user://stem

“some days, when i’m feeling down about being stuck here, i just remember… one day, humanity will disappear, just like the dinosaurs. and nature doesn’t care, someone else will just take our place. what happens here, in the big scheme of  things… just a tick on the universal clock.” 

✴ –––   ( STEM’S WEAPONS OF CHOICE )

mystic staff: this is what stem uses during combat. they found this after wandering in floria and coming across a secret chest. it is radiating magic energy, and one of the best loots that they have ever found. the staff has been stem’s worthy companion out on battle when they’re healing people, or even fighting on the offensive themselves. don’t even dare try to touch the staff, because stem will kick your ass if you do, friend or foe

wand: this is the wand that stem uses to create the best potions they can. built from the most powerful ingredients they’ve foraged over the years, this wand is the reason why people keep coming back to stem’s apothecary. they don’t necessarily use it for offensive spells, but can so if the situation calls for it. the spells won’t be as powerful as they would on their staff, though.

Fuck.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Maji let out an ungodly shriek as she dodged another spiderweb. Why did the developers have to let spiders shoot webs out of their ass? Who in their right god damn mind thought that was a good idea? Normally, she could handle a few spiders, but not six of them, and not when their webbing was strong enough to pin her down and keep her from getting in a good swing. 

Sometimes, being a martial artist sucked ass. 

She could practically hear their feet skittering behind her as she swung herself over another fallen tree and almost down a dried up creek bed. With her escape now thoroughly blocked off without risking a twisted ankle, she ran alongside the ravine, hoping for a sign of something. Anything.

That Anything appeared in the form of another player who she nearly ran smack into as she rounded another tree. The tiny woman didn’t waste any time as she grabbed their wrist, dragging them along with her. 

“Run!”

“Go to this location,” they said. “It’ll be fun, and you’ll get so much loot to make the best potions,” they said. But wandering through the ravine, Stem knew that being here did more harm than good, considering the amount of monsters they had to fight off since entering the place. Running through the trees, they come face-to-face with another player, looking frantic and stressed out. “Run!” she yells, grabbing Stem’s wrist and running in the opposite direction. “What the f--” they start to yell, when they look behind them and see six spiders coming towards their way, shooting spiderwebs at them. “Holy shit,” they say, picking up the pace and running side-by-side the other woman. Stem pulls away from the other woman’s grasp, using both hands to grip the staff as they shoot out some stunning spells while trying to navigate through the trees and the spiders’ cobwebs.

Stem, with their high skill in magic, throws off a little more than half of the spiders. They usually don’t use their magic for offensive purposes, much less fight or go on the front lines at all, but they can kick ass with their mystic skills. But, all that changes when Stem trips on a branch, sending their staff flying out of their hands. And, because the universe hates them, a cobweb hits them on one side of their body, pinning them to the floor.

“Oh no,” they mutter. They attempt to cast some staff-less spells with their hands, but their mind is too frantic to conjure up even a stunning spell. “Oh no no no no, no.” They are not going to die here. They call out to the person, hoping to god she hasn’t abandoned them. “Please help me,” they yell as the spider draws closer to them. “I can’t do anything with my staff, c’mon please--!”

Padme hadn’t ventured down to the first floor in ages; after all, as a powerful mage herself, she did not need to collect potions or food from others. But she was tired of Floor 52 and had spent too long gathering herbs and flowers on Floor 37. She needed a change of scenery, and the Cafe was always a good place to start. She hardly existed without three cups of espresso first. She had just stepped outside to drink in the sunlight when she saw the player and hear their frantic pleas for help. 

Gulping down two huge sips of coffee, Padme hurried over. “I can help you look,” she offered. She saluted Stem to show that she had heard then repeated under her breath so she would not forget: brown and black spots, fat, eats flowers. Then she heard the name, and she couldn’t help but grin. “Bong Water,” she called, crouching toward some nearby bushes to see if the rabbit had crawled inside. “Bong Water, come here girl.” 

Stem raises their eyebrows, watching as the Unity member crouches down to the bushes, calling to Bong Water. Was it all the espresso that she drank earlier? They’ve never gotten a coffee drink like that in so long; it reminds them of back home when they worked at Starbucks, a few years before they decided to log into this game. “You don’t have to crawl around like that,” Stem says, crawling next to her because, well, it’s their rabbit that they’re both looking for. “She usually responds to Bong Water---as strange as that sounds---so I never really have to go into the bushes like---oh.” 

“i’m sorry, you named your rabbit bong water?” oh, she was judging, certainly. but there was probably at the very least a good story behind it, right? she glanced down the street, wondering if she would have even noticed a rabbit hopping about. she’d been a bit focused on her own business, and animals this way and that never really seemed to phase her. “i’m sorry, i don’t think i have. but you’re welcome to check my stables if you haven’t found bong water by the end of the day. occasionally if unity patrols find lost pets they’ll bring them there.” she smiled a bit, reached out to pat their arm as she moved past. “don’t worry too much, rabbits are resourceful, and better at finding home than you might think. i’m sure she’ll turn up soon.” she would have walked away, would have finished her errands with one eye out for the loose rabbit, but… “why bong water?”

Blue’s pet had only just recently began to soar around the streets of level one, having previously opted to remain in his room in Unity headquarters. Seacrest, a name that the bird had essentially chosen itself, was merely a common pigeon. There was nothing inherently interesting about him, most players would never give him a second thought. And that was why Blue had chosen him. Because no one else would.

Having eyes in the sky was typically helpful. Especially in cases like these. “I haven’t, but I’ll help you look.” Blue assured them with a gentle smile. Blue then whistled, which alerted the pigeon perched upon a nearby lamppost. Seacrest landed on Blue’s shoulder, cooing while Blue addressed him. “Seacrest will also look, won’t you?”

Stem’s eyes light when the player approaches them, a pigeon on his shoulder. “Seriously?” they ask. “You would really help me?” They reach around their pockets, finding a piece of branch that Bong loves nibbling on, and handing it to the pigeon named Seacrest. “I’m not sure if this’ll help at all, but this has Bong’s scent all over it. Does Seacrest can track scent?” Stem reaches over, scratching the bird from underneath the chin. “Regardless, I do need all the eyes I need. And she looks more than qualified to help us.” Stem leans into the bird, cooing and talking to it like they would with Bong. “Aren’t you, Seacrest? You are so good and valid.”

Watching the bird fly off, Stem flashes a smile at the other player before walking off in one direction and keeping their eye out for a spotted bunny. “I’m Stem, by the way. Thank you so much for helping me out. I swear, that rabbit loves giving me more trouble than its worth. But they do find me the best potion ingredients and I love her so much, so she’s stuck with me.”

location: floor 37

In the middle of the vast garden, there laid Apollo with closed eyes, arms behind his head, basking in the sunlight. A flower crown decorated his hair, as well as stray petals due to the wind that would pick up every now and then. On his left sat more flower crowns that he had made over the past few hours due to boredom. He was originally going to nap in the garden, but knew the garden wasn’t always peaceful and decided against it. 

As he laid there, he had begun to sing to himself. The words of the songs he had written before being trapped in this world now filled the air around him. Nostalgia washed over his senses as he kept singing, but now a little more quietly. He eventually felt a presence nearby but couldn’t be bothered to see or figure out who it was and if they were there for him or not. So he kept on singing, thinking if they wanted to talk, then they’d talk. 

Stem hoists their bag over their shoulder, giddy at all the flora and fauna around them. They’ve already had bags full of plants and herbs collected already, ready to take back to the cafe to update their apothecary inventory. So now, they’re pretty foraged out and they’re just taking in the scenery, reminding them of the countless of hikes they’ve gone on back in Seattle.

They stop in their tracks when they hear a singing in the distance. Of course, in such an open and dangerous world, Stem can’t be too careful. Following the noise, they go over their go-to spell in warding intruders away. But, Stem couldn’t help but feel intrigued when they see a person, laying down on the grass, eyes closed and flower crown on their head, basking in the sunlight. Stem sits, a couple of feet away from the other person, letting them sing. It’s been a while since he’s heard singing, much less music, since logging onto this game. 

Hades had been napping (hiding) on the first floor mostly to get away from it all. This game constantly had him overwhelmed and the first floor (despite the onslaught of people) was relatively boring, and a good place to rest his head. He settled himself down underneath a large tree near an apothecary cafe, on his way to dreamland when a large, furry meatloaf hopped atop his chest. He had to stifle a yelp of surprise when he opened his eyes to find a twitching nose and two beady eyes staring back at him. 

“I can’t catch a break.” He muttered to himself before standing up with the rabbit snuggled in his arms, scowl present on his face. 

He didn’t have to walk far when he noticed Stem calling out for their rabbit. 

“Stem.” He grunted, making his way towards them. “Keep your rabbit on a tighter leash next time.” He held out the rabbit for Stem to take, only to unceremoniously drop it in their hands when the rabbit bit at his finger. 

“Jesus, Stem, your rabbit bit me.” 

Stem turns their head, finding a very miffed Hades walking towards them with a ball of fluff in his hands and a scowl on his face. They try to stifle a laugh, seeing a high and mighty Catalyst member squirm around with a bunny, but they couldn’t help but break out into a full-blown guffaw when Bong ends up biting Hades right at his finger. “Oh Bong,” Stem coos to their rabbit, scratching her underneath her chin as they feed her a little berry from their mini-garden. “You just love causing trouble, don’t you?”

They then turn to Hades, still flashing him a shit-eating grin. “Weird to see a Catalyst member become defeated by Bong Water here.” They rock the rabbit---now happily nibbling on the fruit---in their arms. “Although, she is a little ball of hell who is snippy with everyone. Maybe we should have her in the front lines. She’ll scare off the monsters one bite at a time and maybe we’ll get to floor 100 soon.” They tilt their head towards the apothecary. “Need me to fix you a potion or a meal or something? As a thank you for giving back my rabbit?” They glance up and down Hades’ body. “You seem a bit worn out. It’s not every day I see guild members on this floor, much less Catalyst members.” They raise their eyebrows at him before walking back to the apothecary. “Don’t try anything, though. I’ve got the building charmed and I’ll know if you’ve stolen from my place.” 

completed navigation page

completed stem’s full biography

added a full stats page

it wasn’t too often that king went to visit floor one. he usually avoided it to try and avoid the memories of that first day, when they were told that this was a game to the death. or, until they beat it. so far, it looked like it was just until they all died. sometimes, though - sometimes king needed supplies that were only available on the first floor. well, were easily bought there, at least. he didn’t always have time to go out and hunt for everything himself, especially the common ingredients.

he was sipping on a drink he’d gotten along the way when he heard a familiar voice. king looked around until he spotted stem. he smiled, but as soon as he heard what stem was saying, king’s smile dropped. he quickly looked around him and noticed the lack of a certain cat, too. “uh. stem?” he walked over to the other. “i think queenie is missing, too. you think she found bong water?” he would never get over that name. it was just so… stem. 

stem’s face breaks out into a big grin when they see king just a few feet ahead of them. “king!” they greet, their mood going from slightly annoyed and anxious to one that’s more relief. with stem living in the town of beginnings and king being in floria, they don’t get to see him too often. which is a shame, because king is one of their oldest friends, being there for stem when they were just starting out: teaching them the basics of magic and foraging in this world, keeping them updated on the comings and goings of guilds and their members, and breaking the news about the... unfortunate fate that’ll happen if you log out. “it’s so good to see you again,” they say, leaning in for a hug.