Intro - Eric & Obsidian and Stephen & ToST (FFD)

Eric and Obsidian
(Eric)


 * Looks at player list* Huh... No one is a Thief... Is everyone alright with a new player sneaking in?

My RPing experience is quite limited, though...

(Obsidian)

Alright I've been sitting on the sidelines watching for long enough, I guess I'll jump in and join since someone else is also. I had also noticed the lack of a Thief and had thought about joining as a Thief a few times now, it also sort of made sense since I had talked about doing various challenges with Thieves, but never got around to it, so this could be my "Thief challenge", but alas the temptation to play as my new favorite class the BM is too great...


 * Ebony's older brother Obsidian (who actually does have magical skills), would like to join as a Black Mage.

Setting Out
It was a non-descript island in the middle of the lake surrounded by Cornelia, Pravoka, and Elfland. A ship lazed in the calm seas and the summer sun, anchored several hundred feet off shore.

Several hundred feet above the ship, two figures relaxed on a rocky precipice, munching on some provisions. "About time we headed back to our little lady, eh?" The other nodded and the two strode down the neatly carved pathway to the beach below.

On the beach, four sandy-colored wolves awaited their arrival. The adventurers could not comprehend how wolves could survive on such a small island, but that was neither here nor there.

Battle 1
[Battle begins. Please enter your commands. Targets include WOLF1234]

(Eric)

Eric's first strike seems to take days as he continues to swing towards the wolf (1). After all, this is the first time his training of martial arts gets put into practical use.

(Obsidian)

Eric and Obsidian are frozen in time in their battle ready poses, Eric ready to unleash a flurry of bashes, and Obsidian's hands outstreched as if to deliver a "hadoken" of lightning towards Wolf4 who is currently also frozen leaping in midair at the intruders upon their beach. Obsidian decided to take this "time" to ponder the universe. How is it that he was frozen in inaction like this, but yet his thoughts were free to wander? Is an inner monologue really possible when time is stopped? It would seem so... He decided to stop his inner ramblings for now and just wait for the inevitable actions about to be carried out...

WOLF3: 1-Hit 10-Damage against Eric

WOLF4: 1-Hit 8-Damage against Obsidian

Obsidian: Casts Lit on WOLF4 for 25. The wolf convulses a bit then dies.

WOLF1: Misses against Eric

Eric: 1-Hit 21-Damage against WOLF1. Terminated. The nunchuck crushes the wolf's skull.

WOLF2: Misses against Obsidian

[HP Update: Eric 23/33, Obsidian 17/25. Please enter your commands for round two. Targets WOLF23]

WOLF2: 1-Hit 10-Damage against Eric

Obsidian: 1-Hit 11-Damage against WOLF3

Eric: 1-Hit 28-Damage against WOLF3. Terminated. Eric crunches another wolf.

WOLF3: 1-Hit 10-Damage against Obsidian

[Autobattling with one wolf remaining]

Eric: 1-Hit 16-Damage against WOLF4.

Obsidian: 1-Hit 14-Damage against WOLF4. Terminated. Obsidian wields the dagger well.

Victory: Party members gain 96 experience and 12 gold

The wounded men nodded at one another and boarded the ship. The day was wearing on and they needed to return to Pravoka to report to the merchant and pick up their next shipment.

The ship was functional with little aesthetic value. She was a merchant vessel with two sails and a miniature steam turbine that overheated if run excessively. She worked well in the calm seas of the Pravoka/Cornelia/Elfland triangle, but would likely struggle in rough open waters. Her hull was momentarily barren, but allowed for significant cargo to be toted from port to port.

The two rested on the deck while the ship moved northeast toward the opening to the bay of Pravoka. Their HP restored and spell charges refilled, they heard a thump on the hull of the ship. Before they could inspect the situation, a trio of SAHAGs leap onto the deck.

Battle 2
[Battle begins. Please enter your command]

(Eric)

(*Wonders where Obsidian got the Dagger instead of the Wooden [St] in the last update*)

"I was hoping to relax for a second after my wounds healed... And more trouble comes before we reach port..."

Eric whips out nunchuckery doom against the first Sahag (1) he comes across. Bad Sahag! This ship doesn't allow pets! No treats for you for a week!

Round 1

SAHAG3: Misses against Eric

SAHAG2: 1-Hit 12-Damage against Eric

Obsidian: Casts Lit on SAHAG3 for 68. The filet'd SAHAG falls back into the sea.

SAHAG1: 1-Hit 13-Damage against Obsidian

Eric: 1-Hit 17-Damage against SAHAG1. A solid strike to open the battle.

[HP Update: Eric 21/33, Obsidian 12/25. Please enter your commands for round two. Targets SAHAG12]

(Obsidian)

Frozen once again in perpetual inaction for what seemed like hours, Obsidian decides to take this time to reminisce about where he came from and what he was doing. Obsidian was an outcast from his family. His inherent magical abilities were dangerous and destructive while untrained as a child and no one else in his family had them or understood what it was like. Growing up in the relatively peaceful Cornelia, his "accidents" were frowned upon and he was eventually told to pursue a life elsewhere. Obsidian took to the sea and an unrooted life that went wherever the wind took him. He refined his magic skill for use upon the high seas and focused the electrical energies of storms to fry the grotesque sea creatures that plagued the trade routes. He loved playing with lightning and the energized feeling of power coursing through his hands it gave him, yet he was always level headed, cool, calculating, statistical, and organized (almost to the point of obsessive). Some would say he was a genius, but he knew there was a fine line between genius and insanity, he walked it every day in his pursuit of ever greater magical knowledge.

He recently heard that his brother Ebony went off on some crazy quest with his friends all pretending to be Black Mages. Ebony had always envied Obsidians abilities and wanted to be a Black Mage. He also had a strange obsession with knives and other "stabbity" objects. Last Obsidian heard, he was becoming quite deadly with them. Maybe he would catch up to Ebony eventually and learn a thing or two from him. It was too bad he couldn't return the favor and teach him some magic to make his journey easier.

Obsidian's thoughts returned to the here and now. Time frozen. A bleeding gash in his side. An electrical burst ready to leap from his hands. And one ugly abomination about to be sent back to the depths.

Round 2

SAHAG1: Misses against Eric

SAHAG2: 1-Hit 18-Damage against Eric

Obsidian: Casts Lit on SAHAG2 for 80. Terminated.

Eric: 1-Hit 20-Damage against SAHAG1. Terminated.

Victory: Party members gain 90 experience and 45 gold

"Pretty eventful first shipment, eh?" Eric nodded to his counterpart. "Well, we're almost there now. Let's report to the merchant and prepare for the next one." Such was the life of a sailor aboard a merchant vessel in these waters… short rapid-fire journeys over monster infested waters. Less than half survived their first year and less than half of the remaining retained all their limbs.

It was common to enlist new sailors in teams of two. Obsidian and Eric were one such team, and gods be praised, they had survived their first round-trip to Elfland.

As they disembarked the ship moored in Pravoka, two fleeing men collided with them raising a chaotic cacophony. 

Stephen and ToST
(Stephen)

I'll fill that void,sign me up as the Thief Stephen

(ToST)

heh heh heh....

In celebration of new drive to complete my long-delayed hack.....

I join as a THIEF also.....

and I'll stick with a four-letter name ToST

Joining the Guild
"I can't believe we're doing this. We're pickpockets, not friggin' light warriors."

"We have to do this if we want in the guild. Granted this does seem a bit far-fetched for an entry level mission."

The two shrouded figures whispered in the night. The pitch-black room swayed back and forth rhythmically and a figure stirred.

"Shhh, did you see that?" The figures moved to opposite ends of the room, their rapiers drawn, as four new figures entered.

"Aye, Bikke be mighty angry. We need to milk these wretched townspeople for all they've got. Mayhaps they need a little inspiration."

A short, shrill whistle from ToST and the two shrouded figures entered into the fray.

Battle 1
Stephen: 1-Hit 16-Damage against PIRATE4. Terminated.

ToST: 1-Hit 20-Damage against PIRATE3. Terminated. Two well-placed slices and two corpses.

PIRATE2: 1-Hit 8-Damage against Stephen

PIRATE1: Misses against ToST

[HP Update: Stephen 22/30, ToST 30/30. Please enter your commands for round two. Targets PIRATE]

ToST: Misses against PIRATE1

Stephen: 1-Hit 11-Damage against PIRATE1. Terminated.

PIRATE2: Misses against Stephen

[Autobattling with one remaining]

ToST: 1-Hit 11-Damage against PIRATE2. Terminated.

Victory: Party members gain 160 experience and 80 gold

ToST's shout no doubt awoke several of the other crew members as the two heard rustling in adjacent rooms. Stephen shot him a nervous glance as they pressed onto the next room.

Four more pirates rushed in then. "Kill em, but don't wake the boss," they whispered to one another as they drew their blades against the intruders.

Battle 2
[Battle begins. Targets PIRATE1234]

ToST: 1-Hit 18-Damage against PIRATE1. The pirate is decapitated.

PIRATE3: 1-Hit 13-Damage against Stephen. Stephen grunts and fights through the painful gashes.

PIRATE4: 1-Hit 12-Damage against ToST

Stephen: 1-Hit 14-Damage against PIRATE3. Terminated.

PIRATE2: Misses against Stephen

[HP Update: Stephen 9/30, ToST 18/30. Please enter your commands for the critical round two. Targets PIRATE24]

Stephen: 1-Hit 13-Damage against PIRATE2. Terminated.

ToST: 1-Hit 18-Damage against PIRATE4. Terminated.

Victory: Party members gain 160 experience and 80 gold

The ruccus finally reached Bikke. The door near the two pickpockets opened with a slam, revealing a husky man with sinewy muscles and a ragged beard that reeked of salt. ToST quickly snatched the key dangling around Bikke's waist and made a run for it with Stephen in toe.

The two sprinted down the corridors of the ship and burst into the open air, a flock of pirates roaring behind them. Two of the ships' higher ranking mates spotted the escapees and descended upon them quickly… just as they rammed headfirst into two unsuspecting merchant seamen. 

Dungeon Group
Knocked out by the mates, the four awoke fully healed with spells recharged in the brig. Quiet, uneasy introductions were made with both sides expecting the other might leap at their throats at any moment.

ToST opened his mouth, pulled out some rusty keys, and spit several times in an effort to remove the foul taste from his mouth. "We got what we need. Now let's get outta here."

Loathe to the four, three mates meandered through the door just then. "Whichever one of you doesn't die will have the pleasure of talkin' to our boss."

Battle 3
[Battle begins. Targets KYZOKU123]

(ToST)

"Gee, I hope the sleep I got on the ship did me some good before I woke up..." Wonders ToST.... At least I got a ring full of keys, and a pirate ship's BOUND to have a treasure chest on it. Since I stole em from Bikke, I hope one of the keys will open it....

"WHOA!!! Where'd that shower of sparks come from?" "Better yet, I wonder if that Kyzoku's dead yet? I better make sure!"

(Stephen)

Stephen drew his weapon as soon as the three Kyzoku came in.He knew that these guys were elite pirates,so he had to be ready.He drew his weapon and charged at the first kyzoku.

Right before he attacked,Stephen thought of Dave and wished he was here.This was Dave's kind of situation.Stephen and Dave were a great pair simply because they had the talent the other needed.Dave depended on Stephen to talk him out of a bad situation,whereas Stephen depended on Dave to beat the hell out of something when Stephen got in over his head.Dave was the brawn,Stephen was the brains.Dave had little need of money,Stephen depended on it to survive.The two were like two sides of a coin,and they each relied on the other.

Stephen then thought of his family,and visualized Tonya and his kids worrying for his safety.He pictured Bikke and his crew ravaging and burning Pravoka just like they did with Cinder Island,starting with Tonya and the kids first,getting ruthlessly burned to ashes.

Stephen was now motivated,but he still couldnt do anything because he was a lowly pickpocket who couldnt insult or harm anyone at all.He was nothing more than a pawn in society,waiting to be taken by the powerful pieces.

But that could change.That could change by killing Bikke and preventing this fiasco,and he believed it.He believed it so he wouldnt have to see the real truth about him.

Stephen: 1-Hit 8-Damage against KYZOKU1

Obsidian: Casts Lit on KYZOKU3 for 39

KYZOKU1: Misses against ToST

ToST: 1-Hit 12-Damage against KYZOKU3. Terminated. Nice 1-2 punch by Obsidian and ToST.

KYZOKU2: Misses against Eric

Eric wails on the collapsing body of KYZOKU3 just to be sure.

KYZOKU1: 1-Hit 24-Damage against ToST. ToST is brought to his knees by the strike.

Obsidian: Casts Lit on KYZOKU2 for 30

KYZOKU2: 1-Hit 18-Damage against Stephen

Stephen: Critical! 1-Hit 38-Damage against KYZOKU1.

ToST: Misses against KYZOKU1

Eric: 1-Hit 12-Damage against KYZOKU2. Both mates are now on the verge of death.

[HP Update: Stephen 12/30, ToST 6/30, Eric 33/33, Obsidian 25/25. Please enter your commands. Normally I'd autobattle but I will refrain given the dire HP situation]

Obsidian: 1-Hit 5-Damage against KYZOKU1. Terminated. Excellent timing prevents kyzoku from finishing Stephen.

KYZOKU2: 1-Hit 22-Damage against Eric

Eric: 1-Hit 20-Damage against KYZOKU2. Terminated

Stephen and ToST loom over the two corpses in the event either stirs [excellent SO2 quote -- I just finished a playthrough] =)

Victory: Party members gain 90 experience and 90 gold

Congratulations, you have completed your introductory quest!

Stephen is now L3! +48HP, 2Str, Agi, Int, Vit, 2Luk

Obsidian is now L3! +25HP, 2Agi, 2Int, 2Vit, 2Luk, L1 & 2 L2 spell charges

ToST is now L3! +51HP, 2Str, Agi, Int, 2Vit, 2Luk

Eric is now L3! +37HP, Str, 2Agi, Int, 2Vit, 2Luk

Led by ToST, the captives darted from room to room toward what they hoped would be the exit. ToST and Stephen had fortunately studied the vessel's floorplans carefully prior to their extrication mission. It felt like an army was pursuing them when they reached a cannon port. Eric growled in exertion as he pulled the cannon away from the hole and the four jumped out onto.... land? Apparently, Bikke had navigated the ship from the port of Pravoka and onto dry land.

The four ran half a mile into a small forest where they stopped, panting. Stephen reached into his cloth shirt and produced a large bottle. "While ToST was leading, I managed to filch a large bottle of healing potion." Still not fully trusting one another, the four still found comfort in each other's company as they passed the healing bottle from person to person. As Obsidian polished the last few drops and all their HP (but not their SP) were fully replenished, they heard the first signs of the pursuing pirates in the distance, and so they ran again.

Another half mile later, they reached a clearing where four other adventurers were hacking away at three giant ogres and several smaller brethren. Not knowing where they were and preferring this group to pirates, they decided to offer their assistance in the hopes these stronger adventurers would help them regain their surroundings.

Continued in Journey to Pravoka (FFD) - Pravoka Group 2, Battle 3