Goldmoss, Ujax Forest
As impressive as the scenery in Goldmoss is, it's also not much for variation in this part of the woods. Without a clear view of the sky, I can see how it'd be easy to get lost in here if you suffer from a lapse in memory. Progressing further and further south, we're steered away from packs of Goldmoss Shamblers, Gold Pennies (Large fungal creatures that ambush passersby with poisonous spores) and a few oversized humanoid beetles with makeshift axes called Goldmoss Sentinels which are Level 14 Elites who wander around the place tearing apart any creature dumb enough to cross their paths.
Tempting as it was to try and take one down for the loot, I simply don't know enough about them to consider the risk worth it when we have other plans to be concerned about.
After what feels like an hour, I note that the steady incline of Ujax Hill changes into a rapid decline, so I call over our guide for the expedition to get some answers.
"Prospector's Rest isn't far off now, is what it means. It's an open valley with a single cave and a few bigger trees that keep the canopy going strong," Reit informs me, "It's the territory of the Goldmoss Deer, which means that we'll be in danger of running into a Dire Wolf patrol from here onwards."
"That means it's my show now," Miss Coates calls back, "Once we get to the path down, y'all can take a break while I find a herd worth killing. How many d'you reckon is enough?"
"At least eight," I request, "Between me, Jupiter and any crowd control Mr Fathom provides we can handle up to a dozen if they're clumped together."
"Gotcha," the tracker gives a thumbs-up, then increases her pace to move ahead of us a fair ways.
"I'll be glad to take a break," Windy remarks, "Between the fight earlier and all the walking we've been doing, my Stamina is starting to flag a little even after chugging three waterskins and a pastry."
"I'm not doing much better, admittedly," I agree. Difficult terrain will always make a journey more strenuous, and we've been going long enough now that Jupiter, Angelus and most of Wolf Hunt are about ready to drop. If we keep going for more than maybe five or ten minutes, me and Windy are going to have to start giving piggyback rides.
Squeezing between two closely growing trees, I behold a vast, open area past a sharp drop, a veritable lake of luminous gold and green, depressed into the hill. In the far distance, partially blocked by huge treetrunks, I see a tall, sheer cliff, half-way covered with more Goldmoss.
Windy whistles, "Now that's a view. Jinx'd love this."
"Friend of yours?" I ask politely in the interests of conversation.
She mumbles affirmation, "Henry's - you've met him - girlfriend. We should definitely bring them in here when they stop by...Oh, um, they're looking to start playing in a couple days, so Henry asked if I could show them around the city. The city that is under siege. Hm."
"Take a deep breath, Windy," I cock an eyebrow at the scatterbrained utterances reminiscent of Jupiter's characteristic rambling, "He mentioned something to that effect this morning when I bumped into him. We should hopefully have dealt with Geronil by the time they log in for the first time."
"We doing that tomorrow then?" Windy asks.
"No," I deny, "Tomorrow we need to take part in Act 2 of the siege, assuming that the players out there aren't twiddling their thumbs doing nothing. Then we can go after the bigger fish for some decent Reputation and Fame rewards, then deal with Geronil the day after or on the spot, depending on how things shake out."
Understanding flashes across her face, "Ah, so we're farming minibosses?"
"Yep, there's too many trash mobs between us and them," I elaborate, "Each miniboss kill would be worth several hundred of the lesser enemies, and each of the kills we get in here are worth a dozen minions at least. Thus, we're in here instead of out there."
"Wouldn't we still get rep for the li'l shitter demons in the city?"
"Negligible, but yes," I shrug, "Still not as worthwhile as what we're doing now."
Which is to say, building a relationship with Wolf Hunt. But considering they're in earshot, best not to say as much out loud. I do have some sense of tact tucked away up in the ol' grey matter. Hypothetically.
A thought occurs, "Your friends, how would you rate their skills?"
"Whaddya mean?" Windy hops over a large toadstool.
"That Henry fellow asked if he and his girlfriend could join the guild," I reveal, "I'd like to get a sense of what they're about before they start playing. It'll make answering any questions easier, too."
"Well, Henry plays a mean Grand Magist in VA. Got to Plat for Solo just before I left for America. As for Jinx, she uhh, doesn't really do PvP so much, mostly just wanders around the place. Uses a sniper rifle," she scratches the back of her neck, "That's about all I can tell you."
While I don't really have a great deal of confidence in this Jinx person from the lacking description, a mage who's gotten to Platinum in Valiant Advance through his own power alone is not some to be underestimated. It would put him, I estimate, in the top 20% of VA PvPers, a half-step below the pro players. In essence, the same as me at the time of the Eclipse.
A talent worth cultivating.
"Not exactly a ringing endorsement of this Jinx person," I note.
Windy smiles awkwardly, "Like I said, Jinx just kinda...wanders. I never really saw her around much in-game. I mean, girl will go to actual, literal Hell just to collect photos for her album."
"So you're saying that she's either powerful, or determined and resourceful?"
"More the latter, I'd say," Windy nods, "Pretty sure she only picked a sniper rifle so she could use it as a telescope."
I chuckle, "When life gives you lemons, I suppose."
"Alright everyone!" Reit calls out as we arrive at the top of a steep, narrow and winding path down into the valley, "Breaktime! Me and Dusty'll take five then head out to find a target."
The moaning and groaning of the relieved hunting party precede their segregation into various friend groups, sitting on the floor and chatting amiably or taking a moment to allocate their new attribute points if they hadn't already done so. The rest of my team hobble over to meet up with us, along with Mr Fathom and Miss Leovoldt, practically stuck to her boss's back with how closely she's following him.
"I feel as if once I sit down, I will forget how to use my legs and be forced to crawl across this moss-encrusted shitheap back to civilisation, where the ground is dry and made of solid rock instead of whatever this planty mush is. Like, is this what walking on an ocean of compost and manure feels like?" Jupiter immediately starts rambling, probably having held it in all this while, "You know what, don't answer that, I don't wanna know. Or find out that you know what it feels like."
"Jupiter, shut up and sit down," I groan, lowering myself to the mercifully stone hewn floor and pulling my stiff legs into a cross-legged position, "How're you all feeling? Aside from fatigued, obviously."
"Regretting my inability to wear proper shoes," Angelus flexes his mud-caked talons, "I seriously hope this is all just dirt."
"Be glad you're not a Kon," Miss Leovoldt tells him, "From how much Dusty likes to complain, they have it worse in here."
Mr Fathom smiles, "I don't think any of us were quite expecting the race we picked to affect us in our day to day, beyond lore flavour and a racial perk to stats and the like."
Placing a hand on the centre of my chest, right above where my Crystal Heart is embedded, unsettling in it's stillness, I murmur agreement, "I think in most cases you aren't likely to notice much difference. Partly because of the game compensating for the difference, but mostly our ability to adapt. In cases where people are taking on especially unusual physiological traits, it only lengthens the time needed to do so."
When acclimating to VR worlds there are short or ongoing courses you can take to help the process along and to learn how to keep them separate. Likewise, there's a whole branch of psychotherapy dedicated to VR's effects on it's players - particularly when dealing with dissociation and traumatic experiences. Some people play VR and never quite leave it, even after passing the tests mandated by their government to weed out potentially problematic users.
"That would make sense," Mr Fathom agrees.
"What's it like being a Quirstic?" Jade, ever curious, asks.
Tapping his knee, Mr Fathom mulls over the topic, "It's...hard to say, precisely. At the surface level it's oddly subdued, calming even. I find it hard to maintain any extreme emotions or reach those extremes to begin with. Not for lack of fuel from outside, or a lack of will, but because my body simply hasn't the interest or capacity. Conversely, when I see gems or metals, I am struck by a gnawing hunger that compels me to consume it. For example, the equipment Silver and Windy Fields are wearing smell...I wouldn't say tasty, but it does ignite a craving for something new and exciting, like seeing a dish someone else ordered being brought out at a restaurant for foreign cuisine you've never been to before."
That's pretty in-line with my own understanding of Quirstics. Thinking about it, I dip into my inventory for a moment and take a single piece of the Terrorstone that I extorted from Rambling Rose, "And this?"
Mr Fathom eyes it hungrily, "Much the same. That's the material that is dropped in Miner's Nightmare, is it not?"
"Yes," I nod, "Has Wolf Hunt not been running it?"
The Hunt Leader waves his hand dismissively, "It's difficult to get in without paying a toll to the Darkest Dreamer's Alliance, and thanks to some past...disagreements, shall we say; The price they're asking for is higher than we can afford at the moment. We were looking into ways of raising funds when your proposal for a hunting expedition came in."
Miss Leovoldt beams with pride-by-proxy, "This is a big help for us."
"It's mutually beneficial," I downplay it, "We'd be wandering for days in here potentially, without a guide."
"Grim prospect," Angelus concurs, "I appreciate an adventure as much as the next person, but I'd rather it be with a map telling me where to go."
"Same," Jade pipes in, "Being lost in a forest full of monsters isn't my idea of a good time."
"Better than being stuck in a jail cell for a week with the only change of scenery being for a scheduled beating," Jupiter deadpans, "More interesting at least"
"Jail?" Miss Leovoldt questions.
I sigh, then regale them with the tale to pass the time, taking some input from the rest of the team when it comes to their parts in the story while I was elsewhere with Olrica and leaving a few details like her Inheritor status out. I'm not at liberty to discuss such matters on her behalf, or with people not already in the know. We're also not at a stage where I can entirely trust the people here to take me seriously.
Not rocking the boat just to see if we still float.
I'm starting to lose my sense of time passing in here, but after a sufficient amount of it has passed, a familiar Kon and Silva can be heard bickering as they ascend the path back to the group. It's not about anything particularly important though, so I leave calming the pair to Mr Fathom as their apparent babysitter.
"..so either grow up and get a room or stop antagonising each other," The Hunt Leader rubs his tired eyes with one hand.
"Annnnyway," Dusty lets the scolding wash over her without finding purchase, "I found four targets to go for. 9 Goldmoss Deer, on the west side, about ten minutes north from Prospector's Cave, another 8 five minutes northeast of the bottom of the path, 10 at Big Bert and 9 just sort of meandering around the place."
"Which do you want to go for?" Mr Fathom looks to me for an answer.
"All of them, if possible," I inform them, "They're more worthwhile to kill than Dire Wolves and it's been a longer journey than expected with little to show for it so far. 35 Goldmoss Deer ought to be more than enough for Jupiter to get to Level 10 and complete The First Step for his Class."
"You won't hear me complaining," Jupiter grins, "Just to be sure, I can take a break to do it immediately, right?"
"If we're in a safe spot," I give permission.
"Eeeexcellent..." the mage pumps his fist.
"Shouldn't take more than an hour," I muse, "How long will it take to pass through the rest of the route?"
"Ehhh about four or five? Not including combat," Reit hedges.
I wince, "Looks like I underestimated how long this would take."
"That a problem? We can shorten the route," Reit offers.
I feel Jade staring intently at me, "If this trip starts to get long in the tooth, we'll have to cut a straight line out of the forest back to the encampment and revisit it another time. I'm using a rental capsule, so my time isn't unlimited."
"Fair enough," the pathfinder affects an understanding smile, "Just let us know when, and we'll head out."
I wasn't expecting to be quite as bogged down in travel time through Goldmoss as we have been, which I only have myself to blame for. Still, if we get a Level for Jupiter, I'll call that good enough for today. After Geronil's been dealt with, we can see about driving another bus through here for Windy and Jade's friends.
"Welp," I push to my feet, followed by the team who realise it's time to get moving, "Daylight's burning."
Prospector's Rest, Goldmoss, Ujax Forest
Goldmoss Deer are Level 11 monsters, and resemble six-legged deer with a thick covering of Goldmoss across their underbellies and necks, with antlers of varying sizes according to gender, I believe. They're not very tough, despite the level and from what I've heard, Chef players value the Goldmoss Venison their Carcass is disassembled into very highly.
The problem with hunting them is that they're very fast and quick to run from a fight they consider impossible, so ambushing them from out of sight at range will just cause the survivors to scatter, while engaging the entire herd will cause them all to stampede and gore you with their antlers or trample you under hoof.
Trappers and Hedge Mages were recruited for hunting parties even at lower levels because of this, since any form of area CC was invaluable for maximising profits. As a Fighter, I was never going to stand a chance of joining one, so I didn't try.
"What traps can you make right now, Mr Fathom?" I slow down to question the Hunt Leader.
"Mundane Grease Layers and Terrible Sonic Mines," he admits, "Trap Designs are oddly expensive, so it's only the ones I started with."
"That's alright," If he had Minor Concussive Mines, that would be better, but between Jupiter's Minor Mespem Sheen and Mundane Grease Layer, we should be able to keep them from running off too quickly, "Find a spot for Mundane Grease Layer and we'll draw them towards it."
Trappers are able to create mundane devices with magical triggers, but unlike Mechanists whose creations are fixed at the quality they were made at, the effectiveness of these traps is related to the attributes of the Trapper directly. An explosive device made by a Trapper will always outperform a Mechanist of the same approximate tier, but a Trapper Mechanist with a specialist Class for it will trump all else.
They are the single most irritating Class Archetype to fight against, especially if they have time to prepare in advance. Good Trappers can shut down basically any attempts at taking a position they've fortified regardless of the difference in their direct combat ability - but they're also extremely expensive and difficult to utilise, so they're not very popular. Magic types like Mr Fathom are even less common, and they function more through inscriptions, wards and glyphs; Making them more or less expensive depending on who you ask. From my understanding, they don't guzzle quite as many resources as a normal trapper, but they demand a premium in quality magical reagents - inks, parchments and blood especially.
Regardless of the cost in raising one, they're the undisputed masters of crowd control, base defence and area denial. Only specific evolutions of Hedge Mage come close to their breadth of utility.
Once at the bottom of the path and gathering up the team, I turn to Jupiter and Jade, "Jade, your job will be to catch the herd's attention. Jupiter, once the trap is sprung, hit them with Mespem Sheens and I'll charge through to clean up with Jade and Windy. Assuming it goes well, we should kill them all within 15 seconds."
"Shouldn't I be the one to aggro them?" Windy questions.
"Jade is faster than you without Interceptor," I point out, "Better you save it for when you need it and let her have some fun."
"Being chased by a stampeding herd of mutant deer isn't what I'd call a good time," Jade grumbles, "But yeah, sure. Bored of walking."
The Harrier takes a few breaths, shakes her limbs out, then sets off at speed toward the distant herd, arrow ready to fire from her Antique Blue Birch Longbow, and Mr Fathom also takes his cue to set up the Mundane Grease Layer, which is a conjured barrel of animal grease and fats on a manual trigger. It'll moderately slow anything affected by the initial blast and leave an area of extremely slippery grease behind that dissipates after a short while, but it doesn't do any damage and it's not flammable like later Design evolutions can be.
I walk off to the side, and get ready to do as a Reaver is meant to do, and eviscerate the bunched up deer, Jade returning with the monsters trailing behind in hot pursuit, turning to fire an arrow periodically to keep their attention as she runs with greater alacrity than she left with, probably under the effects of her movement speed buffing Skill, Like The Wind.
She'll make for a good ranged Skirmish Tank, I conclude. Harriers are specialists in kiting opponents, after all. I'll bring it up with her in the future.
Hopping atop the barrel trap, then performing an entirely unnecessary trick shot during a somersault, the herd of Goldmoss Deer screech in anger as the trap is sprung, coating a 15-foot radius in sticky grease and causing several of them to stumble to the ground immediately. Immediately, a packed ball of ice sails in from overhead and explodes in the middle of the hoard, intensifying the crowd control and flash-freezing the ground with a sheet of ice.
Finally, it's my turn. Activating Bull Rush, I charge in and take an extremely wide, overreaching horizontal slice through the disoriented herd, aided by Brutal Strike's buff, finishing off every deer that my blade swipes through and sending the upper halves of the bisected creatures flying. Windy and Jade clean up the stragglers I missed as they struggle to gain a solid enough footing to escape.
I pierce my Terrorsteel Horrorblade into the ground and shake off the numbness in my shaking arms, and the strain that stunt placed on my muscles. Effective as it was, I probably ignored my own advice to not overcommit my strength and ended up taking some recoil. I can place a lot of the blame for that on the control delay we're all experiencing, but it's still down to me to make up for it going forward.
Each Goldmoss Deer was worth 1050 experience, however, which makes this a great harvest, so I can put up with it.
"You ok there, boss?" Windy checks in.
"Underestimated my own strength, I'll be fine," I wave her concern off, "Noticed you used Interceptor as an engage tool by following me."
She coughs, "Yeah, thought it would be a cool use for it if I could just follow you into combat after you Bull Rush. Then we both get to use our Skill synergies."
Hm, not a terrible idea, "Smart, but also not what I told you to do."
"Sorry, won't happen again," Windy apologises for her insubordination.
"Don't worry about it, it was a good idea," I forgive her, "Just be aware of the situation and don't waste it. Five minutes can be a long time in a fight, so if that's the sort of engage you want to do, just clear it with the person you're following first."
"Got it, boss," the Vanguard smiles.
The rest of the hunting party wander over and start stuffing the Carcasses into their inventory. I make sure to praise Jupiter's timing and thank Mr Fathom for his help, since traps must be hard for him to make with Wolf Hunt's current funding.
"Glad to be of help," the Trapper says modestly, "I have to say, that was surprisingly clean."
"Tends to be how our party operates, I've noticed," I agree, "How's the experience?"
"8400 in total," Mr Fathom calculates, "Quite substantial, really."
"Mhm, with the right set up, and enough supplies, you could happily level up to 15 or so in here, even after the experience penalty for killing lower levelled monsters starts kicking in," At least until competition starts springing up, anyway, "How many more grease traps can you make?"
"4, if I dip into the components for the Minor Sonic Mines," Mr Fathom estimates, "It'd be better if I didn't though. They're quite expensive."
We can save the traps for larger, more threatening fights then, "If the Carcasses aren't enough, I can reimburse some of the cost if you want."
The Hunt Leader shakes his head, "This is already going to be more income than the sum total of our gains so far. That shouldn't be necessary."
"As you say," I turn to my team who are critiquing Jade's acrobatics display, "Let's keep going, we've got more venison to put on the chopping block, the next herd should be enough for Jupiter's First Step."
That's a lot of words.