Headed Home/// Nightfall // Day 5

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@Jangel13 @Duthguy@kuroku@Wildman13@demonspade64@ReusableSword@Kheliop@Crusader Lord

As the giant troll fell, Ren swore he could feel himself come closer to his god. Without a word, the massive hobgoblin swiftly chopped off what was left of the severed leg, as well as one of the arms. Gathering his share (including the half-leg he cut off earlier) of the alpha's corpse, Ren stacked the gruesome offering outside the mouth of the cave. Falling to one knee as his blade pierced the earth, he whispered a prayer to his god, "Lord Gatoven, I hereby dedicate this battle... No, this victory, to your name, that it might bring further glory to your great name."

Once his sword finished absorbing the offering, Ren strode out of the cave, and began processing the corpse of the Ogre killed by Shirila's apostle; using his string and hook to fashion a sack from it's hardy skin. Once finished, he then filled the bag halfway with meat, before calling to his wolf as he tossed out a morsel-- it was time to leave. Fully faithful in the strength his god had given unto him, he trudged onward toward the shrine of Gatoven, unafraid of the wolves that ruled the night.

@Haeo

As the gonlins laid in wait for the wolves they soon answered with a loud howl. A few came near the tree he was hiding in and barked loudly at him to try and get the gonlins down but it wouldn't work. They then noticed the bait the few that were interested needed only to sniff the bait before they sneezed clearly wise to what it was. They didn't try to eat the bait and when their was fresh meat in the air they quickly ran towards it to get something that wasn't tainted.

@Jangel13
Goblin Skrik

Skrik learned a lot in a short time. First, he was right to climb into the trees. The wolves were not clever enough to find a way to attack him there. Second, they could smell the numbing poison and knew to avoid it. He would need a better trap to hunt wolves safely. He hefted a javelin but the time it took him to line up a shot was time enough for the wolves to realize that there was no good meal to be had by his tree and depart at a swift run. They were fast. They had traveled well out of sight in a very short period of time, without really trying.

He gained quite a bit from his recent experiences but it was time that he took advantage of his relatively safe perch and get some sleep. Though, even as he relaxed, he found it impossible for his mind to fully settle. He had been so close to something, something important about the way strength flowed through the world. He would simply have to meditate again when he was rested. Hopefully, the coming day would allow him the chance to make progress in his study of life as well as making his new home an even safer place to rest.

@Duthguy@Wildman13@Crusader Lord@Kheliop

It is the next day and the goblins were able to survive the night. These particular goblins had decided to stay in the cave as it seemed as if the wolves wouldn't go in. Whether or not they know to stay away because of the trolls or because of previous instances when the previous alpha kept them out, it cant be clear. Still, the trolls didn't do anything during the night they were clearly smart enough to realize that if the green ones were able to take down alpha they would all die even faster.

Instead, they went to the back of the cave and grabbed some fruits that they harvested the day before. All of them seemed edible and it was clear the trolls had no knowledge of poisons to even try. They were more than likely trying to get on the goblins good side. The goblin that had been rescued during the alpha fight last night was already awake and he was just outside of the cave burying the skulls of his old brothers and sisters properly...

@demonspade64
Things back at the church were going to get interesting. The other goblins that had not evolved were going to be treated to quite a sight when they awoke. Goblin grandpa was already in the church and had made his spot next to the door like he did with the cave. He too would be impressed and proud to see the young ones that evolved come so far in such a short time...



There were two hobgoblins that finally made it into adulthood and had beaten the odds and earned the right to be the strongest in the group at least so far.

@ReusableSword

Hobgoblin Gird had accepted the chance to evolve and as such when he woke up he would see that he wasn't that much taller then he was before. He only reached as high as 5 feet which was the size of an average human. What changed, however, was not his size but his appearance, his body that was once pale now had rotting parts that looked like his body was ready to fall off at any given moment and he could even look down and see the bone of his arm! He grew hair over his head that was as black as ebony and reached down to his shoulders and his eyes now looked eternally bloodshot. He looked like he was a rotting corpse which would explain a lot. However all is not negative, Now it seemed as though he could see in the dark. Now when he got close to the bones of the dead from a few nights back it seemed as though they could speak to him in some language he couldn't understand. While his body might look ready to fall apart at the seams in truth this meant he was much faster than when he was a hobgoblin. Now it seemed like his body was light as a feather and moved with the air around him.

Hobgoblin Gird Evolved into:
Ghoul
Unique ability unlocked!: Dead whispers; a special ability only given to those that are inclined towards death. He is now able to hear the calls of those that are long dead and can learn ancient knowledge, can be upgraded to allow for full conversations.
Unique skill: Deathly movements; the user is now able to dodge movements that would otherwise harm him. He is able to evade blows much easier and with much greater flexibility than his hobgoblin counterparts.

@Guy0fV4lor

The other one to evolve was the hobgoblin Ren and he was the exact opposite to the ghoul that was his brother Gird. He also accepted his chance to evolve and he became a tower of power! He grew much larger and reached 7 feet tall, his body grew to become a professional bodybuilder overnight. He became jacked with muscles over his body with the strength that would allow him to break stone walls if he cared too. His body was toned white as new snow however his left arm had changed entirely. His arm was no longer made of flesh and was instead made of something so strong that if he didn't grow stronger he wouldn't be able to lift his own arm. His arm now seemed to be made of literal steel and looked as if it could break a tree in half with minimal effort.

His arm wasn't the only thing to change however now when he looked down he would see that his sword after absorbing the blood of the Alpha troll became just as big as him! The sword became larger and wider and seemed too heavy to lift for anyone but him. His wolf even got bigger to match his size and seemed big enough to crush a hobgoblins head in a single bite! Now it seemed he was truly docile now that he was next to a being with such strength.

Hobgoblin Ren evolved to:
Ogre
Unique class: Variance blessing! Son of the forge father! The goblin had worshiped the god of steel to a tee and as such was blessed as a variant with steel in his very bones and even on his skin. Now reaches juggernaught class ogre!
Unique ability: Gained great strength and higher resistance to melee attacks. If parried correctly the steel arm could break weaker weapons with ease

Time to go home >>>> Gird is Evolving /// Day 6 // Morning

The dream came again after he accepted the question that he was prompted with. “Do you wish to evolve?” of course he did, that was the point wasn’t it. To become stronger, to be more than what he is, to be worthy of his goddess, and powerful enough to protect the others. That and by the looks of the other creatures around this place he could tell they were different. Nothing else in the area seemed to be able to progress like they did. This means that they will soon become a challenge, and he will be ready when someone comes to answer that challenge.

This dream was similar to the last one but everything seemed different. He still could not see himself, but he was in the dirt field again. The skies where clear but looked as if everything was stuck at perpetual twilight. The forests on the outskirts of the field held only dead white trees, little to no vegetation grew, and a pile of old bones were scattered in a heap in front of him.

A cold breeze twisted its way across the field, a quiet whisper moved through the wind speaking a language he had never heard. It sounded ancient and powerful, the voice sounding like the combination of hundreds of other voices speaking over each other. “Asatru ni ondem, ishka velya nandem, Gird ina surya, Aska brise kulva” the bones slowly clambered together and rose as full skeletons. They stood before him with red eyes just like the ones they fought that night. After what seemed like hours the undead slowly turned and walked off toward the forest.

Gird woke with a start, again he was breathing deeply as he stood up in the church. The early morning breeze was cool against his skin, but he felt restricted. His spider web and bone armor was a little small for him now and would need adjusting. The now Ghoul took a moment to inspect himself, jet black hair bristled along his head and shoulders, his skin seemed to almost be falling off in some places, and his eyes seemed to be more sensitive to the light when he first looked into it. He felt lighter and stronger than before. Not that he could lift anything heavier than he could, but that it was almost effortless to move his limbs. He felt like he could fly.

Gird took a moment to adjust his armor before standing and looking around the others seemed to be sleeping still, Goblin Grandpa didn’t seem to notice him as he kept an ever watchful gaze out the door and into the forest. It was strange, being able to see his own bone under his flesh. It didn’t hurt and it didn’t feel cold, It was just strange.

Gird stood the rest of the way up and walked up to Grandpa Goblin, “another glorious day” he said as he walked by and into the sunlight. He could hear faint whispers now but wasn’t entirely sure where they were coming from or what they were saying. As he made his way to the graveyard where he first met his goddess, the ghoul could still hear the whispers. He eventually made his way to the shaded area where he received his mark and sat down. Leaning against the building gird began to just breathe and listen to the world around him as well as the subtle whispers.

“Duvelna, I do hope this form and those souls I have granted you are pleasing. If there is anything you wish of me to do now, please enlighten me.”

@demonspade64
@Jangel13
@Kheliop
@Crusader Lord

Translation: "Soldiers of the dead, Rise ye up, Gird is your master, Go forth and slay"

@ReusableSword@Jangel13

After a day of hard work Gird and crew finally retired for the night and headed back to the church to get some sleep. As Luz was about laying down to get some sleep a question came up for her once again.



"Already?" She thought about it and picked no, for now, cause she still had some question to ask for example what are the pros and con of evolution and secondly why did Gird and Gina evolve so differently from everyone else? was it simply cause of the goddess they worshiped? Until she asked the elder about evolution Luz was going to hold off evolving for now even if it means falling behind. Also there was another question Luz had to asked the elder.

So as soon as she woke up and saw the morning sun Luz got up gather her stuff and went outside and found the elder. "Elder!" She said actually sounding happy to see him she then ran to him bend down and hugged him. "I haven't seen you in two days how are you doing?" She asked him showing that she cared about him. "Were you worried about me?" She then asked him sounding a bit guilty.

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But he wasn't there to kill it, he was there to do what he could so that the Child could live. He frowned at how overwhelming the enemy looked. He used all his will to stand ground as he quietly prayed, "Please, lend us strength so that we can wake up tomorrow alive." He frowned a bit before glancing at the Child. Hopefully, I would hold long enough for an opportunity to help appear.

@demonspade64

Goblin Grandpa was already at his spot next to the church doors and was asleep until he heard someone call out to him and he awoke with a start when he was suddenly hugged. Not that it was unwelcomed but it was so rare for a young one to care about him. He was usually just ignored and insulted at worse so this was unfamiliar but he smiled wide all the same. He gently stroked her hair when she sounded guilty and said "I am glad you are safe young one. I will always worry about each and every one of you. After all I have watched you all since you couldn't even speak. I will always worry but I'm glad your safe" he said encouraginly.

@Darked13

The goblin saw what was essentially his death but he stood strong. The elemental paid him little mind it was only when he was attacked did he notice the young gonlins. It then started to slash at him with burning claws. It didn't bother with burning since it was sure it would win without much effort. However the time the young gonlins bought was enough for the child to regain it's strength then it let out it's own deafening roar.

Vines appeared and wrapped around the elemental and started to choke the life out of it. The elemental couldn't burn these Vines and if he did two more appeared to strengthen the hold. Then the child imbude the Vines with the goddesses magic and killed it. The elemental turned into burning coals that scorched the Earth but didn't move. The goblin was able to survive albeit with severe burns on his shoulders. He survived to tell the tale...

Achievement earned: fire dampener; has higher resistance to fire and fire based magic

Exp:+90

@ReusableSword

The goblin now turned ghoul then felt a familiar chill go down his spine. Though now it felt familiar even, warm. As he followed the trail it led him back inside and towards the shrine to the goddess. She then whispered to him "you have done well I am proud of you. Your one step closer to earning my favor. Now that you can hear them speak your next test is to see if you have any brains rather then just brawn. Look in the books in that shelf. Find a purple one with a skull and start ready. The next time you call I won't answer unless it's in that language" she ordered as the shrine fell silent and the chill vanished

.... an error occurred and this post was accidently saved over...

@Jangel13

@Jangel13

Luz then patted the elder back. "Well, you do not have to worry much about me elder. This one has been working hard to become stronger." She told him sounding quite confident and happy. "How the rest of the clan doing?" She asked him making some small talk with him before she decided that now was a time to ask him. "So elder, as of right now I am capable of evolving into my next form but before i want to know about evolution and how it works, a lot more to it then it seems Cause Gird, Gina, and Ren now look different what the others in my group evolve into." She told him before pulling out a spare alpha horn she got of the storage area prior to going to him. She then offered it to him as payment. "Nothing comes free right?" She told him brightly.

The dawn came swiftly and birdsong seemed to dance with the dappled sunshine that made its way through the leaves of Skrik’s makeshift abode. He let out a quiet yawn as the morning breeze cooled him, rousing him easily from his slumber. He had slept fitfully, a multitude of thoughts and ideas dancing too actively in his mind for him to sleep deeply.

Yet, though he didn’t feel well rested, he felt a surge of subtle excitement. He knew what he wanted to do and had a good idea of how to do it. First, he had to establish a steady source of food. The water nearby was vital and there would likely be fish either upstream or down. That could be a ready source of simple food. If he was able to draw in and snare Wolves and Horned Rabbits then he might have a steady source of food there too, as well as valuable materials.

But, it was easier thought than done. The wolves were smart and had very strong senses. The Horned rabbits were cautious and preferentially fed on berries, from what he had seen so far, and he didn’t even know which direction to go to find fish. He would have to be both careful and thorough as he went forward.

He had gathered quite a few belongings, far more than he could conveniently carry with him. In fact, he wasn’t very skilled with everything yet. His hunting experience was mostly grappling and stealth, relying on poison and skill. It had worked well so far but hunting alone was dangerous, especially when your prey was up close. He needed to practice with his javelins. That range might prove critical and, unlike a bow or sling, the weight of a javelin was not a factor after it had been thrown. He left most of them where they lay but brought two with him along with one of his short spears, keeping his stone knife in his wristband as a backup.

It was time to go.

He carefully examined the surrounding area for threats. Finding none, he climbed down to the ground and began to scout the surrounding area. He was searching for several things. He could use prey of course but he was carefully examining the trees, seeking for signs of the trees that produce the numbing oil. He was also searching for the kind of berries that the horned rabbits prefer, which he had noticed during his first hunt. If he could find those berries then he might be able to make bait and produce snares to secure more horned rabbits. Of course, more horned rabbits would mean more meat to use for bait to draw wolves. With practice, he should have limited trouble killing a few wolves, so long as he could use a trap to poison them before engaging.



@Jangel13

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As she sat down and observed the stars for the start of a new day the religious zealot that she was started to emerged her faith and beliefs tested with the various events of her past from her lonely fight with several of the undead and their fight to kill off the trolls. There was hesitation in her eyes she had killed down to the gentlest of creature but, to the most vicious of them all causing her heart to falter and her mind full of doubt.

Why would she kill to give honor to her mother of life and what glory can she possibly give to her in return for the power that she had entrusted her. Her skin as tough as stone yet it had found no blade to test it and the power that she had vested and the commute with the earth was all in vain for she had chosen to draw up arms and prepare for her enemies that seek for nothing more but, the death of those that want to see her master gone and defeated yet to what end and method.

As she laid down her arms towards the ground and sat towards the altar that she made for her goddess she would soon she the domination of the moon and darkness surrounded by the spawn of her mother’s enemies a sentiment that she only found hopelessness and fear yet her heart steadied and her mind steeled itself as the crippling fear that she once fought with was no more. Now replaced with a faint yet presence reminded of the strength and courage that she found with the agreement of her and her god. Her fear still lingering but, its grip on her was no more as she closes her eyes and in that moment of silent she felt the force of her mother’s embrace as the cold breeze and the darkness settled in meditating on the values of her goddess and the way of life she would have wanted her to see. For as those minutes of silence and darkness she had found herself the light of her world lit by the green flames of her presences and it shown her that she was no devourer or destroyer as with the simple yet bigger Nene stood up towards her master gently sat down on her lap as like her they do not have the means to fight for conquest or pleasure but, notion of protecting those that wish to live.

They were questions that she generated within her mind questions that she would soon found her valuing and vowed to uphold as she like her goddess wanted life to live on and survive doing everything to ensure that life never ends and in that moment she had lay down the principles of her cult of the faith of the eternal mother the cult of Evergreen. She pondered the concept even further before she collapses her mind tired from though have finally stopped and passed on to deep slumber as she processed to the very next day.


Her day started with the rays of the sun shining towards her eyes as the start of a productive day was to come. Yawning and starching her arms to the air as a way to greet the day clapping her hands for a quick morning thanks to the eternal mother. Before picking up her pet and in order to wake her up and gently placed her besides her in order to make sure that she had enough room to stand up and survey her new home seeing the lack of basic walls and stone to create a sense of security for her and her people making the energetic female to grab her stone axe to prepare the needed wood and equipment to launch and start up on a proper home for her and her goddess as the looming need to start her journey west where she concluded where people who might want to join her cult would reside.

She collected a few berries and fruits from the surrounding environment In order to start her quest for materials and the foundations of her little building in the protective clearing.

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Summary

• She gathered the chest and some of the animal bones.
• She returned to her shrine.
• She safely stored the loot in one of the holes for safe use.

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As she looked around she would soon see the ornately decorated chest from the quarters of the chieftain that now is no longer moving but, now in the mercy of her newfound companion. Wanting to find if it contained anything of worth she soon opened the container revealing an thick pile of coins and the hordes of the remains of his meals now shattered around the lair of the beast. Seeing that the bones were easy yet sharp around its edges she would start gathering the bones carefully selecting the sharpest and the most durable yet adding the smaller ones in hopes of finding something of use in the future as she soon carried what she can and started to leave the cave leaving the others to what remains which were likely the club and the bones of the animals that still remain.

Though she would soon return to gather what was still there like the crudely made throne which she couldn't take because of the size and the material that it was created from. Still she would carry a chest full of circular iron objects which she didn't know the value of or what it was used not knowing that she was now the richest member of the tribe in human standards. Still the hard surface and the size made her interested. clouding her mind with designs of equipment she could make like an glove of coins to add in her fighting capabilities. Still as she was right now she didn't have the tools and knowledge to properly make them.

But, before she started she kneel towards the shrine of her goddess praying to her of how she prevail with the help of her tribe. "Thank you eternal mother... please guide me and everyone in order to be safe and far from trouble, I wish that I still am worthy of your praise and your titles as I dedicate this victory to you." She utters clapping her hands once more at the make shift shrine before sorting through her collection and safely shoring the loot around one of the holes in the alter for safe use in the future.

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Summary

• She gathered the chest and some of the animal bones.
• She returned to her shrine.
• She safely stored the loot in one of the holes for safe use.

@ReusableSword

As the gonlins got comfortable against a pile of bones and started reading he could hear the whisper from the bones. However out of the many he heard only one was able to speak in his language. If he looked closely it seemed to be similar to what a gonlins bones would look like. If anyone actually saw the eauivelant of course. It started to speak in plain English. The bone was a short femer and it looked ancient and close to crumbling. you are so hopeless. Your never going to learn how to read that book you know? Maybe if you helped an old soul out though I may be inclined to help

@demonspade64

Goblin Grandpa watched and was stunned to see what could only be a ghoul walk past. He had to resist the urge to stab it but once he saw the smile he knew it was one of his. Apparently one of the young ones have become a ghoul. He then turned back to Luz as she asked about evolution and offered him a horn for trade. He smiled and took the horn and said "the rest of the clan couldn't be better. After all I can't remember when they felt so secure in one place. Your question has many answers young one. I'll do my best to explain. You see evolution is just the process we call transformation into our next forms. While this is goblin" he paused tapping his stick against her chest for effect. He then tapped her head and continued "this is not. We all have a soul and a mind of our own but our bodies haven't deleoped to the stage they are at. Think of it this way, you have the mind of a bear but your body is that of a cub. So as you grow up and get stronger your body matures until it reaches the stage your mind is at. Am I making sense?

@Haeo

As the goblin woke up he could see that all was peaceful around his area. His sap was quickly starting to harden however and soon it wouldn't be usable as a poison. It was starting to turn into a hard substance that would stick only to what it was placed on. Around him he could see the tracks of the wolves and as he looked around he soon saw a few bushes holding the berries the rabbits so often ate. However they had no rabbits around them at the moment. The trees around him all looked to healthy to produce the sap he needed however.

A New Venture/// Morning // Day 6

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@Jangel13@ReusableSword@demonspade64

Once again, Ren found himself in a forge, this time however, he was not in a crucible; but standing behind the inconceivable form of the Forgefather. As if caught in a fit of mad inspiriation, the god furiously hammered away at something. Though he could not see what his god was working on, he could however, see the rest of the forge. Enamored by the incredible design of Gatoven's workshop, Ren drank in every detail; forever etching it into his mind. As he looked once more to Gatoven, he would find that the steel god was nowhere to be seen; the world around him fading into darkness, save for glowing piece of steel atop the anvil. The moment Ren reached for it-- the mass of metal struck out! The blob twisted and turned, devouring his left arm as it's tendrils dug themselves into his body. Frozen in awe, the hobgoblin watched the metal absorb his arm before invading his body.

Ren awoke in a flash, in shock of his new body, and amazed at the change in both his sword, as well as his wolf. Truly, no words could describe the gratitude he felt for receiving the blessing of the steel god. Slowly he rose to his feet, making himself a somewhat large fire. Taking the remaining pelts from the pack he had hunted the day before, Ren began the process of tanning the tanning hides using the fire, his sword, and smoldering coals. When he was finished, he had made a hood from the Alpha and a loincloth from the Rest. As the Ogre donned his new attire, he was struck with an idea of how to thank his god!

Gently rubbing his wolf's head, he motioned for it to follow him as he trudged over to the stone church; surely the church's library could offer the knowledge he required! As he approached the door to the church, he shared what Troll meat he had left with his companion; satiating any hunger the two might have. However, whether or not the others inside might see him as a threat, remained to be seen..... Slowly, Ren opened the church's tiny door as he hunched to fit through it's frame. As he passed into the main room of the church, Ren could once again stand, glancing around the room, he saw Luz, some undead looking creature that was probably Gird, and Grandpa Goblin. Without a word, he rested his massive blade against the wall next to the door as he invited his wolf in. Making sure that his wolf didn't mistake the others for prey, Ren took his wolf to the church's library, and instructed it to lie down. Slowly and carefully, Ren began browsing the Church's collection of books, looking for anything that he may have seen in his dream of Gatoven's forge.

@Jangel13

Skrik found nothing amiss in the near area, and even located a source of the berries that he would need for his horned rabbit plans. Unfortunately, there were no trees in the area that produced the sap he had been using. Then again, he thought as he idly toyed with the feel of the sap that remained on his knife, perhaps this sap could be put to an even more profitable use. But, first he would have to discover its properties and take care of other matters.

He knew that he would need to practice with the javelins for them to truly be of use in a tight spot so he took his knife and carefully cut the bark from one of the middle-aged trees, making sure to peel it carefully so that he would have about one square meter of bark in a single piece. He knew that this would kill the tree over the next few days but there was not a lot of dead fall in this area and his long range plans would require firewood. He also intended to study the death process of the tree in the hope of learning more about how its strength flowed. To this end, he also ate a piece of the inner bark of the tree in a thoughtful manner while he gathered a large bundle of long grass and tied it together at both ends with more grass, braiding it crudely as he went. This bundle he leaned against one of the larger trees and then he wrapped the large square of bark around it. Gathering a few berries, he smashed them into the center of his new practice target to create a bulls-eye of sorts.

With the target complete, he gathered another large bundle of grass and tied it together in the same manner before carrying it up to his tree-camp. There wasn’t that much in the way of long grass in the area and it had almost all been by the tree line. With his gathering, there was still a good amount left but not enough to harvest recklessly. This would have to do.

Skrik then devoted himself to javelin practice. He practiced and practiced, using the precision he learned with his knife to land hits close to where he wanted them and focusing on improving his ability to do just that while trying to strike with greater force and penetration. He hoped to be able to pierce completely through his target and pin it to the tree before long. However, he knew that he couldn’t spend all day at this. He would need to spend a good amount of time hunting until his traps became his staple food source.

This would all be so much easier if he wasn’t alone. Skrik’s fingers twitched unconsciously as a single brief pang of loneliness lashed through him. If he had others nearby then he might be able to continue his study uninterrupted. Such idealistic thoughts didn’t survive long, though. That would only happen if the others respected what he was trying to do and were willing to support him. Since they left the cave earlier and likely were working in teams by now, it would make more sense for them to be making greater strides in their own way than Skrik was. He would hold them back or be dragged along against his will if he became dependent on them. He growled softly to himself at the thought. Such a possibility was vile. It could negate the value of everything he was trying to master. He shook his head to clear it of such thoughts and refocused on his practice until mid-morning. Then he switched to practicing with the short spear until the sun was high in the sky, focusing on speed and power while maintaining his precision.

Skrik left his practice javelins by the target, considering the additional wear that they were subject to, and gathered three other javelins from his Tree Camp. The sap that he had used to treat the javelins was not going to be poisonous for much longer so this would be his last day to use them for that purpose, though the feeling of the sap as it dried was oddly reminiscent of something he couldn’t quite remember. It made him think of darkness, light, and heat for some reason. He would have to think on it later. For now, he had to hunt.

As it was nearing the hottest part of the day, Skrik decided to slip along the tree-line by the stream, staying hidden and quiet, while seeking prey that had come to the water to drink. For this hunt, he decided to look up-stream in order to discover any deeper water or any places where the water pooled in that direction. In any places where the tree-line came close enough to the water for him to remain concealed, he would also check the water for fish or other edibles. The more food and materials he could acquire in a short time, the more time he could spend focusing on his studies. That was motivation enough to keep him very much on-task, cautious, and alert. Wolves wouldn’t be the only predators in a forest this healthy.

Jokes on you, I can't read >>>> To help an old soul /// Day 6 // Morning

Such strange texts, the words and symbols almost seemed to move while he was reading or trying to read them. There was no reference to go off of, the other books didn’t look like this and there were no pictures to be found. Just a frustrating book that somehow held the knowledge he would need to push forward and be able to protect his clan. At least the other goblins that came with the elder seemed to be doing okay, even if they were distancing themselves from us. Probably for the better.

Looking up from his book he was met with quite the sight. A large humanoid with rough looking skin a metal arm and a large sword stepped through the door. He was followed by a larger variant of the wolves that Grandpa Goblin described. For a moment Gird was alert to the creature’s presence but upon closer inspection he judged that this must be one of his brothers. The sword he carried looked like the one Ren was using the other night just a bit larger. He was unsure who he worshiped as they didn’t really talk much.

The lumbering beast made his way to the library like Gird did earlier and seemed to be interested in the books. His wolf seemed to lay down in a corner away from the others eyeing us suspiciously. Then as if coming from nowhere he heard a voice in the bones that he could understand. It talked to him in his language so it obviously belonged to another goblin, or someone that spoke the language.

“You are so hopeless. You’re never going to learn how to read that book you know? Maybe if you helped an old soul out though I may be inclined to help” the voice spoke from somewhere in the pile. The voice was cold and echoed through his mind, he didn’t think any of the others could hear it. Well now the others are going to think he’s crazy again while he just sort of talks to himself.

Closing the book with a sigh of frustration Gird spoke, “How could I help you? Settle an old score or reunite you with more of yourself then?” he asked. Looking around for a moment at the others he returned his attention to the pile of bones. “Alright, what do you want? I guess I’m not doing anything else that’s important right now anyways.” The ghoul sounded defeated but otherwise willing to assist the spirit.

@Jangel13

@Jangel13

Luz tried not to look to flatter when the elder told her she had the mind of a bear but the end part of the explanation had literally scratched her head. In the end, she figures he was just giving her something to think about for her own good. "I guess so...But Elder when we evolved Gird, Gina, and Ren evolved rather strangely. I figure because Gina became more plant-like cause she received the blessing from the great god of the earth and Gird evolved to look paler cause of his blessing from Duvelna. I don't know if Duvelna accepted me yet and i don't want to earn my place by begging rather then earning. So with that said is there a way to evolve into a form more suited for the night?(*Cough* she want to become a dhampir *Cough*)"

---

It was a heated and tiring fight. Every moment spent felt like he would die. But he did not. He hardly had any energy to stay awake after the fight and only went to lie down by a tree not far from the child muttering a short prayer of thanks to his Goddess before falling asleep.

@Guy0fV4lor

The new ogre came inside the church and was not treated as a threat as everyone seemed to know instinctively that the ogre was family. The wolf followed next to its master and laid down where it was ordered without complaint. Cleary it was understanding that the creature next to him was his master and wouldn't disobey someone that has taken such good care of him that he was able to grow into a much stronger wolf then most of his kind. As he went to the library if it so could be called and found no books on gatoven himself but he found a book that was similar. It was a book about forging and legends of the greatest forgemasters of all time. Their was even a legend of how gatoven became the forge god.

@ReusableSword

The goblin skull laughed a bit as he offered to help by reuniting him with the rest of his body or settling and old score. It then sighed and said "Nothing so difficult. Besides my body has already been eaten by this point the only part of me that was left alone was my skull. What I want is for you to take me wherever you go. I have been stuck here for who knows how long, I want to see the world again. Promise me you will and ill help you decipher a couple of those words. I used to be a healer for this clan way back when"

@Haeo

Shrik went through his morning productively trying to figure out a way to make himself even more independent by finding a prominent food source and where he could more sap. As the day went on more rabbits started to appear around the area staying away from where he was practicing obviously. As he started to travel upstream hoping to find a larger water source with food and tools he soon found something.

Up ahead he soon saw a large pond that seemed to be a halfway point from the water. Even a stream kept going beyond the pond but the area was a still lively. The trees were a little bit greener and inside the pond were fish eggs and a few colorful fish in the water. However while they were swimming in the pond their was also a large growl that came. If he looked to his right he would see a large bear nearby staring at the water paw at the ready waiting to a fish to get close before making a swipe and getting a meal. It was twice the size of the goblin and looked to have enough fur that most weapons wouldn't reach into his flesh. If he was going to claim the area he would need to get rid of the bear first...

@demonspade64

Grandpa listened to her as she explained that the others were evolved into and what she wanted in terms of an evolution. He then explained "Of course young one. Their are more then just the simple evolutions that come from being a dedicated follower of one of the goddesses if you want to change then earn their respect. Hunt more and praise them but if you don't want to follow them and just pay lip service they wont care.

@Darked13

When he woke up the child had already been awake and was clearly feeling much better as his tree grew to be as large as him and was producing magnificent and delicious fruit to the animals nearby. However despite that none of the other animals came to the clearing because of the burnt forest nearby and the fact that a predator was nearby ready to eat them if they were still there when it woke up. The child went over and nudges him with his paw to wake him up.

@Jangel13

The day had been very productive, so far. But, not all was ideal. Yet, the imperfections somehow brought an eerie smile to Skrik’s face as he crept through the shadows of the undergrowth to the best vantage point he could find without being detected by sight, sound, or scent. He had learned much about his immediate area and found several precious resources as well. The pond had fish and still water as well as something shining beneath the surface that incited his curiosity. The area between the pond and his tree camp was a popular spot with horned rabbits so his future hunting should prove far easier than before. And, above all else, there was a challenge before him.

The bear would be a formidable opponent. He couldn’t simply strike with stealth and expect to win. He would need better weapons and a superior strategy. He needed to claim this place, to make it his and secure its resources. He felt certain that what he had found here was a far from common occurrence. He didn’t dare delay too much, but there were obstacles. He was reminded again that he was alone. The others had all moved to other grounds and were probably advancing by leaps and bounds while he had lagged behind, first in the cave and now here in the forest. If he had help from at least one of the others he could probably kill this bear with minimal preparation. After all, his javelins were still poisoned and could at least dull the beast’s reaction time.

But he had no more sap and no way to store the sap without it drying out. Today was his last guaranteed chance to use his knife and javelins while the poison would help him. And, today… he couldn’t kill the bear.

He was certain that he could hurt it. He might even be able to drive it off. But, then the bear would be able to heal and come back. The last thing that Skrik needed was a bear stalking him. He had to make sure that the fight happened only once. For that, he had to make weapons that wouldn’t need poison to do their job well.

His javelins had only wooden points. They would be enough for horned rabbits but nothing with greater defense than they had. He needed something harder and sharper, stone perhaps. But the river had only rounded stones, long eroded by time. Though those would have their own uses. His stone knife had been the only sharp stone that he had found so far and it was in the cave where he was born.

That cave, maybe that would be the best place to search for better blades. Still, he wouldn’t be able to carry a lot of stones all the way from there back to his tree camp with his bare hands. He needed to make a better bag for carrying things, a bag that could withstand sharp and pointed cargo without being shredded. But, there were abundant horned rabbits in the area. Their hides and some grass stuffing could make a bag resistant to puncture and cutting from the inside at least. He had work to do, but there was one last item of business before he left.

He turned his full concentration on the bear, analyzing its movements and body structure to determine exactly what it could do. He needed to know if it could run, and how fast. Could it climb? Could it swim? How fast was its reaction time? Did it have any notable fighting experience to strengthen it or scars that could hinder its movements? Did it have any exploitable weaknesses other than its eyes and nose?

After finishing his observations, Skrik crept his way back through the undergrowth and shadows toward where he had seen the horned rabbits. He was looking for a rabbit that had strayed a bit farther away from the others. If he made his moves correctly, he might be able to get several rabbits before heading back. If he did, then he would have the satisfaction of knowing that his poisoned javelins had done good work before losing their full potency.

His plan was to stay out of sight and down wind to avoid being detected and then to throw with precision and power from concealment, aiming for the neck or vitals. If he failed to kill one with a single throw then it would hopefully serve to be a good distraction. In that event, his contingency plan was to pick two other targets that were distracted and focused on the first and get them before their attention could encompass their entire surroundings. If his first hit was a kill, then he would quietly proceed with targeting another rabbit in the same way.

He only had three poisoned javelins with him so he only had three chances to do this. His knife would serve well if one of them detected him and charged, so he kept it ready, but otherwise he planned to test his ability to hunt with the range and silent striking advantage that the javelins provided.