Monster Party
Skill Gain: Prehensile Tail (--)!
Your tail has developed enough muscle and coordination that you can use it as if it were a fully functional limb--minus fingers and toes of course. Any stats, skills, items, spells, etc that could be used or applied by your limbs can, with a few exceptions, also be used by your tail.
As Ash carried on the variety of exercises, using different muscles and attempting to manipulate her tail with varying levels of precision, strength, explosive movement, and sustained effort, it all finally paid off. The stinger-tipped limb wasn't so stiff anymore either, though when at rest it still made that curving arch like a scorpion's tail.
With that turn, she could turn to her next experiment. She had actually done this before, but at that time her Mana Vision and Mana Sense hadn't fully formed. She formed a Mana Orb in her claws, letting it hover above her palm--it seemed to do this naturally without a need for something like a levitation spell or Lesser Force.
The shape that was like a Rutherford Model, but without a nucleus, appeared again. This time the lines were clearer, and as they fluctuated Ash realized that she couldn't exactly count how many lines there actually were. Nor could she correctly identify their true "shape," as it was like looking into one of those "gif" (pronounced with a hard G) things from the internet back in her old world, specifically an image like a snowflake, or a human hand, that turned into more snowflakes and more human hands in a never ending zoom-in loop. The circles turned into squares turned into triangles turned into chilliagons...
But while the Rutherford Model did not have a nucleus, it did have those squares. They were just hard to see, because they were colorless and massed together, yet they seemed to be expanding--only once they drifted to the outermost edge of the fluctuating mass of lines, they began to take on various hues, like light hitting a soap bubble in reverse.
You used Mana Sense I!
---Mana Orb---
This Mana has no Element. It is concentrated, and harmful, but not to you. It is your own Mana. It feels incomplete.
Meanwhile, Digbie and the others were outside the cave. While Oberon and Torrent practiced their magic, Digbie grabbed some grass and leaves and set about trying to make himself some clothing.
You are attempting to Craft an item. You do not have the required skills. Your item will likely degrade heavily.
Thin Grass + Long Grass + Large Leaves
You have crafted an Item. Your Material Analysis tells you its Quality is Poor.
Obtained Item: Grass Skirt!
Digbie didn't quite go into a lot of detail, thinking about the structure of what item he wanted to create. He just wanted something to cover his gobby bits. So he made a ring first, like when small children make flower crowns. When this ring was large enough to tie around his hips, he began tying the foilage to it so that the blades of grass and leaves would hang down. The result was a simple, thin, slightly too short, grass skirt--like the most discount of discount Hawaiian luau souvenirs. Still, at least he wasn't completely naked anymore...at least not fully. A few leaves fell off the skirt as soon as he stood up.
But, not to be discouraged, the Demiblin began to pray again. And again...nothing. That soft breeze was still blowing, in the same direction as before, and the light rush of the wind was all Digbie could hear as he reached out for someone, anyone, to help him. As he looked pleadingly at the White Yill, all he wanted to know was the first step to rid himself of the Taboo. He hadn't really done anything
that bad, had he? He had just put points into it out of curiosity. He had chosen to embrace that uneasy feeling, at least temporarily...was it just because he truly didn't know better? Well, now he did. He didn't want that anymore. He had heard the voice, seen the light, when he evolved before. It had told him he could have forgiveness, he could turn away...but what did he need to do in order to obtain that? He was asking this question desperately, yet...why wasn't anyone answering?
The breeze picked up, and Digbie lost the White Yill! It was plucked up out of his hands and fell in a slow spiral towards the stream, drifting east along the wind--but he could still catch it, if he hurried--!
You are experiencing a Fast Rate of Skill Progression
As Oberon repeated his earlier experiement, much the same thing happened. Now that he knew what to expect, he was able to hold the Mana Orb a little more firmly so that the power wasn't getting drawn away down the stream quite so much...but it still didn't seem to want to stay in one place. When he closed his eyes, he could definitely feel the Mana Orb drawing the Mana of the water into itself...but he could also feel an exchange taking place. The Mana Orb's original Mana was being displaced by the Water Mana in some fashion, and as the Mana Orb lost its original energies, carried away by the stream, it lost more and more cohesion.
What could he do to expose the Mana Orb to the water, without losing it to the current of the stream?
Meanwhile, Torrent moved downstream from the rest of the group. A safe bet, given her ability's destructive nature. She began to practice what was rapidly becoming her signature move now, the combination of Poison and Fire Breath. Once again, the fumes were lit by rapidly expanding flame, but by controlling her own output she condensed that explosion into a flamethrower's projectile. And now she put even more uumph behind it. Indeed, she was able to increase the strength--it went further, it flared brighter, and the heat rippling the air grew hotter. As for how long she could hold it...she could feel her MP rapidly draining, along with a little bit of her Stamina. She couldn't see numbers going down, but had cast enough spells and spat enough poison to recognize the sensations...
Skill Rank Up: Fire Breath I (1.95) > Fire Breath II (2.0)!
Range increased to 15 feet. In addition to the cone of fire, this Skill can now be focused into a denser stream. Its range stays the same, but it no longer affects multiple enemies; on a single target at a time, it may have better penetration against defenses.
YOUR SKILLS ARE CHANGING!
-Due to your unique methods, combination of skills, individual growth, and the qualities of your species, you have unlocked a new path for your skills!-
Do you wish to merge Fire Breath II and Poison Breath II into the Hybrid Skill, Wurm Breath?
---Wurm Breath---
Unleash a burning miasma that inflicts Fire Damage, and has a chance to Poison the target. Or, unleash a searing stream that inflicts Acid Damage, and has a chance to Burn the target. Unlike other breath types, this breath cannot yet change its shape, but instead changes its elemental properties. The default form is a condensed stream, with a range of 10 feet. Its Fire Damage is slightly greater than Fire Breath I, and if Poison is inflicted its Rate of Damage is slightly greater than that inflicted by Poison Breath I. Its Acid Damage is slightly greater than Poison Breath I, and if Burn is inflicted its Rate of Damage is slightly greater than that inflicted by Fireball.
The Hybrid Skill will CONSUME the two source skills, and they will no longer be available. The Hybrid Skill's Rank will be I at (1.15). Dragon Affinity will increase by 0.1. The method by which you are using Poison Breath II and Fire Breath II together will no longer require Dual Cast when using Wurm Breath.
PixieSlime Party
Obtained Items:
Medium Monster Bone x4
Small Monster Bone Plate x2
Tendon Fibers x6
Bowhorn Venison, 20 pounds edible
Using the Flak Beetle's mandible and his own significant strength, Ardur was able to cut the remaining two legs of the Bowhorn Deer free. When he began dissecting them, Steve watched patiently and rubbed her forelegs together. Momma Slime only waited for Ardur to do exactly as he said, taking the legs off, then almost immediately began consuming the deer's body, starting at the stump of the neck and working her way down.
When the Hipixie had taken out the bones and separated them, he had the lower and upper leg bones that were each of a decent length and thickness--almost too much for him to lift. One of those goblins could have made a very nice club out of something like this. The deer's "shoulder" and "hip" bones made wide, relatively flat plates, big enough that Ardur might be able to use them as shoulderpads, or if they were somehow bound alongside each other they could cover his upper chest, or his own shoulder blades all the way across his back. The tendon fibers were, when fully stretched, about a foot long or so. Right now, however, they were still full of blood and fresh. As they dried out, they might not last too long unless he found a way to preserve them.
You are attempting to Craft an Item. You do not have the relative skills. Your Item will likely degrade heavily.
Your crafting method is advanced compared to your materials. Item's quality may be boosted.
Your material quality is advanced compared to your skills. Item's degradation may be slowed, but your ability to craft may be more limited.
You are attempting to process an item for crafting.
Small Stones + Slime Acid + Half Bowhorn Jaw x2
One of your items was destroyed during processing!
One of your items was destroyed during crafting!
You crafted an Item! However, due to lack of skills, you cannot predict its quality.
Obtained: Jawbone Club x1
As Asura worked with his slime and a few stones on the deer's skull, he was able to take off the lower jaw and split it in half. After eating the rest of the muscle out of the skull, his Shell now sat comfortably over his body, and where it touched him he was able to adhere to it well enough that he didn't even have to concentrate, like he usually did with Cling, to keep it there. It seemed like his Slime Shell had been officially completed. His idea for items, however, was another thing.
He drilled and honed a little too hard on one of the jawbones, which was already getting very weak and brittle as his acid not only served to make the stone a whet stone, but also ate into the bone itself. He would have to figure out a better way to adjust its exposure to his acid, manipulating it with his membrane. But not only did the stone crack and shatter--so did the sharp shard of rock he was using to drill and whittle at it. By grinding the other rocks together inside his body, he was able to reproduce another sharp stone shard. With what he learned from the first attempt, the second went a little more smoothly. However, by the time he spat out the completed item, his acid had produced a skimmy layer over the bone. It could simply be wiped away, but how much of the bone had been eaten away by the acid? And he had completed his drilling, but for what purpose? And how much would it weaken the integrity of the item against impact? As for the jawbone himself, he hadn't really "sharpened" it, but he had created a smoothed wedge that would concentrate more force into a blow.
Both Ardur and Asura took some time to complete their tasks, given what little they had to work with. The sun steadily got higher, their surroundings brighter. But aside from a few birds and insects around the woods, it seemed like they were all alone with the quiet...
Until the mountain exploded.Their first hint that something happened was a distant boom. It was like thunder but...not quite. More sudden. And where had those dark clouds come from so suddenly, to the northwest? Yet as they pondered this, a blue flash of light flew over the tree tops. It arced through the sky, a whirling crescent moon of crackling energy. It struck a mountain peak in the distance. The blast crumbled rock like powder, and the distant roar of an avalanche washed over them several seconds after they actually saw the chunks breaking away.
"WUT DA FUGG!?" Momma Slime was the first to react. Now where had she heard that language?
Rat Party
You used Monster Analaysis II!
---Myrminor Scout---
Myrminors are a low-tier species of insectoid monsters, though despite this they produce several different subtypes to fulfill various roles in the species. All subtypes follow the orders of a Queen. Digging enormous underground tunnel networks, some larger than a city sewer system, Myrminors behave much like mundane ants and have only grown to such a size and threat due to absorbing large amounts of ambient Mana. The Scout Myrminor is the weakest of the subtypes, but also the fastest, and its only purpose is to gather food, explore territory, and sacrifice itself in waves against enemies. A Scout leaves a trail as it travels that other Myrminors can follow to find resources and bring them back to the Queen. It has strong magical senses that lead it to Mana-rich resources by using its antennae. It can also feel tremors in the earth with its feet.
Asteria dropped her items and Analyzed the first monster. Ed dropped everything but his new weapon and charged with a snarling shout.
You are attempting to equip a weapon that is too large for you!
Use Light Equipment is relative to your size. This weapon is too large.
You have not fully developed Use Medium equipment. This weapon is too large.
You do not have the appropriate Skill to use this weapon. It is too large.
You have the Skill Stronger I, your Use Light Equipment Skill is slightly boosted. This weapon is too large.
You have the Skill Dextrous I, your Use Light Equipment Skill is slightly boosted. This weapon is slightly too large.
Rabid Fit activated passively! Your physical attacks and associated stats are boosted but you are more vulnerable to damage. Your current weapon is suffering penalties to its usage due to not meeting the stat requirements.
Overwork activated passively! All physical stats boosted at the cost of Stamina. Your current weapon is suffering slight penalties to its usage due to not quite meeting the stat requirements.
You are rapidly consuming Stamina!
He could barely get the greatclub over his shoulder, but adrenaline and rage and the urge to crush these insects were driving him on. But if he could just get it raised up high enough, its own weight and gravity could do the rest even if his strength wasn't quite enough--but it HAD to be enough! Ed focused everything he had to offer into this one hit of his greatclub. Absolutely everything. Forgoing his own safety just to ensure that Mother Rat would be saved. He placed his whole body weight behind the swing!
However, the Myrminor Scouts weren't just sitting there passively. One of them saw Ed coming, and moved to get between the Rat Man and its fellow. The other turned as its comrade rushed at the giant rodent, and saw the not-quite-as-large Asteria as she was Analyzing them. It headed towards her, mandibles clicking.
Mother Rat and the larger Myrminor subtype were still struggling--
Ed's attack came down. The scout in his way had prevented him reaching his target, but he was already in the arc of the swing, his eyes blazing with fury. His Dynamic Eye saw the creature try to snap its mandibles shut on his extended arms--but the Rat Man's attack, even though he could barely hold his weapon, was just fast enough, and with his boosted vision he had enough reaction time to subtly shift his arc. The red light of Smash surged along the greatclub's length like crimson lightning. It slammed into the insect's chitinous head--and through it. Gravity, momentum, weight. Hard wood studded with iron. Power.
The Scout's shell shattered, its brains pulped, its blood spattered the ground. Ed had forcibly decapitated it and crushed what was left like a summer melon. The vicious display sent a ripple through the battlefield. The other Scout and the larger Myrminor grappling with Mother Rat both twitched their heads and antennae, turning towards the raging Rat-Man.
All in the course of seconds.
You used Monster Analysis II!
---Myrminor Scout---
Myrminors are a low-tier species of insectoid monsters, though they can be considered stronger than "basic" low-tier creatures. They produce several different subtypes to fulfill various roles in the species, and some types are significantly stronger. All subtypes follow the orders of a Queen, who is even able to control them at a distance. Digging enormous underground tunnel networks, some larger than a city sewer system, Myrminors behave much like mundane ants and have only grown to such a size and threat due to absorbing large amounts of ambient Mana. The Scout Myrminor is the weakest of the subtypes, but also the fastest, and its only purpose is to gather food, explore territory, and sacrifice itself in waves against enemies. A Scout leaves a trail as it travels that other Myrminors can follow to find resources and bring them back to the Queen. It has strong magical senses that lead it to Mana-rich resources by using its antennae. These resources, such as Mana Crystals, are brought back to the nest and used as sustenance by the Queen. Most subtypes can also feel tremors in the earth with their feet, and are even able to "see" in darkness.
Asteria finished scanning the second Myrminor and now turned towards the third. The second Scout made an about face and attacked Ed from behind, before he had finished picking the greatclub back off the ground. The massive ant sank its mandibles into the flesh of his haunch, drawing blood and sending pain like Ed had never felt shooting through him. With all six legs planted on the ground, the creature began to pull the Rat Man down--could he keep his balance?!
Mother Rat managed to escape her opponent in the instant it was distracted by Ed's kill, and she leaped away from it. Seeing her packmates, she let out a terrified series of squeaks and ran towards Asteria, ears flat against her head. The bigger Myrminor didn't want to give up on an already weakened opponent and chased after the adult Dire Rat--surprisingly fast given its size. It might catch up at any moment, especially once Mother Rat reached Asteria and no doubt stopped to try and communicate. What was she trying to do--get them to run, perhaps?
You used Monster Analysis II!
---Myrminor Worker---
This subtype of Myrminor is bred to work in the tunnels and to transport resources once they are identified by a scout. Its bigger body and thicker shell make it strong and tough, but its speed isn't as impacted as one might think. The gripping claws on its first two legs allow it to shift rock and rubble, and also to get a strong grip on food items larger than itself. A Worker is a decent fighter if forced to engage, and its jaws are more than strong enough to tear through leather and even break weak chain links.
The battle would wait for no one--Asteria rushed to help Ed, snatching up the Bloodingfly's Stinger in her Prehensile Tail. From behind, she managed to stab the creature right where its head met the next section of its body. The first few jabs scraped off the exoskeleton, though they left sizeable scratches. The creature's grip on Ed loosened as it realized something was attacking it, and the Worker turned its head Asteria's way as well. Would it pursue her, or Mother Rat instead?
Skill Gain: Use Light Equipment (--)!
The use of small tools, and lighter forms of armor, weaponry, and other items. --Due to your size and limbs as a Dire Rat, even some Small items may be too large or heavy for you to use effectively.--
Asteria slammed the needle like probiscus into the gap in the ant's armor. The makeshift weapon stuck fast in the side of its neck, and the creature let go of Ed and reeled away with a creening squeal. Asteria lost her grip on the needle as the Myrminor twisted and jerked. It still had fight left in it. A short distance away, Mother Rat hissed and snarled as the Worker closed in on her again--she clearly wanted to evade it, but didn't seem willing to leave the pack behind...
Ghost Party
You used Monster Analysis II!
---Tailed Frog--
Tougher than the average amphibian, these slimy creatures are not to be underestimated. In addition to poison, their hefty bodies pack quite a wallop and aren't as vulnerable as one might think. They often hide in water, then pop up at a distance to lob their poison at unwary adventurers. They can be found in other environments too, but in the water they are at their biggest advantage. Some specimens may also possess paralyzing venom in a hidden pair of fangs. Supposedly if the poison glands can be removed, their legs can be fried as a sort of delicacy.
Danny settled down to Meditate for several minutes. Jason slipped into the shade of the hollow tree--just in time too, as the morning sun grew brighter by the moment. He soon found the body of the dead slime, and after spending a moment to visualize his goal he attempted to slip inside it. There weren't any open wounds on the slime's membrane, so he had no choice but to use Transparency. At the current rank of that skill, it seemed difficult to get his entire body to phase through something...but compared to every other creature he had drained of its mana, or devoured a soul from, there was almost no resistance from this body. It still felt like trying to force one's hand into gelatin, but the further Jason got the easier it became.
When Jason found the "emptiness" at the core of the Slime's being, he suddenly realized the blackness around him was no longer the Slime's body. He was back in that odd limbo world? How? When? Yet, nonetheless, there was an "essence" here and it was "missing" something. Jason willed himself to move towards that empty space, to fit his misty, immaterial form into it. With one more push, he broke through...something...and he was in! ...But then he started slipping "back?" What? Why couldn't he...it was like he couldn't grip it, but that didn't make any sense...
The Ectoslime cast Shield, and the image in his mind was like that of the bubble he had seen that seemed to contain the souls, or at least showed the maximum "capacity" for the spirit to fill the body. The aura around him glowed, the only source of color in this monochrome world...
Was that just his imagination, or did he not feel alone anymore?
He attempted to suffuse the body with his spiritual being, to become like blood beneath a delicate skin. To make this body his own.
The limbo world suddenly disappeared. Jason was inside the dead slime, and it felt...it felt...
Suffocating.
What was Transparency's description about again, the recoil caused by phasing into an object? Jason suddenly felt weight bearing down all around him, he felt heavy like lead, like his entire body--even though he didn't even have one yet--was numb and lifeless, paralyzed, out of breath...
Yet, there was...something else.
Jason knew what it felt like to be a Slime. He knew what it felt like to have no limbs or organs. To move a body made of amorphous jelly. To shape it. But now, despite the shield, he felt himself...leaking? He had tried to cement himself, to make himself the new core of this body, yet now his misty essence was trying to...spread out? Like water, trickling down into streams, splitting and forking into hundreds of droplets that criss-crossed each other...What was happening!?
His instincts told him to use Transparency again and get out of the body. Yet...what would the rest of him say?
After some time, while Jason was doing...whatever he was doing in there, Danny had recovered his MP. Peering into the hollow tree, he now activated Mana Vision I...
And for the first time, he witnessed Jason's spiritual form. It was...foggy. Like steam on the bathroom mirror. Barely recognizable. Even less clear than when he had used the Source Crystal Shard as an eyepiece. But because he had seen it through that before, he could recognize it. What was more, he could see the aura of the Shield spell around Jason in more detail...and the strange, sparkling veins spreading out from Jason into the black slime he had somehow gotten inside.
He turned back to the Tailed Frog as well, and analyzed it. Then, knowing that there were other tasks to attend to, he went back to try and harvest the parts of the insectoid. He managed to cut the sac with the flammable fluid away from the body, and then cut away the two sections of exoskeleton over it. The sac itself, then, seemed rather vulnerable compared to the rest of the creature's body. This became even more evident when, as he jammed the Sharp Stone Shard under the beetle's thorax shell, the brittle stone snapped in half. Now it was too small to get any use out of whatsoever. He would need to find another rock, a bigger or better one, or else figure out some other method of harvesting the rest of the beetle...
By now, some time had passed, and the morning was pressing on. Yet as Jason and Danny went about their tasks, they were suddenly interrupted...
Because the mountain exploded.Their first hint that something happened was a distant boom. It was like thunder but...not quite. More sudden. And where had those dark clouds come from so suddenly, to the northwest? Yet as they pondered this, a blue flash of light flew over the tree tops. It arced through the sky, a whirling crescent moon of crackling energy. It struck a mountain peak in the distance. The blast crumbled rock like powder, and the distant roar of an avalanche washed over them several seconds after they actually saw the chunks breaking away.
Obtained Items:
Flak Sac x1
Broken Flak Shell x1
Flak Shell x1
Orchid's Tribe
---Job System---
You have selected Voodooist as your Job class.
Voodooist - Primitives don't understand the subtle complexities of magic or have the sophisticated higher thought for religions and morality. They are, however, a superstitious lot. A Voodooist attempts to put curses on their enemies in the form of offensive magics; they aren't scholars by any means, but through their experiences they become somewhat learned about the arcane. Skills with * are boosted by the Job's focus, skills with - are instead hindered.
Skill Suitability:
*Use Light Equipment (--)
Pacify Animal I (1.2)
Stronger II (2.025)
*Crafting V MAX (5.0)
Material Analysis II (2.125)
Monster Analysis I (1.3)
-Smash I (1.6)
Charisma II (2.025)
Taboo 0 (0.3)
Faster I (1.0)
*Fireball I (1.2)
Warcry I (1.0)
Fire Resistance I (1.0)
-Defender I (1.0)
<UNUSABLE>
Muffle (0.9)
Deception (0.7)
Charm (0.3)
Alert (0.6)
*Stone Shot (0.4)
-Throw Item (0.4)
-Slash (0.8)
Pierce Resistance (0.7)
Blunt Resistance (0.3)
Slash Resistance (0.1)
*Blood Drain (0.4)
-Skewer (0.4)
Mental Resistance (0.4)
*Mana Orb (0.2)
*Focus (0.2)
*Magic Analysis (0.2)
Overwork (0.4)
Intercept (0.3)
Rabid Fit (0.5)
-First Aid (0.3)
*Intimidate (0.7)
-Counter (0.5)
-Shield Slam (0.6)
Poison Resistance (0.1)
Fire Resistance (0.8)
Dust Blow (0.1)
*Magic Resistance (0.3)
*Spell Chant (0.3)
Fire Fist (0.3)
Equipment Suitability:
*Hex Fur Shirt
*Raw Dire Rat Hide
Loincloth
-Sharp Stone Club
Vine Bracer
Torch
Bloody Garrote
Job Suggestions:
A magical focus, such as some sort of staff, wand, amulet, etc made of Mana conductive materials, can increase magical ability.
Magic that debuffs a target allows the Voodooist to defend themselves more effectively if they are forced into close range.
If armor is made from materials that are more conductive to offensive magics like fire, lightning, etc. it may impede the Voodooist's casting or make them vulnerable to other casters.
Despite doing little else after eating the previous night, the goblins had awakened hungry--especially those that were now evolved. They eagerly took Orchid's offers of the badger kebabs, and by the time the breakfast vittles had been spread out among everyone, there was little but scraps left of the Badger's meat. They still didn't seem to understand Orchid's way of thinking, but all they knew or cared about was: They were surviving. They were getting stronger. They were eating better. Even Crispy seemed to be regarding Orchid once again with less fear, and more of that strange thoughtful expression he sometimes had. His wounded arm was moving a little bit better now, but it was clear it still hurt--and some of the swelling had come back.
Orchid gave out the orders. Biggs, Clod, and Sqwal headed out to hunt--the Redcap and the other goblin had a very short argument, which ended with Clod leading the team first with his shield and stone sword--he could now wield the weapon one handed, which allowed him to return to the original sword and board style Orchid had trained him in. Biggs followed afterward with a sling, and Sqwal followed him ready to rush in and try to club whatever they found. Now that one of her Midbosses was now outranked by his evolved compatriate, Orchid might need to rethink her promotions.
Yoona, Tiddies, and Jezee went off to see what they could find in the way of materials. Meanwhile, Wej and Crispy hung back with Orchid to take stock of what materials they still had.
"Oi, Boss." Crispy said, as he massaged another healing herb paste into his arm. "If uh, if ya wanna do what ya said about makin' sure we gets good stuff, Crispy might has an ideer!" He glanced at her face, no doubt trying to read her expression. "Back at da cave, we had all da healin' herbs, but they harder to find out here. One time, tho, my muddah told me bout udda stuff dat makes ouchies go away!" He held up his hand and started counting off as he spoke. "We still gots just a few herbs, maybe like this many." Three fingers. "But dere's a flower, called uh...Bugwad, or sumtin. It stinks, so bugs and stuff don't go nears it. And anudda flower dat smells bad too, called Kilm. Den ders two diffent kinda mushrooms, I forgets dey names but I knows 'em if I sees 'em. If ya take dose blue berries we finds lots of round here, and all dem udda tings, and mixes 'em togedda, my muddah says makes good strong stuff for ouchies!" He nodded, proud of himself for remembering all of this information. "And, and uh, she also said, if ya can kill one o' dem beetles dat makes fire, you can squish its guts up, and dey good for ouchies too! I bet if ya mixed it all up it'd be even betta!"
As Orchid pondered this or gave her own reply, whatever she chose, eventually the gatherers were the first to return. On their way to this campsite, before they encountered the Armored Badger, the group had found a few things. Some of these had been used up by now. But now the gatherers brought a new bounty to add to this...not that it was very, well, bountiful. They could probably go looking again and find more, but at the moment they had filled their hands up and come back to dump it off. All in all, the goblins currently had this to work with: Two Antidote Ferns, two Curved Sticks, three Hard Stones, a Green Switch, a Pointy Stick, and two Thick Vines. There were also nineteen Blue Argeps gathered.
Now that the gatherers had brought resources, the Crafters took on their duties. Crispy was limited in how well he could work, given his arm, but given that Orchid had seen him craft better things than most of the others it looked like he wouldn't be too badly impacted--especially when he bullied Wej into doing certain parts of it for him. First, under Crispy's instruction--he seemed to have gotten some harebrained scheme--they stripped the Thick Vine down. When split in half, it was about the size of the vines Orchid had originally given them to make rope. So these again could be split in half to make the fibers. These fibers, a pair at a time, were wound into Fiber Cord. Crispy now managed to use his feet to hold the two cords, and his mouth and good hand to entwine the two. Thus, two Fiber Cords became an actual Fiber Rope, wound tight enough and thick enough that it actually looked solid and sturdy.
Using one of the Hard Stones against another to make a Sharp Stone, Crispy now set to whittling the two Carved Sticks. He made notches in their middles, and then began sharpening their ends until he had a point almost like that of a spear. He held these near the fire, even using some of his own, until the tips had been hardened. Then, fitting them together by the notches, he used the rope to tie them together. The end result was a swastika-shaped, wooden, pointy throwing star of some kind, which Crispy displayed proudly before he began practicing his toss at a pile of leaves he raked together.
Wej, now left to his own devices since Crispy didn't need him anymore, mimicked the older goblin's methods. He used the leftover Sharp Stone to split the second Thick Vine, and made a less appealing, but still functional, pair of Fiber Cords which were then wound into a Fiber Rope. Using this, the Pointy Stick, and the Sharp Stone, he soon had a brand new Stone Spear, and it didn't look too shabby...But then, as he watched Crispy throw his weapon, it seemed like the fat, thick headed goblin actually had an idea. He picked the Green Switch up and began to bend it, then let it go and watched how it sprang back. You could practically see the gears turning in his head as he launched a small pebble off the end of the switch, like a child catapulting green peas out of their spoon. Once, he caught his finger on a small outcrop at the end of the switch, and hissed in pain. But while licking his finger, he looked at the forked piece of wood...then looked at his spear.
With just a little work, tapping the Hard Stone against the end of the spear, he made a small groove. He fit the Green Switch's tiny, branching outcrop--probably an old bud for a new branch--into the groove. It took him a while to get the hang of only holding the Green Switch and not the spear...but then, sticking his tongue out of the corner of his mouth in concentration, Wej took aim and let fly.
The spear flew right past Crispy, nicking his ear. It pierced deep into the leaf pile, but Wej's cry of celebration was interrupted Crispy's foot in his mouth.
Before Orchid could break up the squabble, however, the hunters returned.
"Boss, look what we's got!" Clod said proudly, throwing the corpse of a Hex Cat off of his shoulder. The other goblins began to ooh and awe, and it looked like they were on the verge of starting their Kill Dance again--
Then the mountain exploded.Their first hint that something happened was a distant boom. It was like thunder but...not quite. More sudden. And where had those dark clouds come from so suddenly, to the northwest? Yet as they pondered this, a blue flash of light flew over the tree tops. It arced through the sky, a whirling crescent moon of crackling energy. It struck a mountain peak in the distance. The blast crumbled rock like powder, and the distant roar of an avalanche washed over them several seconds after they actually saw the chunks breaking away.
