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Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Nov 10, 2023 17:58:31 GMT -5
As she was once again traveling to the Marsh Flats to combat an ooze, Sylvari thought it only wise to bring along her frosty steed, Mercy, this time. Aside from the incalculable convenience of her darling mount being able to walk above the surface of the brackish, murky water that dominated the landscape, ripe for dredging up unpleasant memories for Sylvari, Mercy also had the ability to let out gouts of frost, as part of her icy heritage. Sylvari had learned last time just how effective her companion, Lady Astrid, could be if assisted with ample arcana, so doubling up seemed a wise investment. Speaking of her tiny partner, Sylvari had done her best to inquire about Lady Astrid as they journeyed together to this new place of battle without seeming too overbearing. It had been quite some time since Sylvari had been so thoroughly outclassed, and she relished the opportunity to learn from one more accomplished than her. Her questions came easier once they convinced the attendant researchers to hang back a safe distance to spare them the trauma of another ooze encounter. " Have you ever fought an Elder Ooze before, Lady Astrid? I was wondering if you had a special strategy for dealing with a greater foe such as this. I'm happy to defer to your judgement in terms of strategy, whether you would designate me in a striker or battlefield support role." Quest Name: Elder Ooze
Chapter: Four
Description: The Elder Ooze has been located in the Marsh Flats, but it is a massive beast, a Extreme danger level creature with a nasty attitude. If we are going to be able to study it further, we need help in subduing it. Thats where you come in! Before it can be studied it needs to be weakened and put into a calm state. While we are normally against violence against these wild animals, sometimes it is needed. You must combat the Ooze, survive, and weaken it enough so that our researchers can study it further. But please do not kill the Elder Ooze!
Requirements:
- Requires at least two people (you and one other)
- You must make at least 7 post to complete the mission with each post being at least 200 words
- Must defeat the Elder Ooze without killing it
- Once you complete this mission you have completed this quest chain. (which needs to be a separate topic)
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Nov 10, 2023 19:10:06 GMT -5
The Marsh Flats is an interesting place for Astrid to visit. It’s been froth with a variety of experiences both good and bad. Finding an ooze here won’t be terribly easy as the canopy makes certain parts of the region rather dark. Honestly, as long as she doesn’t run into Morrigan Moonweaver or another ancient hydra, she thinks it will be fine.
Unfortunately, Arcus doesn’t make for a good mount in a place with dense trees, so she stored the pegasus away and opted instead to bring along her Arcanatek golem, Buttfellow, an eight foot tall metal behemoth held together with Formulae and a dream. After the beating the golem received in the battle against Vulcadreas, Astrid made a few adjustments, including giving the lumbering creature a fresh body of metal rather than the scraps he was originally made of. Rather than riding a noble steed, she sits on Buttfellow’s shoulder. This also keeps her boots out of any mud and water, which she quite appreciates.
Something about Sylvari’s behavior goes a bit over her head though. Rather than any amount of admiration, she very much takes her new partner’s inquiries as friendly conversation, and Astrid, being a kid with a lot of new stories from the past year, is happy to oblige. Little does Sylvari know, Astrid knows a lot about oozes for reasons not associated with the research project given to her and other adventurers by Lloyd, but she's not an expert either.
While Buttfellow lumbers forward, Astrid considers how to answer Sylvari’s most recent question, tapping her finger against her chin. “Hm, don’t think I’ve ever seen an Elder Ooze,” she says thoughtfully. “Seen a few oozes here an’ there, been familiar enough with ‘em in general. Don’t really know what constitutes an “elder” compared ta a normal ooze. I’m guessin’ it’s the size more than the age, but I don’t know how old oozes live ta be.”
The girl shrugs a little and sets her elbow on Buttfellow’s head (the one piece of him that does not match the rest) then drums her fingers against the side of his face. “I dunno. The cold worked real good, but if the ooze is big enough, cold might not seep all the way through. An’ I don’t really have a good way ta keep it from comin’ back together. Oozes bud, right, so… Even if we blast it apart, it might just make a bunch a’ smaller oozes.”
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Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Nov 10, 2023 21:37:54 GMT -5
"Yes, well, please keep in mind, Lady Astrid, we promised the researchers we wouldn't kill this one, only pacify it. Granted I'm still accepting suggestions for how exactly we do that..."
Sylvari trailed off, bringing a hand up to her chin in a thoughtful gesture. "I don't really specialize in containment. I can bring up a wall of the undead, but that will likely just deter it from one side. Other than my frost magics you have seen, there isn't much else I can bring to bear toward this purpose. I suppose, in lieu of other options we just beat on the thing until it quiets down?"
Sylvari gave a smile and slight chuckle at her joke, but she was half serious in her suggestion, without other options to deal with the threat.
As she waited for Astrid's input, she looked with interest at the golem upon which the girl rode. Sylvari had heard tales of their ferocity and nigh impenetrability but had never seen one herself. Now, however, seeing it being used as a glorified mount made her giggle to herself.
On the odd little group trekked, a knight on a noble white steed and a noble girl on her lumbering behemoth, deeper and deeper into the dark bog.
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Nov 10, 2023 22:04:54 GMT -5
The reminder is very helpful. “Ah… Aye, yer right about that, huh?” Astrid murmurs to herself. Pacify it? She’s barely ever pacified anything. When the thing she’s fighting has a head, she can at least bonk it and knock it out, but in this case, how the heck is she going to pacify something that is large and blobbish? There’s Scern’s chains, Sylvari’s ice magic, Buttfellow can do a few spells that can help, but the golem isn’t acid proof!
Note to self: Try a reinforced glass golem.
“Yeah, I’m gonna be real honest, Miss Sylvari,” Astrid continues. “I don’t got a clue. I’m good at smashin’ an’ bashin’ an’ zappin’, but zappin’ an ooze ain’t gonna do much fer us ‘cause their semi-liquid state conducts electricity sometimes. Heck, I ain’t even got a special magic bag fer storin’ stuff in.” Gods she wishes Blue Raspberry were here to simply just consume this other ooze and spit it back out later.
Buttfellow’s joints groan in rebellion as he sloshes through the dark water with the tiny half-dwarf sitting on his shoulder too lost in thought to really notice.
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Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Nov 11, 2023 12:31:20 GMT -5
Sylvari grimaced at the expected answer. She had held onto a tiny hope that her noble companion would have something up her sleeves to assist in the creature's stunning, but in lieu of other options, it seemed the best bet was really just to wear the thing out in combat, ideally before they themselves reached their limit. Sylvari sighed in frustration.
Noe, who was curled up in her lap, noticed his mistress' distress and cuddled deeper into her, attempting to take her mind of the issue. While she gave the little creature an idle pet, Sylvari's worry would not be quelled so easily this time.
As she was deep in thought, it was the only the nearby sound of a great deal of water being displaced that alerted Sylvari and shook her from her reverie. She urged a bit more speed into Mercy as she moved forward to investigate.
There, moving through the swampy waters at a quick pace, was the massive, roiling form of the ooze. Sylvari looked back to Astrid, still lumbering along on her golem and sent out a frantic whisper.
"It looks like we'll have to think on the fly, Lady Astrid. The ooze is just up ahead!"
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Nov 12, 2023 17:31:20 GMT -5
While they lumber forward, Astrid considers how exactly they can solve the ooze problem with subduing it. Like anything else, it will probably need to take a beating, and being that oozes don’t exactly have bones, blood, or organs, they’re pretty resilient creatures. As long as it doesn’t eat too much, it won’t regain too much energy.
Hearing the sloshing of water ahead, Astrid nods to Sylvari and pats Buttfellow on the shoulder. The golem lurches as its legs push against the murky water and tries to keep pace with Mercy. “Just Astrid!” she shouts the reminder, manifesting her icy war hammer as her makeshift steed charges forward. “I think ice will do us good again! Slow it down, beat it up! I think it’ll take a good beatin’. Maybe if we can freeze it, we can carry it somewhere it won’t have nothin’ ta eat!”
As the gigantic ooze comes into view, sunlight glistens on its surface. It’s eating the remnants of some kind of large reptile, bits of the animal dissolving beneath the surface.
“Come on, big guy!” Astrid shouts, whipping her hammer through the air and smashing into the ooze. It crystallizes the surface and smashes through, sinking into the goop below. She recalls the hammer as Buttfellow charges in.
War hammer - pale ice enchantment, heavy enchantment, spellblade weapon Spellblade - always there
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Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Nov 12, 2023 18:34:40 GMT -5
Sylvari gave a fierce nod at Astrid's engagement in acknowledgement of the proposed plan. "I understand, L-... Astrid."
Sylvari leaned down to her faithful steed and murmured, "Okay, girl. Maintain distance and focus your frost breath on the ooze." The horse whinnied in the affirmative, eliciting a smile from Sylvari, who leapt off and began conjuring her icy storm [Sheer Cold] as she charged into the fray alongside her little friend.
Figuring that this ooze would probably take more punishment than the last, Sylvari let out a battle cry [Knight, Battle Cry], feeling her spirits bolstered as she marked the ooze their foe. "Noe, attack!"
The little dragonling responded immediately, morphing into his tiny gargoyle form [Necromancer, Undying Frenzy] and launching into a rushing charge culminating into a full slashing into the creature's exposed side.
Sylvari was not far behind her servant, charging in with her own warhammer, crackling with icy crystals and shards of light [Spell Blade, Arcane Soul] [Celestial, Angelic Light], as she brought it to bear against the ooze again and again, focusing her frost on each point she intended to strike just before the blow landed. This strategy solidified portions of the ooze's body just in time for Sylvari to sunder chunk after chunk of the monster off its main form, as the thing undulated and thrashed about in fury.
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Nov 12, 2023 19:11:41 GMT -5
The ooze lets out some sort of high pitched, burbling shriek with the sudden onslaught of icy action. Its form shudders and stretches around the frozen chunks in some act of self defense only to be frozen again. Tendrils of ooze lash out at Sylvari and Noe especially.
Feeling the strength running through her veins, exhilarated by Sylvari’s cry, Astrid puts her hand on Buttfellow and sends a wave of magic through the golem. Suddenly, runs along its metal form start to glow, and the behemoth lets out a rumbling roar as it charges into battle.[1] Water gathers around Buttfellow’s hand, and he whips it at the ooze, smashing it against its surface and wrapping around it to keep it from going far as it tries to lash out against its attackers.[2]
Astrid leaps off Buttfellow’s shoulder, pulling her smaller battle hammer from the loop on her belt and seems to step on air [3] to avoid the swamp water entirely. Then she drops down, bringing both hammers down on the restricted ooze with her full might. [4] The ooze’s form freezes under her icy hammer and starts to collapse on itself, sinking deeper into the water.
...Only for it to recollect and throw her back into the air like a trampoline.
“Ah, whoops!”
[1] Arcanatek Researcher - Arcane Activation, Ancient Arcanatek Core [2] Mana Bulwark - water whip [3] Step of the Wind [4] Guillotine Drop
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Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Nov 12, 2023 19:27:32 GMT -5
Sylvari nods appreciatively as Astrid's giant golem begins laying into the creature and restraining it with conjured water. She takes the opportunity of the brief respite to call another servant to the field to assist them.
"Deathknight, arise!" With the upward wrenching of her hand, a horrid amalgamation of discarded flesh and bones raises from the swampy waters, sword in hand dripping with darkness, as it roars in savage agony and rushes the ooze alongside its mistress [Summon Undead Hulk] [Necromancer, Army of the Damned].
Sylvari looks over in anguish as she sees Astrid flying back from the ooze's response to her assault. Luckily, Mercy, who had been circling the fight a good stone's throw away, thundered up to catch the little noble and spare her from the mire below. She used the proximity to release a torrent of icy wind at the ooze where the golem struck, allowing the construct to beat into the ooze more effectively [Frigid Steed].
Sylvari breathed a sigh of relief, resolving to make proper thanks to her noble steed after the fight. She continued fighting. Slowed as the ooze was from Sylvari's spell, it still proved exceedingly problematic to continue to fight. The frost covering the sundered chunks did only so much to prevent the acidic insides of the creature from splashing onto Sylvari and her minions as they rained down strikes. Sylvari gritted her teeth and bore it, wishing bitterly that her armor could protect her from the sizzling liquid that tore at her exposed skin.
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Nov 12, 2023 19:56:02 GMT -5
See, Astrid, this is why nobody lets ya go anywhere alone, the girl thinks to herself with a disappointed pout on her face. Ya get too into it, ya get careless, an’–
“OOF!” she coughs when Mercy unexpectedly runs up and catches her. Astrid quickly grabs on and swings herself into the saddle then gives the steed a good pat on the neck. “Thanks, girl!” the half-dwarf laughs while she recollects herself. “Let’s go!!”
Then she notices the massive amalgam of bones and corpses smashing into the ooze. Okay, don’t think about that too much. Sylvari’s cool. She’s helpful. No idea why she’s got that kind of magic, but– QUIT THINKIN’ ABOUT IT.
Buttfellow lurches when the ooze’s acid dissolves the water whip restraining it, and he bellows at it before reeling back and punching into its surface. The acid immediately starts corroding his misshapen metal fist, and when he pulls it back, the slime drips into the waters at his knees, before going in for another punch, this time at something more solid. Unfortunately, the damage is done.
Astrid grimaces and sighs. “Ah, Buttfellow, ya dumb…" Raising her hammer, Astrid gathers magic up at the end of her hammer and fires out an icy beam shaped like lightning. [1] It blasts across the swamp and strikes the ooze dead on, giving Sylvari and Buttfellow a perfect spot to focus on!
[1] Lightning bolt - changed to ice with Energy Transformation
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Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Nov 12, 2023 21:31:25 GMT -5
Sylvari had spent a lifetime forging bonds in combat to increase effectiveness with small parties, so when Astrid sent out a crackling beam of frosty lightning into the ooze's center mass, she knew what her companion intended without words needing to be spoken.
Mentally ordering her servants to follow, Sylvari dove right in, awaiting the golem's devastating alpha strike before rushing up to deliver a series of her own battering blows. Noe and the Deathknight were there beside her, attacking whenever she pulled back to swing, the three of them in concert with the large construct acting in a beautiful symphony of harmony that left the ooze staggered from the repeated hits.
Sylvari stepped back to survey their handiwork, only to have to dodge a pseudopod lashing out in a counterattack an instant later. She growled in frustration. If all that hadn't brought this thing to its proverbial knees, she would have to get creative. Gritting her teeth in anticipation of what she was going to do, she dropped her hammer and cocked back a fist, letting it fly deep into the creature, only stopping when she was shoulder deep.
Sylvari screamed as the acid bit into her arms and ripped at her tender flesh, but she was committed to her gambit. Through clenched teeth and bit back yells of agony, the got out her incantation, "Separate!"
A ripple reverberated through the semi-solid body of the ooze, as a ripping and tearing wall of grasping bones erupted inside the creature where Sylvari touched [Death Wall]. Working quickly, Sylvari wrenched the desiccated remains of her arm out, and grasped at the necrotic energy animating her servant, stealing it for herself with a vicious yank of her operable arm [Necromancer, Consume Essence].
Swirling black and purple energies broke apart the hulking undead, flowing into Sylvari and remaking her body anew. Without waiting for her arm to fully regenerate, Sylvari threw aside her shield, retrieved her hammer and plunged it into the creature where she had conjured her wall. She lost grip of the weapon almost immediately, but its frosty magics continued to swirl, creating a miniature ice storm inside the ooze.
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Nov 12, 2023 22:07:33 GMT -5
Astrid knows from experience that the inside of an ooze is not a place that anyone wants to be, so seeing Sylvari shove her hand inside makes her grimace with worry. “Sylvari, are ya o–” Then the magic the paladin summoned bursts out in all directions, using the unfortunate advantage of dead bodies the swamp offers to bolster this spell to fill and split the ooze wherever possible.
The ooze does its best to consume all organic material, dead or alive, to rejuvenate itself, vibrating wildly as it tries to collect what parts of itself it can still control, but with chunks falling off and into the swamp, it’s significantly smaller and more manageable. They can at least collect those for the researchers too since they’ll probably just become their own, smaller oozes once they unfreeze.
Astrid points to Buttfellow, and blue dwarvish runes glow brightly on the surface of the creature as it groans and claps its hands together. Luckily, she didn’t program the magic into the golem just once, so it successfully manifests a net of frost between its two arms which it then throws across the ooze.[1] The web is just enough to cover the shrunken form, and each thread of ice sticks to the ooze and freezes it in place.
The ooze… seems handled.
Riding up to Sylvari, Astrid looks at her injured arm. “Are ya alright?? I’ve got somethin’ that can heal just about anythin’!” she says, quickly pulling a small pendant from under her cuirass that glows with a soft blue light and offering it to her.[2]
[1] Mana Bullwark - frost web [2] Essence of the North
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Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Nov 12, 2023 22:37:00 GMT -5
Sylvari threw up a hand and a grimaced smile to Astrid as she rode up, as the final lingering burns of her risky move were healed by the lingering necromantic energy. "No thank you, L-Astrid. I'm right as rain." Sylvari smiled more widely, trying to convince her companion of her wellness to get the topic to drop. She extended an unblemished pale arm, now mostly devoid of its metal casing, as proof of her claim. "See? The armor must have taken the bulk of the punishment."
Ever prompt to serve his mistress' will, Noe, in dragonling form bounded over to his mistress, looking no worse for wear from his involvement in the battle. "Good job, little one. You did me proud." Sylvari smiled tenderly and reached down to the little undead creature who arched his back like a cat to accept the affection and used the opportunity to climb up Sylvari's armored arm to come to rest on her shoulder.
Sylvari looked to where the golem was restraining the ooze shattered pieces with a sigh of satisfaction. "Well, it seems your servant has the containment well in hand. I'm glad Mercy was able to spare you a dunk in the murky waters. Leeches and mud are not a fun combination." As she spoke, Sylvari affectionately rubbed the horse's nose.
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Nov 13, 2023 20:39:56 GMT -5
The half-dwarf looks her paladin companion up and down with a very observant yet pre-teenish stink eye. Slowly, she withdraws her hand and tucks the pendant back under her cuirass. “If ya say so… Yer armor took such a beatin’ that it don’t exist no more. I’d offer ya somethin’ ta fix it, but it’ll mend breaks, not uh… dissolved armor.” It’s hard not to choke out a giggle as she finishes the thought. “S’pose if ya need someone ta rebuild it, I can help with that though. Happy ta if ya want.”
As someone who has faced a very large and angry ooze without backup, Astrid knows exactly how much of a pain this thing would have been without Sylvari’s help and expertise with ice magic. Thank the gods. Astrid only has a couple of options for ice magic, and one of those options tends to sap most of her mana, which would be very not good in the middle of the swamp.
“Least I can do,” she adds thoughtfully. “Ya were a big help. Trust me on that.”
Buttfellow’s metal joints groan as it drags the frozen ooze over in the net of frost and stops before Astrid and Sylvari, looking at its master with glowing red eyes that await orders. Astrid looks up at the big guy then pats his hollow metal torso.
“Good job, big guy. Let’s get this thin’ back ta the researchers before it unfreezes!”
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Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Nov 13, 2023 21:07:10 GMT -5
Sylvari smiled gently at Astrid's words. "Ah, you're much too kind, darling. I just did my utmost, even as you did. We triumphed by our teamwork as much as any individual strength of arms. Regarding your assistance with my armor, I'd be a fool not to take you up on such a generous offer, dear one. I entrust my defenses to you in the time it will take to escort the researchers to a safe haven to convene with Lloyd."
Sylvari patiently waited for the golem to lumber over so Astrid could transfer over. There was no point in both of them being soaked with the muddy waters, and Mercy seemed to be just fine to bear her tiny companion. Once the small group had loaded up to an appropriate marching formation, they set off, the shattered ooze chunks in the golem icy net.
Sylvari cocked her head up to gaze at Astrid, feeling a bit more at ease to ask further questions now that she had proven herself useful. "Forgive my saying so, dear Astrid, but you are extraordinarily adept for someone so young. Might I inquire as to your training regimen to reach such heights? I wish to adapt my own methods to make sure I am as efficient as I can be towards my mission."
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