Pinstress

Pinstress belongs to an all-female warrior order famed across Pharloom, masters of the pin—deemed the land's most glorious arm. The Citadel learned much from them before betraying the order; small numbers doomed the Pinstresses to near extinction. Only two survived: the Pinstress who keeps the title, and Seamstress. Pinstress alone maintains traditional ways, training in solitude in Blasted Steps' harsh caves, hiding from Citadel attention. Long isolation forged a resilient teacher who values strength, restraint, and worthy opponents.

Hornet first meets Pinstress asleep in Blasted Steps. Woken, she scolds the interruption to her ‘deep meditation,’ then offers training—teaching Needle Strike through a sparring fight. Later, she explains her order’s history and questions Hornet’s intent for her powers. During Act 3, the Wish 'Fatal Resolve' invites a true duel. Following clues from her home, you track her from Mount Fay's base to near its summit; striking her from sleep begins the honorable duel she seeks. As black quakes threaten Pharloom, Pinstress chooses a warrior’s end in fair combat. After you spare her, she concedes defeat twice—blade and resolve—and gifts the Pin Badge, inducting Hornet into the Pinstresses in an unprecedented honor. She then vanishes, possibly leaving hints toward Brightvein's crystal cavern if undiscovered.

An agile fencer with precise pin technique and aerial mobility. Key patterns include: • Needle Strike Tests: Training bout emphasizes parry windows, spacing, and counter-hits. • Twin Arcs / Aerial Chases: Sweeping overhead cuts chained from short hops, then chase-downs to corner you. • Pin Throws: Horizontal and diagonal tosses to force movement, followed by gap-closing lunges. • Guard Stance: Brief guard that nullifies hits and enables quick ripostes; over-committing into guard is punished. • Fatal Resolve Duel: Act 3 encounter accelerates cadence, doubles some move damage, chains throws, and adds double Whirlwind at low HP. Tips: Respect guard, take guaranteed punishes after committed swings, and use vertical repositioning to reset pressure. In the final duel, avoid wall clinging; bait throws to create space, then re-engage on recovery.