelt down and slipped her petite frame through a small broken window near ground level. It opened up into the basement of the building here, which was currently abandoned. Her two feet landed with a light plop on the ground and she quickly looked up, seeing if she had been followed. Seeing no one, she picked up the pace and headed for the rickety stairs to the upper level. On her way up, she canceled the spell she was using. Her hair unfurled, extending out into two bouncy pony tails and shifting in color from the dark black to a vibrant blonde. Her eyes flickered and eventually returned to their usual green. Reaching the top step, she was completely returned to her usual appearance.
The Sorcerer walked towards a window around the back of the building navigating in her inventory as she did to change her outfit. From one basic outfit to another, it would now take quite a leap to put two and two together and connect her with the girl from before. Quietly opening the window, she slipped out and hopped down to the ground, now on the entire other side of the building as the person she had lead here. He wouldn't be able to see her at all. Artemisia sighed. “Well, I guess I'll live for one day without it...” She took a deep breath and looked up at the sky, letting her determination settle in. “Gotta take my mind off it...” She was disappointed but the world wasn't going to end if she didn't get a slice of cake today. Probably.
Artemisia made her way towards the nearby quest board and scanned it over, looking to see if there was anything that caught her eye to distract her from this rather sad moment.
-- Notes: Okay so I probably should have discussed this with you first but I just started writing it and this is where I ended up, lol. If you could have Dorian, after he's reacted however you want to what she did, also make it over to the Quest Board, so that actual mentor like things can happen there with a quest of your choosing. Something simple, I would think. If this is an issue, PM me and we'll discuss it. I can modify this post if need be. Words: 696 Tags: @serenityspace
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2015 23:21:51 GMT
Hurriedly following along as best as he could behind the strange girl as she dragged him along, Dorian couldn't help but glance around every so often at where they were headed. The crowds of people were slowly beginning to dissipate as they journeyed further and further away from the marketplace, the noise slowly dying down to a low murmur heard in the distance. He felt a strange familiarity as he looked up at all the overgrown buildings that still stood watch along the edges of the streets, as lonely guardians peering down at the bustle below. He seemed to recall darting through these streets before, thinking back to when he first arrived in this new world. Shaking his head, he calmly reverted from his flashed moment back into the past, drawing his attention back into the here and now as he continued to let himself be dragged along. His eyes were drawn to her visage as he turned back to look at him, no doubt in reply to his introductions, but alas, she said nothing to acknowledge it, merely turning back to journey on.
A sigh of relief escaped Dorian's lips as their pace slowed to a halt, his own feet almost running away with him before he could bring them to a stop beside the stranger. He gently slipped his arm back to his side as her grip on his wrist was released, turning his head to finally notice the rather darkened entrance to a small alley, which they had undoubtedly stopped in front of purposefully. Silently swallowing, he turned back to the girl, nodding slowly as she picked out his quizzical expression in reaction to the situation. "Very well," he muttered reluctantly, agreeing to stay put for the time being as she continued to speak. At the mention of sweets, his ears twitched in excitement, his eyes opening wide as he realised what she was doing. This complete stranger was just going to give him her sweets... He shook his head, turning to the alley to speak to the girl, though at this point he could not see her.
"Please, miss... I can't acce-" His voice was cut short when he realised that he was alone at the front of the alleyway, squinting his eyes as he peered through the darkness. Despite it's shadowed appearance, he could just barely make out the fact that the only thing left between the two overgrown buildings that formed the alley was the bag of sweets the stranger had left behind. Stepping forward into the darkened side-way, he approached the bag with a small aura of nervousness, unsure whether he should continue to trust a girl who had dragged him to a secluded area, only to leave a bag of sweets and disappear. Alas, his sweet tooth got the better of him, his hand already reaching down to heft up the bag from the ground. Reaching inside, he pulled out a few select goodies and proceeded to munch down on them, before stashing the bag into his inventory. Kindness was meant to be shared, and so if this stranger had taken the time to share her sweets with him, he would share them with someone as well. That seemed only fair.
With a habitual dust off of his shirt, he turned and left the alley, giving his surroundings a once over before quickly deciphering where he was in Londinium. "I should get a quest. If I ever bump into that girl again, it'd be nice to be able to repay her for these sweets," he muttered to himself, making sure nobody saw him talking to thin air before he headed off in the appropriate direction. It didn't take long before he spied the quest board, noticing a few people surrounding it; it wasn't as busy as the sweet stall though, thankfully. Gently slipping through the people already there, he made his way to the board itself, scanning the various jobs posted up. "Something small..." His hand moved out towards a particularly simple task, a quest to rid a forest clearing of it's monster infestation. Shrugging his shoulders, he gently took the quest off the board, holding it in his hands to more extensively read it over.
Notes: No issues here! I think you managed a good transition there, very mysterious. Words: 704 Tags: @sugarygiggles
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2015 3:04:15 GMT
With the ache in her chest beginning to ebb ever so slightly, Artemisia focused her attention on the myriad of requests pinned up to the board. People of the Land and Adventurers each had a wide selection of items to be gathered, problems to be solved, and travelers hoping to reach their destination safely with an escort. Although it was sometimes considered a taboo for more capable players such as herself to take the easier quests, she wasn't really in the mood for any grand adventure across the Unfounded Kingdom. No, today she wanted to stay local. Something which allowed her to get her hands a little dirty and possibly light something on fire. She quickly dismissed the first few, figuring someone else could handle them. She had to stand on her tip toes to see a few near the top, her small frame wobbling unsteadily as she stretched to see the very top most listing.
There. There it was. A simple request to clear some troublesome monsters in a nearby patch of forest. It was basic, wouldn't require too much thought or effort and it would be a great opportunity to get away from anything that could possibly remind her about the ooey, gooey deliciousness that was in the bag she had abandoned. Artemisia groaned at herself, she was failing terribly at not thinking about it. On the verge of smacking her forehead into the edge of the bulletin board to forcefully rid herself of the tormenting memories, the sorceress sucked in a deep breath, held it for a moment and then exhaled slowly. What's done is done, you made someone happy, so be happy. She opened her eyes, which she hadn't realized she had closed as she mentally chanted to herself and they immediately went wide. For a moment, she felt as if she had lost her mind entirely. Perhaps the lack of sugar in her system was making her see things? The very quest she had just been looking at was gone. There was no sign of it on the board whatsoever.
Slightly puzzled, Artemisia glanced around to see if someone had snatched the quest up while she was having a moment. Her green eyes fell on a form she definitely had not expected to see so soon... or really, ever again. Her mouth suddenly felt dry and her palms slightly sweaty as a cold sweat started down her back. Of all people... Her immediate reaction was to panic. It was the guy from before, Dorian, that she had tried so hard to get away from and here he was, standing right beside her. He was going to expose her secret to everyone. Would anyone in her Guild still respect her once they knew about her uncontrollable need for candies and chocolates? She already struggled on occasion with her child-like appearance, adding in a sweet tooth was just giving everyone a reason to believe her even less that she was actually a fully mature woman.
Wait.
He wasn't reacting to her all. Her mind calmed bit by bit as she remembered – she had been using a disguise when she encountered him the first time. Unless he was some sort of master detective or mind reader, there was no way he would know she was the weird girl from the alley. She breathed a heavy sigh of relief as her body temperature, pulse and heart beat returned to normal. Now able to focus, she saw he was the one holding the quest she had been interested in. He was reading it over, not even really aware of her presence among all of the others. It was the only quest that really piqued her interest today, she had to have it. “You know,” She spoke softly, tilting her head to the side and smiling. “That quest looks simple on the surface but if you accidentally go even just a little bit more east of where they're asking you to, you could really get yourself into some trouble fast.” She was exaggerating slightly, although it wasn't entirely false. Knowing there was little chance she would be able to convince him to completely turn over the request to her alone, she decided to be diplomatic about it and compromise. “I'm pretty familiar with that area, though. What do you say we take that one on together and get it done quick?” Her words were lightly coated in a sweet charm. “Unless you're not confident, of course, then I can handle it myself. I wouldn't want you to get hurt,” She tossed in the teasing jab. She just couldn't help herself.
-- Notes: Sorry about the delay, I had a nasty headache/migraine that just made me not able to think at all. Words: 769 Tags: @serenityspace
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2015 3:37:08 GMT
Dorian was halfway through inspecting the papyrus in his hands when he heard a voice from beside him, his head lifting up slightly to spot a familiar looking girl. He had to tilt his view down slightly to see her; she barely made it over 5 feet tall, and that was including her rather tall fox-like ears. Compared to Dorian, who managed to reach an average 5'9'', she barely came up to his shoulder. Hearing the girl's voice as she spoke, he seemed to recall her from somewhere, not quite being able to pick out where he had heard or seen her from before. Is it on the tip of your tongue? Skrowe, of course, could not hold back the chance to add in one of his legendary quips, his chibi voice ringing out in the back of Dorian's mind. Listening intently, the Shaman heard her explain the danger of the quest he held in his hands, his violet hues darting between her and the paper repeatedly before halting on her own orbs, giving her a weak smile of acknowledgement.
This was his first quest, and it wouldn't do to end it on falling prey to monsters that were out of his reach... No, if he was going to take on this mission, he'd need someone to help, to guide him there and possibly lend him aid where he would struggle. Level 1 was taking it's toll right about now. "Is that so? I... didn't realise that. Thank you for informing me of that," he replied, his voice eerily calm and composed, the tranquil magic flowing through his body seemingly exuding from his lips into a serene, peaceful tone as he spoke. Perhaps it would be best to take on something easier for now, instead of rushing out for a quest that could stray him towards a one-way ticket to the Cathedral. Turning slightly, he was about to pin the papyrus back up onto the board, when he heard the girl's voice once again, turning back to listen carefully. Never let it be said that Dorian the Shaman didn't give people the listening ear they deserved.
Hearing her offer of assistance, his eyes lit up with excitement, joy beginning to exude from his aura as he curled his lips up into a beaming grin. This was his best chance at getting settled in the world, a strong mentor who could guide him on the right path and help him out for a day. He was about to speak up, ready to accept her proposal when she suddenly changed face, quipping a tease at him. He could feel the snickers from the back of his mind, Skrowe obviously amused by the girl's manner of words; well, at least she won one of them over. Dorian rolled his eyes, emitting a nervous chuckle under his breath before shaking his head. "Not at all! I wouldn't want you going out there all alone; if it's as dangerous as you say, we'd cover more ground if we work together." He gave a curt nod, closing his left eye briefly in an amused wink at the girl, before he swiftly held out the quest for her to take and look over herself.
Once she had taken the page, he bowed his head towards her, a slow, flamboyant show of respect as he introduced himself; despite the fact he had done so earlier, he had no idea he had met this girl not a few minutes before. "My name is Dorian, a Shaman. And you are?" Posing the question to her, he offered out his hand, hoping she would take it so as the situation would not become awkward.
Notes: No need to worry, I'm a patient fellow. Words: 613 Tags: @sugarygiggles
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Post by Deleted on Oct 19, 2015 19:23:15 GMT
For a moment, he seemed to waver on if he intended to take the quest or not. Curse her and her inability to not tease the opposite gender when presented with the chance. Had she not of provoked him, he may have relinquished the quest to her. Well, what's done is done. He winked, which she wasn't sure entirely how to take that and passed the parchment over to her. As she began to scan it over in more detail, he introduced himself. Again, although he didn't know that. Dorian the Shaman. She smiled up at him and parted her own lips to introduce herself, reaching out her free hand to shake his. “Pleasure to meet you, Dorian. My name is Artemisia and I'm a Sorcerer. This may be my first encounter with a Shaman,” She hmm'ed as she thought about it. “I think it is, so this should be interesting, you'll have to show me what you're capable of.” She looked down at the paper again and nodded her head. “I have a basic idea of where we're going, so...” She opened her inventory, scrolling around until she found what she was looking for and selected it. Her staff appeared in her right hand. “Shall we, then?” She tucked the quest information away, in case she needed to reference it later and then turned on her heel, completely around to face the other direction.
She took a few steps, her blonde fox tail swishing behind her, before she peeked over her shoulder to be sure he was following her. He was there, a few steps behind her as they made their way out of the town. As they reached the outskirts of the city, Artemisia pulled open her display and sent two invites to Dorian. The first was a friend request and the second was a party invite. “You can ignore the friend invite if you'd like but please accept the party invite. Since I am a higher level than you, it will automatically consider this to be a mentor quest and we'll both get a little bonus experience,” She hoped he would accept it, bonus anything was always nice when trying to reach the higher levels. Whether he accepted either of the invitations was his choice and either way, they continued on. Soon, a line of trees came into view. “As soon as we enter that area, we could run into monsters so we'll go in as soon as you're ready, okay?” She turned around as she spoke, taking a few steps backwards so she could face the younger Adventurer. “Any questions before we go in?”
-- Notes: Very unhappy with this post. It's short and boring but I wanted to move things along. Feel free to take them into the forest if you'd like to. I also made up that whole thing with the party request and whatever, I don't know if it actually works that way in-game but I'm rolling with it lol. Words: 438 Tags: @serenityspace
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2015 3:32:45 GMT
Giving a content smile, Dorian bowed his head softly as he gently took her hand in his own, shaking it as she introduced herself. "The pleasure is all mine, miss Artemisia; and of course, you are the first Sorcerer I've met, so I guess we'll both be learning something about each other today." He chuckled softly under his breath, bobbing his head in a nod before releasing her hand, letting her scan over the quest once again. He watched as - after explaining her basic idea of the road ahead - the Sorcerer pulled a staff from her inventory, his eyes going wide in surprise at the intricate work and craftsmanship; next to her, his rather lacklustre Starter Katana was a shamble, a thrown together mess of a weapon. But, alas, at level 1, it was all he had. Before she would turn around, he checked his inventory for a quick moment, making sure the bag of sweets was still there. "I have some treats I was given a few moments ago, maybe after we finish the quest we can share them together?" It was common courtesy to thank people for offering their help, and with the stranger's bag in tow, he felt it only fair to give where he was given. Finally, the fox tail turned and set off on the journey ahead, his own feet carrying him to follow close behind.
As they walked, it was all he could do not to stare at the fluttering tail that swished behind her; this was his first encounter with any of the beast-men races - or in this case, beast-woman - and the sight of someone with ears and a tail was intriguing and, embarrassingly, a little mesmerising. Resisting the urge to watch the movement beside him as he walked, he was greeted with a welcome distraction as they reached the outskirts, two invites popping up on his interface; a friend request and a party invite. He quickly accepted the party invite, the small window appearing with their names inside of it, along with class and level; the contrast of her thirty six to his one becoming somewhat daunting. Moving to the friend request, he held his finger in the air for a moment, before releasing a happy sigh, accepting the request swiftly. His first friend in this strange new world.
As the two of them reached the line of trees that signified the entrance - or exit, depending on how you look at it - into the wide open world. Artemisia stepped back to face him, his head turning to look at her with full attentiveness. "Well... I think I got most of the idea when I read up on... the game..." He shook his head, cursing himself softly in his mind. This isn't a game anymore. "Anyway, I think I'm good; let's just stick together from here on... I'd hate for something bad to happen out there." He gave a soft nod, lifting his lips to smile at the fox tail before turning to face the trees. "I'm ready. Lead the way."
Notes: Not at all! I enjoyed your post immensely! Keep them coming. Words: 508 Tags: @sugarygiggles
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2015 0:04:26 GMT
Both the invites she sent were rather quickly accepted and Dorian was added to her friends list, which really wasn't all that long. Perhaps a dozen, or less, people had made their way onto the list. Setting aside the thought that perhaps she should be more social with more people in this world, Artemisia addressed a comment Dorian had made earlier. She hadn't been necessarily ignoring him but she just wasn't entirely sure how to address the subject. Before they had started off, he had commented that he had some treats, as he called it, that he was willing to share. It was fortunate she had been facing away from him at the time or else he may have questioned the odd expression of her face. She managed to recover quickly but she knew she needed to say something. It was rude to just entirely blow off his offer to share something with her, or to ignore the fact that he had been speaking to her in the first place. “About those treats you mentioned earlier, I think that's a great idea,” She said, looking straight ahead and speaking a little stiffly. She just couldn't help but wonder if it was simply an honest offer or if Dorian had some sort of suspicion she was the girl from earlier. There was no way he would know but... did he, somehow?
Shaking her head, Artemisia continued towards the forest, stepping off the path and into the ankle-high grass. A few feet later and she, with Dorian behind her, crossed the threshold of the forest. As soon as they stepped into the treeline, the light faded, despite it being day. Further ahead, it looked only more dark as the branches and growth became thicker, further blocking out the suns rays. She glanced up at the mini map which was always displayed at the top corner of her vision. Once they had officially accepted the request, a tiny marker had appeared on hers, and presumably his, mini map. They were getting close. For Artemisia, who had been in these woods before, the map was already filled in for the most part. By partying with her, Dorian would also have access to the map information she had, despite most likely never having been here before. “It's right around here somewhere...” She muttered, her feet crunching against the various sticks and leaves on the forest floor. So far, all they found was quiet... which was a bit odd in and of itself, usually there were other monsters and creatures wandering about the area. Was whatever they were here for chasing them off?
The pair continued for a few more feet before Artemisia's fox ears twitched, picking up a sound in the distance. She put her arm up to stop Dorian as she stopped in her tracks. “Did you hear that?” She looked over her shoulder at him and pointed in front of them. The noise, more clear now, repeated itself. It was something similar to a chattering or grunting and was definitely not human in origin. Artemisia grabbed Dorian's wrist and yanked him over to hide behind a tree with her. “Shh...” She put her pointer finger up to her lips, whispering and indicating he should be silent. Nodding her head to the side, she directed him to look. As they stood there, two plant-type monsters wiggled into view from between the trees. The Sorcerer narrowed her eyes... she knew this monster but it definitely didn't belong in this area of the forest, it was too high level. She had been expecting slimes or snakes, not these Venus-Fly Trap like monsters. Taller than she was, the monsters were blind and detected monsters based on vibrations in the ground. She had never dealt with one personally but she had read about them in a book. Artemisia leaned forward, her lips close to Dorian's ear and whispered as quietly as she could. “Whatever you do, be quiet... I've read about these, they sense vibrations and they're aggressive. I'm guessing this is what the quest was about, they're not usually found here...” Once her warning was spoken, she turned her green eyes back towards the monsters. Fortunately, they hadn't noticed the hiding pair yet.
The blonde toggled on her basic ability for being a Scholar known as Evaluate. After a moment, a detailed information sheet on the monster, known as the Nepent Snatcher. They sheet noted the monster was typically more active at night, which was also odd given it was the middle of the day. She leaned in again, keeping her voice low. “Do you have any fire spells...? They're weak to that. Please don't pull too much aggro, they're both higher level than you are so I need them to stay focused on me. I have a feeling there's more of them and I'm worried if we get too rambunctious with our attack, we'll be overwhelmed. What do you want to do?” She stayed close, waiting to hear his response.
--- Words: 834 Notes: Here's the entry for the Nepent Snatcher, from the Bestiary. There's two of them, both level 6. Artemisia doesn't know Dorian's subclass is Dancer but I think if you want to go that route, you could use the skill from that. Let me know if you didn't understand anything or there's any issues. I kept coming back and writing bits and pieces so I hope I kept my thoughts in some sort of order haha
Nepent Snatcher Level 6-10 Type: Plant Rank: Normal Nature: Predatory Found in: Forests Weakness/Resistances: Weak [Fire] Skills: - Seismic Detection: Passive. Automatically aggros targets by sound and vibrations from movement. Suffers no accuracy debuffs from blind effects. Description: A large mobile plant the size of an adult man, animated by a mysterious power. Nepent Snatchers resemble a sort of flytrap which attempt to clamp down on victims and melt their bodies with strong acid. Adventurers should beware of its detection abilities. Having no eyes, it detects foes rather from the vibrations they make on the ground. It is advised that if one were to run into one unprepared, it is suggested to stay perfectly still until the monster wanders off. They are generally more active at night and tend to shy away from bright light sources. Tags: @serenityspace
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2015 6:01:22 GMT
Before they finally managed to start moving towards the tree line, Dorian heard the girl eventually acknowledge his proposal of sweets after their job; he gave a happy sigh as she accepted the offer, patting his bag to make sure the sweets were still there. He'd have to keep an eye out for the girl from before, and thank her for the kindness she had shown him. It wasn't often you find such hospitable people in such a vastly unknown world. "Glad to hear it!" With the matter settled, it was time to truly set out on the path, his movements following her own as they trudged down the forest path. It wasn't long after they had stepped through the tree line - the Shaman noting the eerie darkness that had suddenly overcome them - that Artemisia stepped off the road, wading through the grass that reached well up to her ankles. Giving a nod, he followed suit, his slightly longer legs pushing him on easily. The trees began thickening as they strayed away from the path, coming together to continue darkening the air with a heavy-set canopy rolling in above them. After a solid few minutes of walking, the two of them eventually made it to the clearing, Dorian looking at his interface map to make sure he they were in the right place; sure enough he had a surprising amount of detail in his cartography, most likely due to the fact he had accepted the party invite from the Sorcerer. But something was off about the place, an eerie quiet that just seemed out of whack when it came to a living, breathing forest area. "Shouldn't there be more monsters here?" The Shaman kept his voice in a low whisper for the moment, unsure whether or not any sound could set something off. It seemed like he wasn't the only one finding the area odd, as his partner in front of him seemed to have stopped, watching the clearing closely. Continuing on a bit further in, he found himself stopping in mid-step as her arm swung back to still him, her softened voice asking if he had spotted anything. "Not yet... What is it?" He followed her lead, keeping his voice low, as he scanned their vicinity for any sign of motion or shape or sound. His wrist thoroughly grabbed, he suddenly blinked as a strange moment fell over him... "Wait," he spluttered out under his breath, the familiar tug of her hand on his limb bringing back the experience he had had earlier with the sweets girl. Repeatedly blinking, he shook his head to bring himself out of his reverie, a moment of clarity starting to wash over him as he looked down at the girl in front of him. He hadn't gotten a good look at the girl before, but now that he had his attention on the matter, he realised there was something... oddly familiar about the girl's stature and appearance; there were bits and pieces that were off, such as the hair colour and the style, and he had sworn that the previous girl had the same colour eyes as him, but Artemisia had a vibrant green pair. The situation was too confusing, taking his attention away from the task at hand; but he kept a mental note to ask her about it when they finished here, perhaps over sweets. It was all he could do not to chuckle at the prospect of sharing sweets with the person who had given them to him in the first place. It was right at this moment, when his eyes became more concentrated on the surrounding environment, that the Sorcerer pointed out the nearby pair of creatures. Looking over, he noticed the venus fly trap looking creatures, which, from a distance, seemed almost taller than himself. With a nervous swallow, he listened intently to the fox tail girl, hearing her explain the absurdity of the monsters being here. When she asked about his skill repertoire, he gave a dejected shake of his head, sighing with disappointment. "Unfortunately I don't, but if what you're saying is true, perhaps they're using the cover of the canopy above? If we can lure them into the clearing where the light is brightest, we can considerably weaken them." He lifted his hand over his shoulder as he said this, his light touch coming in handy as he delicately unsheathed the blade of his katana from it's scabbard. He noticed a little bit of a murmur from the plants, no doubt picking up on the tinge of vibration and sound, but they seemed to keep moving on. "If you grab their attention, pull them in towards the light..." Dorian gestured nearby, towards the clearing they had come to... well, clear. "I can keep low and strike at them from behind; I'm light on my feet, thanks to my Dancer subclass, which means I should be able to avoid making any vibrations that would catch their aggro." He gave her a soft nod, waiting for her to give her input to the plan before carefully - and lightly on his feet, as always - duck into the shadows of the surrounding trees, manoeuvring towards a better vantage point over the monsters. Notes: Just remembered I forgot to put my stat stuff in for this thread; we are going into combat, so I'll put it in under here. It includes what skills I have and my party buff for you. Words: 873 Tags: @sugarygiggles Party Buff: Heavenly Defense
HP: 100% MP: 100% {Available Skills}
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Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2015 1:39:28 GMT
After listening closely, Dorian suggested that perhaps they could lure the creatures towards the clearing not far from where they were now, where a little bit of the sun was shining through. Artemisia nodded at the suggestion as it seemingly made sense, but in the back of her mind she was still wondering if there wasn't something driving these monsters to be out in the middle of the day when they usually were nocturnal. It was definitely odd for monsters to behave outside of their normal patterns and descriptions. Even if this wasn't quite a game anymore, this had always seemed more or less a constant to her, the monsters were still monsters. Quietly, the Shaman reached for his sword, unsheathing it. The two plant monsters made a noise, but their attention quickly diverted back to whatever else they were interested in. The Sorceress exhaled quietly... she wasn't worried about herself in this situation, she was definitely high enough level but Dorian could take some serious damage if things went wrong. Well, if worst came to worst, she did have the basic healing spell she could use in an emergency.
After briefly explaining his thoughts she nodded and her quest partner dashed off into some bushes beside them. The last words which slipped out of his mouth... Dancer subclass. He was gone before she could process it but as she thought back, she seemed to recall there was something that subclass could do to calm wild monsters. Well, too late for that now. She couldn't exactly call out to him and ask. Peeking back over her shoulder, she could still see the two monsters, kind of milling about as if the area was interesting to them for some reason. She glanced around, wondering how she would get their attention. Her green eyes drifted down to the ground and there was a medium sized log, the remnants of an old and now gone tree. She shrugged, it was as good a plan as any, she supposed. Artemisia extended her hand, stretching out her fingers. Thin, wavering lines of mana began to extend from her finger tips, quickly moving towards the log on the forest floor. The mana, barely visible in the faint light, surrounded the log, slipping over and around it in a thin layer, completely encapsulating it.
Once she had the log under her control, using her skill Psychic Conductor, she lifted it using her mana to basically extend her reach and grip. The log wiggled and shifted, prying itself loose from the mud and dying leaves which had been its bed for some time. The noise and vibrations caught the attention of the two monsters and they turned in her direction. With one final tug, the log came loose and was floating in the air. Fortunately for her, the monsters were blind so they could not determine the source of the sound, only that there was one. Being that they were naturally aggressive by nature, they instinctively would be driven to hunt down whatever it was that dared to get too close. Artemisia, using her mana, lifted the log high above her head, heaved it backwards and launched it in the direction of the clearing. The rotten wood hit the ground with a loud thunk, scattering the grass and underbrush. It bounced and rolled a few feet, little bits of bark ripping and flaking off as it went, which each also landed on the ground with a plop of their own. When it finally came to rest, it was sitting just outside the clearing, barely being kissed by the brighter rays of sunshine which filled the open area. She had been incredibly lucky the log had bounced a few times or else it wouldn't have gone far enough.
The two Nepent Snatchers scuttled towards the sound, rushing right passed Artemisia, who was still behind the tree, and Dorian, which she assumed was still in the bush. Using the distraction and noise of the log for cover, the Sorceress hurriedly moved towards the clearing herself, keeping as quiet as possible. When the sounds of the log quieted, she held still again. Only a moment later, the two creatures stepped into the brighter light, hissing and screeching as the sun hit them. Hopefully Dorian was ready with his attack. She would hold back for now, ready to absorb aggro as soon as she was needed but she wanted to give him the experience in this fight as much as possible. She would have to be quick if the tide of the battle turned against her new friend but she was watching carefully. Biting down on her bottom lip, Artemisia waited the brief moment it would take for the Shaman to react...
--- Notes: Gosh I am the slowest poster on this forum, I swear haha. Words: 790 Tags: @serenityspace
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Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2015 4:05:35 GMT
Once the two of them had agreed on the plan, and the Shaman had disappeared into the underbrush nearby, Dorian quickly skirted around, making use of his light feet to make little to no sound; to the plants, he'd just be a soft breeze flowing through the bushes, the leaves rustling softly against the air. He kept his eyes on the monsters for now, their venus fly trap heads rather easy to distinguish, as he slowly drifted towards the nearest tree, a sizeable trunk that made a good hiding spot for him, with a few tangled bushes around the base and over the roots to hide himself completely. "Now to wait," he muttered under his breath, his vision lingering from the plant creatures towards where he had just come from, managing to spot out the silhouette of the fox tail where she was silently weaving some kind of magic. Dorian trusted her instincts for now, hoping she was doing something that would follow the predetermined plan. As time ticked on, the Shaman patiently waiting, his mind trailed back to his discovery earlier, the faint sense of an aura that was familiar to him; but could this Artemisia be the same girl from this morning? The one who had kindly taken him away to hand him a bag of sweets, only to disappear into the shadows before he could properly thank her? He used his spare few seconds of time to mull over his thoughts, the evidence slowly coming together; it wasn't preposterous to think that a spell or a skill could perceivably change one's appearance, and her voice and more distinct features seemed to match almost uncannily. But he couldn't just outright confront her about it, not aggressively anyway. No, the best course of action would be to simply ask her; perhaps she would tell him the truth, perhaps she wouldn't. Whatever he would tell her after that, he would accept. She didn't seem like the kind of person to lie... But if there was something she wanted to keep hidden, he wouldn't take that right from her. Dorian really just wanted to thank her; of course, he would still share the sweets with her, though amusing as it would be to hand back the sweets which she had perceivably given to him first. But alas, his train of thought was quickly brought back to the world, his eyes darting from where they had been no doubt awkwardly staring at the Sorcerer, to quickly scan for the monsters; they were now rather close, having moved into the light of the clearing and hissing at each other at the sudden pain of being in the sun. "Looks like the plan worked," he muttered under his breath, brandishing his blade at the ready as he skirted around the trees and underbrush to come up to the edge of the clearing, making haste to find a suitable ambush spot. Keeping the monsters in his peripheral vision, he stepped out into the clearing, taking it slow as his feet gently slipped through the grass, taking him towards the Nepent Snatchers from behind. Closing the distance between himself and the vile plant-like creatures. Noticing Artemisia nearby, he gave her a nodded signal from between the two plants, letting her know he was ready. With that, he swirled his katana in front of him, rushing forward towards the creatures with a spring in his step, leaping off of the clearing floor and zipping through the air between the two fly trap heads, making a sudden spin around his form to slice his blade through the two heads, making quick, clean cuts at their bodies. Gracefully landing upon the ground opposite them, he slid over the grass, gripping his feet upon the ground to keep himself steady and ready for another round of attacks. But alas, the reactions of the Snatchers was quick, as they were already quickly surging forward towards him to attack; making use of their time to move, he threw his hand out forward. A few seconds later, he vanished in a puff of apricot flower petals, the smell lingering in the air where the two monsters now stood. Reappearing behind the Snatchers, blade at the ready, he brandished his arms vividly, readying himself as he waited for the Sorcerer's move. Notes: I can tell you for a certain fact that you are not the slowest poster. ^3^ But it's fine, no rush. Words: 717 Tags: @sugarygiggles Party Buff: Heavenly Defense
HP: 100% MP: 80% {Available Skills}
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