A day at the Crescent Academy

Goldenblade had closed official business, such as there was of it, in preparation for the Palace Lands invasion, but it turms out, her little Academy is below the radar of the Palace Landers, doing such a slow business in terms of ... anything, really. Very rarely, a player will come by for training, and no Landers, though she's considering re-building this place in Westelande, where she has some measure of influence with the Landers.

But she is here, in the office/schoolhouse/pretty much eveyrthing building, sitting at a desk and eying drawings with a critical eye. The doors are open, of course, and the invitation for training for anyone, posted almost back at the opening of the game, is still up, so people could, theoretcally, come investigating that. There's a first time for everything.

    Naniko enters and looks around the warehouse. She raises both hands to lower her poncho's woven hood, exposing her blue hair. "Hello?" she says. "Are you open for business?"

Goldenblade's building was, in fact, converted from a warehouse, but it's not really warehouse-like now. There -is- a warehouse, in fact, purchased and left as a warehouse in anticipation of needing to store things, which now sits almost entirely empty, but it is from an office in the main building, pretty clearly marked, that she calls, "I'm here," which is not a direct answer, of course. "How can I help you?" She will put down her pen and put aside her planning to come out and greet Naniko, smiling as she approaches, and offering, "Welcome to the Crescent Academy, such as it is."

    Naniko smiles back. "Hello," she says. She smoothes her hands over her form-hiding poncho, brushing imagined dust from it before continuing. "I saw Academy on the sign, and I thought maybe I could learn some things, here. Self-improvement is a good way to not die, right?"

Goldenblade's smile widens as Naniko mentions coming here to learn things, and she says, "That's exactly what we're here for. Now let me have a look at you," she says, eying Naniko thoughtfully, then offering an invitation to join an adventuring party. "Easier to see your information," she explains. "Your classes and such aren't normally visible to an Inspect function from someone outside the party or a Guildmate," she goes on, "And that information tells me what I can teach you. I'm slightly more capable with some new .... status i have, I think, but I'm not clear quite how far that goes." She looks sheepish. "You may wind up helping me work out what those limits may be."

    "Oh," Naniko says. She accepts the adventuring party invitation. "Please be discrete with my information," she requests. She looks over the other woman, drinking in her form and not really looking at her inspect information. "You look like you've been doing more than just teaching," she finally says. "That looks like nice equipment."

Goldenblade nods about being discrete. "No one will hear about anything from me," she assures Naniko, and does the Inspect, hrming. "Waveblade, interesting. That's one of the rarer classes. But it shares quite a lot of background with my class the Blade Dancer." Both classes share the Twin Blade influence. She hrms, "So, you're offense focused, but mainly magical?" she asks.

As for her equipment, she nods proudly. "What you can make in this game is often better than what drops, except in very exceptional circumstances. And I am a pretty skilled crafter, both of weapons and armor."

    Naniko doesn't get into the game vs. new world with new physics some god based on a game debate. Instead, she considers. "I am magical," she says. "Water control is my specialty." Truly, her water skill is nothing to sneeze at. "I uncover secrets, unlock things, sneak around, and if I have to, I have some offense." Humblebrag? Unclear. "Improving my survivability is fine, but I try not to get into combat if I can avoid it."

Goldenblade nods, "Magical, with a focus on water." She sighs a bit and admits, "Water is one of my weakest powers, and I'm not magical at all, unfortunately. But I can offer advice, if nothing else." She hrms about avoiding combar, but says, "Not getting into combat is a good goal, and very ... modern." Her tone gets a little skeptical at the word modern. "But enemies have a habit of not respecting one's wishes in that regard. I'm sure you're familiar with goblins and Palace Landers, neither of them will respect your wish to avoid a fight."

She takes a breath, continues, "Alas, the game is /built/ around fighting, and expects you to have at least some minimum capability and to do the advanced quests, you'll have to subdue foes who won't bow down to reasoned arguements. But never fear, as I say, I can help you train for those situations. Not the magical bits, but the rest."

    "Well," Naniko says with a nod and some consideration on her features. "Perhaps we should work on my defensive capabilities, then? Specifically evasion. I haven't died yet, and I don't really want to experience that particular aspect of this world, respawn or no."

Goldenblade arches a brow, and says, "You're a bit behind the news, I'm afraid. The Palace Landers have captured your capital and control the church. If you die and respawn, they'll slap a mind-control crown on you, and you'll be their slave. So, not dying should be your absolute, ultimate priority. But I do have an idea. You will need to add the magic touches, but I think I can work out a technique that will aid you in both sneaking, which may help you avoid any attention you don't want to attract in the first place, and in dodging their attacks if they do press their suit."

She will demonstrate her own skill, the Ninja Vanish, and when she reappears from around a corner, she will explain, "Not /exactly/ like that, but someting like that."

    Naniko's brow furrows and her expression sours. "Not that behind," Naniko says. "I don't think about it, if I can avoid it. If I died before, it was bad. If I die now, I'm not even remotely prepared for the consequences of that. I can't just hide in a hole and use the menus to eat."

Goldenblade nods gravely to Naniko, and agrees, "I'd be the same, if they'd captured Breg Epona. But I think I can work out a technique for you, to take advantage of what skills you do have. You'll add in your own magic skill, I can't help with that, and I think it may work out pretty well as a technique, for both sneaking and evading attacks. How does that sound?"

    Naniko shrugs and says, "As long as it doesn't need a bunch of Evasion to start with." She holds up a hand, palm up. Darkness coalesces. "I do have some skill with darkness," she says. "It's just a shame that water doesn't conceal more things."

Goldenblade nods about not requiring Evasion. "It will require some magic from you to fill in for the evasion, I will trust you to make that part work, it's beyond my skill. Darkness is a good source for hiding, indeed, and will be part of what we make, I believe." She nods about water. "As to attacks, water can be a powerful force. You might want to work with Haru, in your Alliance, I think he has some plans with regards to weather control, and you might be able to help him with that."

    Naniko nods. "I'll try to remember that. Haru." She repeats the name to herself. "Haru. Haru." She considers her control over air and water for a moment. "I can make it rain ice, but I feel like what Haru is working on is something more battlefield-encompassing. Air and Water control, most likely?"

Goldenblade nods to Naniko. "He's more Air, you're more Water, together you should be able to get along well. But let me sketch out a training plan, and we should have something to go forward with as quickly as possible." She smiles, wonders, "Is there anything else you wanted to ask about? I'm afraid my attacks mainly revolve around fire, but you might ask in your alliance chat if someone can help with that. New World has more Water types, and Magicians, both of which I am not."

    "I'm okay with fire," Naniko says. "I wouldn't mind being better. Can you train me in fire?" she asks.

Goldenblade laughs, draws one of her blades, and with a flourish, it roars with flame along the length. "Fire, I can teach," she agrees. "Thouh I am not sure you are up to learning my Ragnarok Blade technique yet. If you'd like to be trained in Fire, I am glad to help with that."

    Naniko pulls back from the heat of the fire dancing around the blade. The darkness coalesced in her hand becomes clear and liquid. She pushes her hand forward, the water enveloping the blade, but quickly evaporating off as steam, which only makes the space feel hotter and more humid. She blinks a few times. "That's--" She hesitates and takes a step back. "I'm impressed," she says. Looking at Goldenblade, she says, "Teach me."

Goldenblade chuckles about teaching the Ragnarok Blade. "I did just teach it to Rizadoman, who's in your alliance, but I'm not sure you have the skills yet to learn it. But I can teach you Fire and Melee, and then you can learn it?" She does the Inspect again, and says, "I don't think you can learn them yet. But I will try to sort of mentor you through working out your own skills, if I can.

    Naniko nods. "Well, we can work on that sneaking card. I also should meet Haru. I was working on some weather control, myself. Maybe we can consolidate our efforts."

    Naniko considers the flaming blade again. She tilts her head and says, "No." She hesitates and continues, "Well, maybe." She looks at Goldenblade and says, "Have you been experimenting with cooking at all?"

Goldenblade arches a brow at the subject change, but shakes her head. Not in over a year. Some things in the game, you can only do right by doing them for real, some things, you can only do right by having a skill, and some things, you need both, and cooking's one that needs both. Otherwise you get soggy crackers at best."

Goldenblade arches a brow at the subject change, but shakes her head. "Not in over a year. Some things in the game, you can only do right by doing them for real, some things, you can only do right by having a skill, and some things, you need both, and cooking's one that needs both. Otherwise you get soggy crackers at best."

    Naniko nods. "I used to do all the cooking, but I spend a lot of time on my own, here. I have been eating mostly fresh fruits and vegitables. It's fine, but I was hoping to start a group for people to exchange recipes and help teach each other cooking, here. Menu food is...not great."

Goldenblade laughs, nods. "Menu food is awful, don't I know! I spent the first months in the game living off it before I learned that some people had worked out how to cook effectively. If you have the skill, you might be able to swap recipes with Hifumi, in NWA? I'm not sure who else in NWA, but I think there are others. Vertina in Scale cooks, though I think she's just started. Crescent Burger has Cooks also."

    "Humi and Hifumi?" Naniko tries to remember. "Okay. I'm going to have to meet more people." She clears her throat. "Spend less time hiding by myself."

Goldenblade corrects, "Haru and Hifumi. If your Alliance chimlink's not on, you miht want to key it up, that's the easiest way to get a hold of alliance-mates."

    "I've been keeping my head down," Naniko says. "Thank you for your help. I'll see if I can find Haru and Hifumi." She waves. "Let me know if and for what you need my help with about the technique we talked about!"

Goldenblade gives Naniko a thumb's up and nods, "I will let you know," she replies, and will head back to her office, now with another thin to plan.