CSI: Brisshal

Sunlight filtered weakly through a thick cloud cover, the promise of a brewing storm on the horizon. The winds had already stilled, as if readying themselves for a vicious onslaught, while the hunting grounds themselves were silent as well. Other animals had already crawled into the holes, hid in their dens, ready to wait out the cloudburst that loomed above. There was tension there. Electricity. A foreboding atmosphere that weighed heavily upon those who still stood out in the open. Few merchants and farmers were on that cobblestone road that day, many unwilling to hit the road when faced with the possibility of being caught outside as sheets of rain pummeled them. If it was unnecessary, he wouldn’t have been there himself, but as it stood, Cain Darlite had a mission.

The Player Killer who haunted the spawning grounds of newbies, abusing the log-in feature in order to escape punishment, utilizing power gained from pillaging the weak in order to slay those that did catch them. Having enough power to take down others in a single blow warranted a degree of caution, but more than that, the very fact that someone that powerful continued to feast on the hearts of newcomers caused Cain’s blood to boil. What’s the meaning of power if it’s not applied in a grand fashion, against the vile creations of the Tora? What’s the point of attacking your own kind and ruining their experience right from the start? Just to feed their own ego?

Cain could understand that in a way. Perhaps the individual fancied himself an online Jack the Ripper, an infamous rogue that struck terror in the hearts of others. And in a way, that person wasn’t even as bad actual serial killers. There were no reports of the Player Killer breaking into the homes of NPCs and killing their children, after all. Whatever they had done was reversible, after all. The death of a Player meant little. There was rationality there, within the incomprehensible madness. Some small degree of justification and some small degree of kindness.

But it still left a repulsive taste in the Muse’s mouth. Bards didn’t sing songs for cowardly murderers. That’s why he was outside, even in this terrible weather, waiting for his allies to arrive. They were primarily new faces, but having Solaria as the de facto party leader gave him some degree of reassurance. She had performed well against that Troll, and surely this Player Killer didn’t also have that combination of high speed regeneration and acidic blood?

The midnight-haired man turned his gaze towards the obstinate heavens once more. Hopefully, the weather held out for a while longer. Tracks weren’t the only things that rain washed away.
@Solaria @Aria @Jace Vale

 

Quest Details: Link
Quest LFG: Link

Participants: @Solaria @Cain Darlite @Aria @Jace Vale
Party Method: Grasslands
---
Whether in real life or in a virtual game world, jerks would always be jerks huh? Aria gave a long groan as she read about the recent news regarding Player-Killers running about, butchering newbies like her and generally ruining the atmosphere of the game. She knew their type, whether in college, in her modeling work, or here, these were jealous petty people who just couldn't see other people happy. They were miserable no-lifers who wished nothing more than dragging other people down into their miserable hole.

Right... she couldn't just let them ruin the fun, veteran or newbie, any self-respecting player wouldn't stand for this. Good thing she had already experienced Terrasphere for a day or two before hearing this rumor, had she been one of their victims the moment she stepped out of the Character Creation room, she'd have a terrible (and wrong) first image of the game and likely would never come back. Oh this was personal alright, she'd show them what this newbie could do... These feline fangs and claws weren't just for show.

Now then, since she was Aria right now, she shouldn't be acting all like her real-life self, she had to, what was the term again? Right, 'roleplay'. Aria the Felis Ranger wouldn't want murderers loitering around in her forest so she'd hunt them down, easy enough, alright she'd go with that scenario. That said, she should rendezvous with her party, of course, not the one with disco balls, champagnes, and dancing kind of party she was familiar with.

"A group of four... including myself, hmmm..." Aria pondered as she walked under the heavily clouded afternoon sky, it would be raining soon, such a realistic weather for a game, how much budget did they spend on this project? Oh right, the Quest.

---

Soon enough, she arrived at the designated location, a small clearing currently occupied by a single person. A... woah, statuesque dude with long flowing mane, his ripped abs underneath those clothes, damn, he was nice. Aria smirked, briefly thinking of hitting on him until she remembered her previous commitment. "Stay in-character, damn it. You're 'Aria' right now, not Mai!" Sighing (she could hit on him later...), the green-haired Felis walked up to the Muse, her feline ears twitching and tail swishing as she moved.

"He-... I mean, greetings." Clearing her throat, she looked up at the taller figure, observing his sharp masculine features, "You're Cain, right? My name is Aria, I am here to-" "Take you out on a date~" "Join you in rooting out the group of murderers. My bow-" "And my heart~" "-is ready." She bowed elegantly, there, she kept herself together, phew. Keep it up, Aria, you can do it!

@Cain Darlite @Solaria @Jace Vale

 

Player killers... He heard about those type of players who murder others for fun, so it was no surprise that everyone including himself was disgusted at the appearance of one right here in his very first VRMMO. What was even worse was that they were targeting new players who recently logged into the game after creating their characters, which was enough for him to accept that commercial girl's quest.

Roleplay-wise, he felt that his character would feel the same and accept it despite his lack of experience as a mage and adventurer. In fact, being as Jace would help him out with his shy demeanor to the other players. He would like to show his mature side, but that would mean alienating his partymates just like his classmates in real life. So as always, he had to mask it with his shy persona for the others' sake. Question is, what kind of players he will team up with? Also, he wondered how can a quest include a serious gaming problem like a player killer.

----

Eventually, as he arrived, he noticed two adventurers arrived at the small clearing. As far as he can tell, one was a Human chiseled man who seemed to be a personification of beautiful and handsome to many girls' eyes. Another was a Felis woman who seemed to have an aloof atmosphere around her. So that means that two arrived so far and if he included himself, there should be one more adventurer joining them for the investigations.

But as soon they will arrive here, Jace then used this time to introduce himself to the others. "I-I hope I didn't make you wait that long." He then tightened his grip on his staff as he took a good look to them. "My name is Jace Vale, a-a young apprentice to one of the great mages. I may be inexperience right now, but I hope my magic would aid you in this investigation."

Not the great introduction he made, but he didn't want to lose this illusion. His shyness to these strangers might be real, but he didn't want to show his intelligence as he can.

@Cain Darlite @Solaria @Aria

 

She knew it was wrong to be late as the party leader, but Solaria hadn't expected the real world to try to rain on her parade before this. Right after a group agreed to join her at the Grasslands where many attacks seemed to occur, her childhood friend had returned home with reason to interrupt that made her log out only moments later. Logging in wasn't the hard part- it was finding the group that was.

Luckily, it wasn't the first time she met at least one of the team members. Her long arm moved to raise into the sky, a smile on her face. "Sorry I'm late, guys! Real world caught up with me for a sec!"

She stopped short during her jog, her feet digging lightly into some rather loose dirt. Her hands moved to her hips, her smile never wavering. "Let's see, I know I've met Cain before, and you two are...Aria and Jace, right? I remembered your names from when you answered my request to help us out." Her hand near her sword's hilt gripped the sheathed blade with a dangerously strong hold, her knuckles turning white as her grin turned into a grimace.

"A Player Killer can't be allowed to go unpunished. The locals may not care about it much, but there's no way we can let this person just get away with it. We don't know anything yet, but I know some of the sites of the attacks I heard about are around here. If we look hard enough, we'll get a lot of clues. And, if we're extra lucky, we might be able to ambush the bastard before they get another victim."

@Cain Darlite @Jace Vale @Aria

 

Oh, a fellow roleplayer. Those were always welcome in Cain’s eyes, mainly because they had a way higher chance of pulling of flashy, inefficient moves and combos. Reciprocating her bow with his own, removing his hat as he dipped his head down, the muse spoke grandly, “Indeed, I am Cain Darlite, Flagbearer of Miracles, Conductor of Justice, He Whose Ears Hear All. Though the heavens may have chosen to side with this criminal for now, it warms my heart to have such a hawk-eyed Felis joining our investigation.”

A similar evaluation was granted towards the plain-looking brunette mage that followed up. A young apprentice indeed, with a dash of shyness and a relatively simple backstory. Jace Vale, Apprentice of the Great Sage Artorias, The Seventh Son of the Seventh Son of the Progenitor of the Temple of Idna? No, that was a little too pretentious. “Well met, Master Vale,” Cain said with a grin, offering a firm handshake, “Inexperience is of no matter. As long as your heart is devoted to the task on hand and your soul is aligned with the tenets of Idna and Tyl, the Elysid will no doubt guide us to our fiendish quarry. So straighten your back and enunciate your words, friend! There is no need for doubts, no need for hopes. Your magic will aid us!”

And then there was Solaria, their fashionably late leader, light green hair bouncing up and down, her calm and lighthearted veneer betrayed by the too-tight grip she had on her sword. The famed martyr complex, huh? Cain’s dark eyes narrowed just very slightly. Urgency was good, but this game was still…just a game, wasn’t it? Couldn’t risk becoming just as vindictive and cruel as the one they hunted, after all. Thus, he smiled just as warmly towards Solaria, raising his arms out to the side.

“No hug this time, Solaria?” Cain teased, recalling that super weird beginning at the towers of Dormont, before continuing on, “If you do know of the sites of these attacks though, please, go ahead and lead us there, Solar Sword Samurai. The faster we move, the better. Soon, the rain will come to wash away any evidence there may be, and blind us to our surroundings within the veil of the torrential downpour.”


“Still, this fiendish slaughterer of lambs hasn’t acted in some time. Can we be certain that they haven’t relocated to less populated grounds, or found a way of changing their appearance? Or, alternatively, that this isn't a group of individuals? While it may be possible for one sufficiently skilled serial killer to slay newcomers, to do the same with all those who have chased after them before implies an even greater strength than most monsters.”

 

"Y-yes! Ahem." Aria swooned, losing her fragile composure there the moment Cain began to speak. His manner of speech, his baritone voice, combined with his godly physique, he was just... perfect. Haa... could such a man really exist? Oh wait, this was a virtual world and the person playing Cain, whoever they were, might not be exactly like him.

Hell, Mai herself didn't look anything like Aria except for her height and build. However, that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy herself, she dived into this game to temporarily escape the real world after all. "My eyes shall see through their trickery." Yeah right, she had zero on every single mastery she had. Still, she'd try her best! What those assholes did, they were personal.

Their second companion soon arrived, a young fellow, looked to be in his teen years, around... middle school or whatever the equivalent of schools in Terrasphere was called. Academy, maybe? Anyways, he looked like one of those smart nerdy kids but instead of holding a stack of books or a laptop, he brought a grimoire and a staff. "Greetings, Jace Vale." Hmm... Aria didn't pick any Masteries related to the arcane herself, figured it might be too complicated for her current understanding of the game. As such, good to know that someone else could fill in the role. "Nope, we're still waiting for one more actually."

She checked her palm menu and well, what do you know? The last member yet to arrive was actually the most veteran of the group. So, she'd be their leader, then? Cool beans. A few moments later, the aforementioned veteran arrived, a fellow green-haired character! Nice~ Only her chosen race was a Yladian, not a Felis. "Hi there~ Yep! I'm Aria." The newbie ranger gestured to herself, her previous commitment to act in-character all but forgotten. "Nice to meet you, Solar! Fellow greenies must watch each other, am I right?"

---

Now that the party was gathered, they could move on with the mission. TIme to get serious! "I've heard reports that they are often ambushing fresh new players..." The Felis thought deeply, trying to remember all her limited experience regarding Fantasy movie and game plot. How should one fish out the cowardly murderer(s)? They still didn't even know if there was one or multiple perpetrators. Hmmm... Oh! A figurative light orb shone above her head.

"How about one of us act as bait? Someone who's brand new, standing out alone, ripe for the picking. It'd be like hot cakes to those killers, then the rest of us ambush the creep, interrogate them on where the rest of their buddies are!" She grinned, pausing... then she froze. Oh shit, newbie, no experience. "...uuuuh." Calm down, Aria, you could do this, this was just a game, "I can be the bait."

...she's dead.

 

As he met @Cain Darlite, he was a little uncomfortable at his roleplay for a bit as it was somehow too much for his character. Though his words were reassuring to him regarding his magic as he gave a small bow to the effeminate man. He was still a newbie, yet they were enough to have the confidence to his Arcanamancy. "Thank you for your kind words, Cain. I really appreciate it."

For the late party member, he noticed that the green-haired Yladian wasn't much a role player like the others. Though he was surprised that she managed to remember his name through the party menu. But he can understand the reason behind her tardiness. Whether it's school or work, they can't ignore the important things of reality. Though, he became curious at what @Aria said about her and @Solaria. Not to mention that she broke her acting just to greet her.

Now regarding the quest at hand, Jace can agree about the reasons behind the Grassland as the PKer's location of their modus operandi. If he was on the mind of the victims, they usually head here just to slay a few monsters to farm some experience for their combat masteries. Because of this, it was a perfect place for them to PK them. However, he wasn't on board regarding Aria's suggestion.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? That may lure the criminal down, but there is a risk of you being killed by them in the process. And even if that works, there is still a chance of them to fight back if we ambush them. And considering our current power levels, I doubt we can stand a chance against them."

 

"While being bait isn't a bad method, setting up an ambush on the fellow might not be the best plan either. Considering this guy or gal is a pro at the method themselves, they might expect it." Solaria sighed, thinking (which, admittedly, wasn't her strong suit). There were many pros and cons in this situation. Seeing someone attacked would initiate her martyr complex far faster than a normal fight. On the other hand...Well, it'd initiate it either way, really. That was, after all, why she pushed her way into this situation.

Her head was running laps on a track with no end. It wasn't like her to really think things through. These people were more planners than she could ever be. "I mean, to begin with, I'm pretty much known for having a complex...If I see you get attacked, I won't be able to wait for the right moment. But, on the other hand, it'd be hard to find them otherwise, since so far it seems like no one's had a good look at 'em. My guess is they're high level Rogue, right?"

 

For all the ideas that bounced around, it was still clear to Cain that none of them had a real ‘lead’. Aria’s suggestion of being bait and waiting to be attacked may have worked, but they didn’t know anything about the attacker’s methods. None of them had any leads, and ultimately, none of them had any ideas. Regardless of whether or not the green-haired huntress’s ideas were any good, neither Jace nor Solaria had offered any ideas in return. Life was short and much too cheap. A sacrifice…was it necessary after all? A droplet of rain struck his nose, and Cain turned upwards, towards those looming clouds. It was going to rain soon, huh?

They didn’t have much time. The killer might not even appear in such terrible weather, or maybe the killer would appear specifically because of the terrible weather. For now though, this group of amateur investigators had to get moving. Turning, Cain gestured for the others to follow, walking down the old path to the deeper parts of the Grasslands, where hunting could properly happen. A gray pallor pervaded the greenery, and the dampness in the air was telling of what was going to happen soon.

“We really have nothing going for us at all,” the muse remarked, “Because it doesn’t have to be a Rogue who does the attacks. The murderer could be a powerful Arcanamancer, teleporting in and out to deliver a massively powerful attack. The murderer could be a legendary Archer, sending a ballista bolt through the heads of others before they’re even aware of it. The murderer could be an Alchemist specializing in poisons, tossing an undetectable concoction and fatally infecting them from afar.”

Cain shook his head. “With no real knowledge on their methods and no guarantee we can prevent it before it happens, the only thing we can do is look for clues first, at the site of the attack. This is important information, but it’s not worth sacrificing yourself for, Huntress Aria. For now, instead of devising a plan to counter them, we need to gather information. Solaria, as I’ve said before, please lead us to the site of the attacks. Perhaps something can be gleaned from those places?”

Or perhaps there would be nothing. Regardless, what was most troubling was the fact that there was so little information on the player killer at all. Was there some other sort of ability that could induce amnesia, directly erasing all information on this nefarious villain from the minds of their victims?

“No, something will definitely be gleaned from those places. Let’s not waste more time discussing a far off future.”

Confidence, not questions. That’s what he needed.

 

Oh, thank the Gods, her plan was rejected! ...that might sound a bit weird but phew, that'd mean she didn't have to stand out in the open, deliberately making herself a sitting duck (cat), and hopefully waiting for the killer to come at her. She had to admit, it was on the spur of the moment and a foolish one at that, urgh... but what else could she do? She couldn't shoot straight, she couldn't hunt, she couldn't even climb a fucking tree before slipping halfway. "Haa... okay, sorry, nevermind that plan." However, she couldn't deny the relief washing over her.

"Yeah, @Jace Vale ..." The green-haired Felis rubbed the back of her head, giggling awkwardly, "Being dead sucks, this is a game but yeah..." She gave a look to her current party members, the only two who couldn't be considered a 'newbie' were Solar and Cain, there was no telling how many the killers were but if they could kill players in one or two blows, they certainly wouldn't be fellow newbies. "I'll still do what I can though."

@Solaria brought up another good point, they could be doubly ambushed if the party tried to play the killer's game. Aria might be attacked... along with the rest of the party as the rogueish group surrounded them, then it would be game over, they would just be another tally in their long list of victims. "Oh... hahaha, thanks." It made her feel better to know the veteran would protect her. "I think so... they are sneaky pricks."

Then, the Muse, arguably the most vocal (and most handsome) of the group, @Cain Darlite brought up points that opened Aria's mind further. "Oh..." Damn, she forgot about magic stuff. Wow, they could teleport, like one of those ninja animes? and then, damn it, an Archer, how could she miss that? The murderer might not even be there to kill her. Aria merely assumed they'd be the classic 'stab-you-in-the-back' kind of crook, how wrong she was. The bait plan failed even before it began, "Y-yeah... haha, you're right, uhm... Cain. Sorry." She pursed her lips, hanging her head down, her ears drooping in embarrassment.

"Alright..." Aria agreed with the plan really, not like she could come up with anything better. "Let's uh... lead the way then, uh... Solaria." She just wanted to dig a hole and hide right now...

 

Glad that @Aria's crazy "bait" plan was out of the way. Otherwise, they would deal with some casualties from their party. They were dealing with a newbie PKer after all and he was not the type to be careless and let any weak players be a bait. Not only that, he was never the type to let them risk their lives to catch the criminal without a reason. This might be a game, but he felt that death in here is no different than the ones in real life.

For now, he should follow what @Cain Darlite suggested and gather some clues and information about the player killer to the area that @Solaria just suggested. "I'll try to note some information down through my notepad just in case we come across a witness." Noting down anything he deemed important was a little habit of his, but it did come in handy in a number of situations and lectures. In fact, he might try to connect any info if he found something that was connected to the other.

 

"I'm normally the type to rush on in, but there are more lives at stake then my own here, so I'll go with caution for once too. Clues to find the right perp is definitely a good plan. Fate always sides with those who are just! We'll find them if we seek the evil in their hearts to banish it!"

Her awkward speech was very strange to listen to, even for her own elfin ears. She was embarrassed by her words, feeling that she sounded more like a weirdo than a leader...But right now, it was okay to be a little silly. Some comic relief during danger never hurt- at least, not too much. Morale was just as important, wasn't it?

She began to notice the awkwardness in others speech. Aria was stuttering a bit, or at least chopping her sentences. "Aria, don't worry too much. We'll be fine as long as we stick together and find some info. Let's all make sure not to stray too far though from one another. Sound good guys? Safety in numbers. If the weirdo hears us, it'd be bad to separate and get hurt."

With a smile, she raised a fist into the air. "With Jace keeping track and all of us working together, we can't lose! Let's beat this bastard at his own game!" Grinning, she began to lead them through the grassy plains. They'd find something soon- she was sure of it.

--FIN--
@Pandora​

Thrown die:

90