Monster Party
You used [Analysis]!
---Adult Male Goblin---
Goblins stand between three and three-and-a-half feet tall on average, and they are much like human children. However, their natural cunning and viciousness is far more vile. They tend to form savage tribes with little in common save for the constant drive to survive. Magic does not usually come naturally to them, but they are capable of learning it despite having weak magic power overall. This goblin is not developing any magical skills that you can sense, but looks likely to have at least a couple of physical skills. He's wielding a Rusty Chipped Arming Sword that doesn't seem to be in great condition, and wearing Fur Clothing that might be a mix of Dire Rat fur and something else. He is also armored with a number of Vine Bracers made from tree bark. They're fairly thick but also kind of dry looking.
---Adult Female Goblin (Mahya)---
Goblins stand between three and three-and-a-half feet tall on average, and they are much like human children. However, their natural cunning and viciousness is far more vile. They tend to form savage tribes with little in common save for the constant drive to survive. Magic does not usually come naturally to them, but they are capable of learning it despite having weak magic power overall. You know this goblin as Mahya. She doesn't seem to have any magical skills you can detect. She's wearing a Bowl Bikini Top made from wood, a Grass Skirt, a few Bone Bracelets, and now a Roughspun Tunic. The items she crafted herself are of a decent quality for a goblin.
---Analysis Complete!---
While Digbie let his inner eighth-grader's imagination take over, Rags Nar and the other goblins looked confused by his laughter. When the Demigoblin's voice turned cold, Mahya winced and backed away while Rags Nar pursed his lips and raised both eyebrows.
"Um, dis was...Me not wanna off-fence Demigob! Promise!" Rags Nar held his hands up in supplication before pointing at Mahya. "Brought ya da best we got! Really!" When Digbie's sigils started to glow, the Elite Goblin's eyes bugged and he too stepped backward. The goblin with the sword gulped and looked between Digbie and his leader. But then Digbie began to laugh. Rags Nar looked around at his minions, then wiped sweat from his brow.
"O-oh, uh, sees now...Ya, Demi-Gob make good jokes..." he started to say as Digbie began to pace back and forth. The Demigoblin seemed to have eased up for now, even giving some of the clothing he had been given to Mahya...which caused Rags Nar and the sword-gob to look at each other in disbelief, then back at Digbie with suspicion. And when the demonic greenskin ordered them to release the Four Horned Goat, the Broken Tower's leader clapped his hands to the side of his head in shock.
"Ya mean, just
let da goat go!?" Rags Nar looked back at the animal, then gesticulated at it while talking to Digbie. "B-but Demigob! You can has da goat if ya wants it! Can eat it too, if ya really wanna! Lettin' it go don't make no sense!" He pantomimed being stabbed in the gut by something. "It prolly attack us soons as I cuts it loose! Maybe not even letcha get close! Kicks real hard!" The chieftain rubbed his head as he struggled to think about this. "Why da fugg ya wanna let da goat go?"
Mahya put on the roughspun shirt as Digbie had asked, and it was long enough to serve as a dress. Its hem fell to her knees, though the opening for the head was so broad it hung loosely at her shoulders in a strapless fashion. As he had requested, she brought the pants and cap to the Demigoblin. Her body language had become much more wary and subdued.
You used Monster Analysis II! You used Magic Analysis IV! You used Magic Analysis IV!
---Adult Male Goblin--
Goblins stand between three and three-and-a-half feet tall on average, and they are much like human children. However, their natural cunning and viciousness is far more vile, and they especially despise all non-goblinoid creatures. They tend to form savage tribes with little in common save for the constant drive to survive, and lack not only empathy, but the long-term planning skills to develop past this primitive state. They are capable of learning, however, but most will never use this in a constructive fashion. Magic does not usually come naturally to them, but they are capable of learning it despite having weak magic power overall. This goblin is not developing any magical skills that you can sense, but looks likely to have at least a couple of physical skills. A typical Goblin will be somewhat weak to Fire and Lightning, often fearing those elements for obvious reasons. Magic attacks in general are rather effective on them, as they often lack ranged weaponry or any defenses. They don't typically have resistances save what they have built up over time or gained through their equipment. This Goblin's wooden armor would make him even more vulnerable to flames.
---Analysis Complete!---
While Oberon observed carefully from a distance, his wings began to ever so slightly shimmer along their scales, like mirrors that had been turned to catch the sunlight. The goblins up at the top of the hill immediately took notice of this, pointing and saying something that wasn't clearly heard. Rags Nar glanced up at them, but had been too focused on his discussion with Digbie to pay attention to the Sprite as of yet. The goblin holding the sword, however, glared at the fairy and flexed his fingers on his weapon.
You used Magic Analysis III! You used Monster Analysis II! You used Mana Sense I!
---Adult Male Goblin---
Goblins stand between three and three-and-a-half feet tall on average, and they are much like human children. However, their natural cunning and viciousness is far more vile, and they especially despise all non-goblinoid creatures. They tend to form savage tribes with little in common save for the constant drive to survive, and lack not only empathy, but the long-term planning skills to develop past this primitive state. They are capable of learning, however, but most will never use this in a constructive fashion. Magic does not usually come naturally to them, but they are capable of learning it despite having weak magic power overall. This goblin seems to be developing at least one magical skill, but looks likely to have at least a couple of physical skills as well. You sense only a little more mana than usual from it, much less than your own.
---Adult Male Goblin---
Goblins stand between three and three-and-a-half feet tall on average, and they are much like human children. However, their natural cunning and viciousness is far more vile, and they especially despise all non-goblinoid creatures. They tend to form savage tribes with little in common save for the constant drive to survive, and lack not only empathy, but the long-term planning skills to develop past this primitive state. They are capable of learning, however, but most will never use this in a constructive fashion. Magic does not usually come naturally to them, but they are capable of learning it despite having weak magic power overall. This goblin doesn't seem to be developing any magical skills, but looks likely to have at least a couple of physical ones. You sense what is probably the normal amount of mana for a Goblin from it, much less than your own.
---Adult Female Goblin (Mahya)---
Goblins stand between three and three-and-a-half feet tall on average, and they are much like human children. However, their natural cunning and viciousness is far more vile, and they especially despise all non-goblinoid creatures. They tend to form savage tribes with little in common save for the constant drive to survive, and lack not only empathy, but the long-term planning skills to develop past this primitive state. They are capable of learning, however, but most will never use this in a constructive fashion. Magic does not usually come naturally to them, but they are capable of learning it despite having weak magic power overall. You know this goblin as Mahya. She doesn't seem to have any magical skills you can detect. You sense the normal amount of mana from her, much less than your own.
---Adult Male Goblin---
Goblins stand between three and three-and-a-half feet tall on average, and they are much like human children. However, their natural cunning and viciousness is far more vile, and they especially despise all non-goblinoid creatures. They tend to form savage tribes with little in common save for the constant drive to survive, and lack not only empathy, but the long-term planning skills to develop past this primitive state. They are capable of learning, however, but most will never use this in a constructive fashion. Magic does not usually come naturally to them, but they are capable of learning it despite having weak magic power overall. This goblin is not developing any magical skills that you can sense, but looks likely to have at least a couple of physical skills. You sense the normal amount of Mana from it, much less than your own. --You used Material Analysis II!-- He's wielding a Rusty Chipped Arming Sword (Very Poor), Fur Clothing (Bad), and Vine Bracers x4 (R-Leg, Average. L-Leg, Bad. R-Arm, Poor. L-Arm, Below Average).
---Elite Male Goblin (Rags Nar)---
This is an Elite Adult Goblin. You have learned his name is Rags Nar. Goblins stand between three and three-and-a-half feet tall on average, and while their physical strength isn't to be underestimated, they are much like human children. However, their natural cunning and viciousness is far more vile, and while they can use tools they have a limited intelligence. They tend to form savage tribes with little in common save for the constant drive to survive, and a lack of emotional control that causes them to do whatever they feel necessary to satisfy any primal craving they happen to feel at any given moment. They aren't typically capable of long-term planning and have difficulty with abstract concepts. They don't possess a great deal of magical power, but are sometimes capable of learning it.
However, an Adult Goblin typically grows towards the taller side of average. Under normal circumstances, a goblin will reach puberty between 3 to 4 weeks after birth, and will finish their maturation entirely within 3 months or so. The accumulation of power due to high levels of ambient magic or unusual experiences, however, may accelerate this growth. Goblins are one of a small number of monsters who can reproduce with multiple species without hybridization. A female goblin will always give birth to a goblin even if coupled with a male of another species, and a female of another species will almost always give birth to a goblin if coupled with a male goblin. However, some species may still pass traits on to goblin children. An example you would be familiar with: Rattleskull, as a Bugbear, had goblin children who will likely be more predisposed to developing greater physical strength and endurance, and may grow more body hair.
An Elite Goblin is a fully mature Goblin that has overcome the challenges of survival, or lived long enough, and developed into an outstanding example of the species. Their bodies will be further developed, though no pure Goblin four feet tall or taller has ever been observed. Their experiences have often granted them greater intelligence than their brethren, so their plans are much more complex and they are always high in the tribe's command structure.
Rags Nar has a higher than usual MP pool for a Goblin, but as far as you can tell he has no Magical properties. He is wearing a Broken Haubergeon (Below Average), Filthy Underwear (Bad), Vine Greaves (Good), Treebark Bracers (Good) x2, Scrap Leather Boot (Below Average), Iron Dagger (Well-Made), and a Wooden Pot Lid (Above Average).
---Analysis Complete!---
Skill Rank Up: Mana Sense I > Mana Sense II (1.8 > 2.05)!
The sensations you get become much less vague. You can now detect the Element and Intent of a magical object or spell, for instance an Offensive Fire spell.
You used Monster Analysis I! You used Magic Analysis II! You used Material Analysis I!
---Adult Male Goblin---
Goblins stand between three and three-and-a-half feet tall on average, and they are much like human children. However, their natural cunning and viciousness is far more vile. They tend to form savage tribes with little in common save for the constant drive to survive. Magic does not usually come naturally to them, but they are capable of learning it. This goblin seems to be developing at least one magical skill. He's wearing Hide Armor and Fur Clothing made of a mix of Dire Rat pelts and perhaps a few other creatures. He doesn't seem to be holding any weapons or wearing them out in the open.
---Adult Male Goblin---
Goblins stand between three and three-and-a-half feet tall on average, and they are much like human children. However, their natural cunning and viciousness is far more vile. They tend to form savage tribes with little in common save for the constant drive to survive. Magic does not usually come naturally to them, but they are capable of learning it. This goblin doesn't seem to be developing any magical skills, but looks likely to have at least a couple of physical ones. You sense what is probably the normal amount of mana for a Goblin from it, much less than your own. He's wearing a Cast Iron Skillet and a few Vine Bracers made from tree-bark. His weapon appears to be a large branch worn down into a Heavy Wooden Club.
---Adult Female Goblin (Mahya)---
Goblins stand between three and three-and-a-half feet tall on average, and they are much like human children. However, their natural cunning and viciousness is far more vile. They tend to form savage tribes with little in common save for the constant drive to survive. Magic does not usually come naturally to them, but they are capable of learning it. You know this goblin as Mahya. She doesn't seem to have any magical skills you can detect. She's wearing a Bowl Bikini Top made from wood, a Grass Skirt, a few Bone Bracelets, and now a Roughspun Tunic. The items she crafted herself are of a decent quality for a goblin.
---Adult Male Goblin---
Goblins stand between three and three-and-a-half feet tall on average, and they are much like human children. However, their natural cunning and viciousness is far more vile. They tend to form savage tribes with little in common save for the constant drive to survive. Magic does not usually come naturally to them, but they are capable of learning it. This goblin is not developing any magical skills that you can sense, but looks likely to have at least a couple of physical skills. He's wielding a Rusty Chipped Arming Sword, Fur Clothing that looks to made from Dire Rats and perhaps something else, and Vine Bracers made from tree-bark.
---Elite Male Goblin (Rags Nar)---
This is an Elite Adult Goblin. You have learned his name is Rags Nar. Goblins stand between three and three-and-a-half feet tall on average, and while their physical strength isn't to be underestimated, they are much like human children. However, their natural cunning and viciousness is far more vile, and while they can use tools they have a limited intelligence. They tend to form savage tribes with little in common save for the constant drive to survive. They don't possess a great deal of magical power, but are sometimes capable of learning it.
An Elite Goblin is a fully mature Goblin that has overcome the challenges of survival, or lived long enough, and developed into an outstanding example of the species. Their bodies will be further developed, and their experiences have often granted them greater intelligence.
Rags Nar has a higher than usual MP pool for a Goblin, but as far as you can tell he has no Magical properties. He is wearing a Broken Haubergeon, Filthy Underwear, Vine Bracers, Scrap Leather Boot, Iron Dagger, and a Wooden Pot Lid.
---Adult Four Horned Goat---
A goat with, well, four horns. Magical mutations have made this herbivore's temper extremely volatile, however, and given it the nasty benefit of a natural poison in those horns. Every so often a normal goat will give birth to this creature, but most shepherds would rather slaughter them or toss them into the wilds than try to tame them. It has much lower MP than you do. As far as you can tell it has no magical properties. Its fur is quite thick and its hide can be tanned into good quality leather. Its bones and hooves are especially sturdy. Its horns are fairly hard, but hollow, and of course poisonous. It is stronger and more durable than you are, and slightly faster.
---Analysis Complete!---
Skill Rank Up: Material Analysis I > Material Analysis II (1.475 > 2.175)!
Obtain more detailed information about the qualities and traits of Materials. If you know of a currency value, you can make a rough estimate of an object's worth. The more detailed your knowledge of the local economy, the more accurate the assessment.
The rest of Digbie's party remained passive, though one slowly prepared to attempt a tunnelling ambush if necessary. The negotiations didn't seem to have broken down yet, but Oberon's glowing wings were putting the goblins on guard. In response to Digbie's bravado, however, it seemed all they could muster was confusion. Was there a point to the Demi-goblin's strange demands? Or had he just thrown it out there without considering the goblins' normal lack of foresight?
PixieSlime Party
Inventory:
Healing Herb x2 (Quality ???)
Source Crystal Shard x1
Jawbone Club x1 (Quality ???)
Total: 4/10 Item Slots
"An interesting mindset for a Monster." Zieglar replied as Asura spoke on his philosophy of battle. "But if that's how you've survived thus far, how did you end up as an Amorphous Slime? Their slippery bodies are built for evading or hiding from battle, rather than taking blows and returning counters. If you had adapted otherwise, you probably should have become a Giant Slime...or, given the nature of the cave, maybe a Block or Ore Slime." The knight hummed inside his helmet. "Maybe even the rare Metallic Slime. How did you Transform?"
Later on, when the red slime asked how to fight spirits without magic, Zieglar nodded his head.
"It depends on the strength of the spirit and how they attack you. You see, Undead Spirits cannot maintain their existence for very long. The mortal World wasn't made for them, and rejects their presence. It's why not every single creature who dies actually becomes an undead." He gestured to the corpse of Bear-Ate behind them. "Whatever its type, a ghost requires energy to persist. The most abundant form of that energy is Mana, especially the neutral Energy element--as you might guess from the name, haha. So most ghosts attempt to drain the mana of living beings...along with the rest of their life force." His tone darkened. "However, this actually makes them vulnerable. If a spirit tries to consume your soul, they have to interact with your own spiritual presence. The stronger your will and the greater your knowledge of magic or spiritual factors, the harder you can fight back against them--possibly even turning their attempt back on them."
"You would be vulnerable to any other attacker in the physical realm, though." Trent added. "Unless you were especially strong or had a few particular types of abilities, you would be paralyzed while fighting off the spirits. In some cases it can be considered a status effect that we call "Haunted." So in an Undead Dungeon like this where we will likely be outnumbered, it's quite dangerous."
"Actually, I don't think you have that much to fear from Spirits yet." Zieglar continued. "This Dungeon is still new. And the creatures it has to draw from...I imagine only Goblins, or perhaps the smarter Pixies and Wisps, would have either the presence of mind or the sheer magical resources to maintain a spirit form. And I imagine the Core simply draws the spirits back to itself, to either convert them to fuel or plant them in a new body. If, on the off chance...you
do encounter a particularly strong spirit..." He looked Asura and Ardur over, one gloved finger tapping the chin strap of his helmet. "Remember this: if it can affect physical objects, it can
be affected by physical objects. True, the damage won't be so severe...but if you were a creature made up of barely-held-together mist and memories, a strong enough sword swing would pretty much disperse you even if only by the air it displaced, now wouldn't it?"
"You can also win by attrition rather easily." Trent piped up. "Remember how Master said spirits depend on Mana? So if they cast spells at you, and you can dodge or withstand them, it's like they're whittling down their own lifespan. But because spirits are usually driven by powerful emotions, they don't often think that kind of thing through. You might be able to let them burn themselves out instead of fighting them at all."
Asura's second question wanted to know how or where to gather Healing Herbs. With no crystals or herbs left in the cave, it seemed like they would be going into the dungeon with very few resources.
"There are a few places in this forest where Healing Herbs might grow, but we don't have a lot of light left to gather them by." Zieglar answered, looking up at the sun. The day was getting long in the tooth. "You might try gathering a few more common plants used in medicinal alchemy, like Kilm Blossoms or Cushiwog Mushrooms, but otherwise I'm afraid you're out of luck there."
"I have three healing potions and two for restoring mana." Trent offered--only to gulp when Zieglar turned to him a bit more swiftly than usual. The boy looked away and rubbed one of his shoulders. "Ah, but uh, they're kind of expensive. A-and depending on your own strength, they might actually make you sick. Monsters usually don't take the same dosages a human would."
While they discussed this, Ardur took a moment to himself and offered his prayers to the Divine Spirit of the Sun. Now that he had a name to put to the Figure he had seen in his visions, he felt that perhaps Galatine would hear him directly...Sitting there in the clearing, still and quiet save for the soft whisper of his prayer, he could feel the sun's warmth on his skin cloaking him like a mantle. He contemplated the dangers of the dungeon they were about to go into, and perhaps he would remember his own anger directed towards the undead whom he viewed as abominations to the very concept of life. Could he use Lesser Cleanse to purify the remains of those creatures, and return their spirits to the proper cycle? After finishing his prayer, he pondered these things while returning to the group and healing Asura...
A Quest is yours to receive: Fashion a Purified Item- An item can be purified by mundane washing with the proper materials, and by magic.
- Purified items might gain different effects, like holy water or a blessed weapon.
- Keeping a purified item close at hand will certainly prove beneficial.
Do you wish to receive this Quest? Y/N
Ardur spoke up once it was decided that Trent would direct the party on their quest to destroy the Dungeon Core. As he rambled on about the group's abilities, the squire and knight looked at each other again. It was clear by this point that the two seemed to have the kind of bond where communication didn't always require words...although in this world, there was the distinct possibility that such a thing could be more literal than figurative.
"Tanks and crowd control, eh?" Zieglar muttered, as if to himself. Then he looked at the Hipixie to answer Ardur's question about Goblins.
"A Goblin doesn't evolve into a Bugbear or a Hobgoblin. It Transforms into one. Evolution and Transformation are closely related, but they're not the same. But, to answer the spirit of your question..." The knight looked up at the sun again, either gauging the time or just considering Ardur's prompt. "I suppose it greatly depends. Goblins have a few special traits, one of them being their inheritance. If a Goblin had a Bugbear parent, for instance, they might be born bigger and stronger. If a Goblin was especially crafty or talented, they might gain power at a faster rate. Under what I would call the most
natural circumstances, I would think a Goblin would be born, reach physical maturity between three weeks to a month later, be considered a real adult between three to six months later, and perhaps undergo a true Transformation within a year or less." He raised a single finger. "But, a Goblin that had the talent or good luck to gain a great deal of experience could Transform even before reaching true adulthood, accelerating its growth at the cost of diminishing some of its abilities. Monsters, however, don't decide what they're going to become willy-nilly the way a Human can choose to develop at any Job he likes." A second finger joined Zieglar's first. "To become a Bugbear, a Goblin would have to be very physically robust. It's not uncommon, given how dumb and brutish they are to begin with, but they're not always built for it depending on what food is available to them, what kind of labor they do, how they fight, and so on. Transforming into a Hobgoblin is more likely, though they are typically a bit more developed mentally than the average Goblin before they change." Zeiglar put his hand down and did some thinking, tilting his head back and forth as if to stretch his neck.
"I would guess that, after becoming an Adult, a Goblin might continue to develop for another six months to a year before it Transformed again. It would be most likely to become an Elite Goblin, but maybe if only its physical strength matched up to that standard it could become a Bugbear. Or a Hobgoblin if it was a quick learner."
"I think it would be more likely to become a different species after becoming an Elite, rather than before." Trent said. "Some of the Tamers at the Guild told me that's the peak of Goblin growth for the vast majority of them. If they can't become an Alpha or a special Variant, they would likely end up as an Elder Goblin. Rather than let old age take them, I think lots of Goblins would try to leave or find some other way to overcome an Alpha they disliked, and that might trigger a Transformation into something further removed from a Goblin."
"Either way," Zieglar shrugged. "Between two and three years, then. That's what I'd think to be the
natural state of it." The knight looked back at Ardur and Asura. "But given all of the odd circumstances you two have been talking about? I honestly haven't the foggiest. If any Goblins in that cave are like you, they might turn into a Bugbear far sooner just by doing something ridiculous. Like a hundred pushups, situps, and squats followed by running around the cave every day." He chuckled to himself...then seemed to consider the implications of body-building Goblins and cleared his throat.
Walking as they talked, the group soon made their way back to the cave. The sun hadn't gone down yet, but it had just begun to dip and dye the clouds with hues of subdued yellows and bright orange. This cast a warm and pleasant light through the trees as they entered the clearing around the Dungeon's entrance--but no matter how pleasant the light, the scene before them could not be made less forboding.
Whatever barrier Trent had made the previous night had been stripped down. All that remained were the dead leaves and broken splinters of the various boughs he had draped over it--and the actual fortifications were nowhere to be seen, as if they had been hauled off rather than simply trampled. Several other trees, the closest ones to the entrance, had been mauled by something at their trunks. Their lower limbs had been broken off, but oddly enough there were very few leaves left on the ground. And, near small game trails or breaks in the treeline, there were several patches of disturbed earth. Blood or bits of fur could be seen amongst brambles and bushes.
Leading away from the clearing, through the entrance of the dungeon and into the cavern, were at least three blood trails.
Thick blood trails, still sticky and wet. Something had come out of the Dungeon...killed something else...and brought it all back home with them.
"Ah, splendid, worse off than we left it by far." Zieglar said with a lackadasical wave of his gauntlet. His tone sobered as he flipped up his visor and looked at Trent. His hand was heavy on the boy's shoulder. "Listen to me, boy." Trent clenched his jaw and nodded, trying to look his master in the eye. "You are afraid, because you are not stupid. But you must not
act afraid, because nothing in there will be afraid of
you. Stay focused--the moment you relax your guard, the moment everything is going well, that will be the moment you are vulnerable." Trent's hands moved on reflex, checking his sword belt and pulling his gloves tighter around his hands. His teacher continued. "Keep your expectations low. Prepare for an opponent that has taken every advantage over you and dare not hope for what you cannot be guaranteed. Victory does not come from superiority in strength or numbers. Determination, discipline, wisdom, cunning, and courage--these things do not grant triumph, but all who are triumphant have them." Zieglar relased his disciple, and raised a fist as if he were trying to grasp the sun. "Galatine's protection over you, boy."
Trent took a deep breath, set his mouth in a grim line, and drew his sword. Taking his shield in the other hand, he turned to the party of unusual monsters and spoke. His voice was strong, if not so deep.
"Asura, you and I shall take the front. If you will stay a step or two in front of me, you can shield from below. My shield will be above you, and everyone behind us should have cover." A vertical shield wall, instead of a horizontal one. This would allow them to travel single file, given that for a Human the cave's interior tunnels would be much narrower. "Ardur, if your spider-friend stays on the ground immediately behind me, you should have enough room to hover overhead. Please be careful when launching magic over my shoulders." He gulped. "If, if you run out of magic power...the spider can c-cr-crawl up my b-back in order to lob her webbing instead. And finally, if the uh...Miss...Mother...Slime? If she will cover our rear, we should be okay even if the enemy flanks us."
The darkness within the dungeon beckoned...
Rat Party
At the same moment the Kobold was casting that first spell, Asteria immediately began analyzing its magic.
---Frostbite---
A spell that requires channeling from a point of contact. Heat is rapidly siphoned away from an area, causing ice to form if any moisture is present and frosting over the surface. A living creature takes elemental damage and may also be afflicted with a slowing effect, while terrain may become hard and slippery or wet and sticky, depending.
Ed began sneaking his way out of the entrance and into the tall grass along the ditch. He was targeting the one that smelled like something noxious, yet somewhat familiar--and once he caught sight of the Kobold's reptilian face, he knew what it had to be. The poison, like what the Fanged Lizards back in the cave had! He launched himself at the Kobold from behind, where there was no frost on the ground to impede him, and his eyes were already bloodshot with rage...
The tall young man had pushed the big goblinoid back down into the ditch, but hesitated to wade into the grass after the monster. He flourished his blade, but it wasn't a move for mere showmanship--the flashing steel actually knocked aside that arrow the rats had previously heard being drawn back. Rather than saying the youth had sliced it out of the air, it was more like he had just gotten his blade somewhere, somehow, in the way--that was the point of those flashy figure-eight movements, after all, because keeping anything at all in front of you was better than just presenting your body as a target.
Asteria had to take a moment to convince Mother Rat to follow her, but now she too snuck out of the entrance of the barrow. Unlike Ed, she went around the side of the structure, seeking to come upon that archer while he was still unaware...
"TWO OTHER ASSHOLES--"
Ed's first fury-fueled strike hit the Kobold right on the back of its head before it could even turn around, and the creature let out a scream as it stumbled forward.
"NEAR THE OPPOSITE DITCH!" The Ratman kept swinging, clubbing the reptile along its back and shoulders. "KILL 'EM!"
The man with the spear, and the cart driver, looked towards Ed more out of concern for the noise rather than any real response to his words. But even without fully processing the warning, turning their attention like that revealed the other two bandits in hiding--who had now broken into an outright run, weapons at the ready.
"--Fireball!" The magic user standing in the back of the cart had finished his incantation sometime before Ed's attack and now launched the actual spell, a blazing orb that struck the ground right in front of the Kobold--and Ed. Its bright flash and the roaring heat of the flames disoriented the Rat Man, but as he stumbled back his target screamed and writhed in its burning robes. The frost on the ground, too, was rapidly melting.
The goblin in the ditch came up again, and the tall boy had taken note of all the shouting but hadn't turned his head. He knew what his role was, to protect this side of the cart, and was leaving the rest to his allies. This time the creature tried to push the human's arms aside with its shield, in order to strike afterwards with its bone weapon. But the teenager stepped back to put some distance between them, putting his own back to the cart to better let him absorb the clash of bone against steel. The jawbone blade cracked, but his sword still gleamed. He levered it, forcing the goblinoid's weapon down towards the ground, then with a flick of his wrists sent his blade up the creature's arm like a runway. Its body was too off center to use its other arm and cover with the shield. A green ear went flying and the monster screamed bloody murder.
By this time the archer would have sent another arrow into the melee, perhaps two--if it had not been tackled from behind by two angry Dire Rats. As Asteria Smashed into its back with a full body tackle, Mother Rat leaped at the back of its legs and immediately began thrashing with her fangs. The figure fell forward, and as the rodent matriarch continued to savage it she ripped part of its cloak off, revealing it to be another goblinoid just like the one attacking the swordsman. These things weren't Bugbears like Rattleskull, but they had to be some Transformation of the normal greenskins. Why were they working with a Kobold and two humans?
Despite dropping its bow, the creature still had an arrow in hand, and with this he snarled and lashed out. Mother Rat squealed as the arrowhead pierced one of her shoulders, but it didn't go deep enough to stick the barbs--still, given the size difference it was a dangerous blow. As she limped backward, the goblin-thing turned on Asteria with blazing eyes and tried to grab her with one hand while stabbing viciously with the other...
The tanned man with the spear leaped forward to meet the two human bandits. The short fat one was, of course, lagging behind the other. But the other human bandit was the one with the helmet and metal shield. This shield turned aside a powerful thrust, but the caravan guardian got the shaft of his weapon up in time to ward off a stroke from the highwayman's sword. He let himself be driven back--after all, it only put him closer to his charges anyway--and once he had more distance tried to go over the rim of the shield. The bandit still managed to ward off the blow, but only barely, and had to take a step back to do so.
"O Mana, gather unto my hand..." This next incantation was much faster, more practiced, and the mage held up his palm as a crackling sphere of power formed in front of his fingers. "Mana Orb!" Just seconds after losing its ear, the big gob skirmisher ate a magical blast to the chest. It coughed and was driven backwards as if by a hard punch, the front of its roughspun clothes smoking. It tried to recenter itself, getting its shield in front of its body--
Only for the swordsman's murderstroke to come over the top, an easy task given his greater height and longer reach. The blade's crossguard broke the monster's skull like a pickaxe breaks rock, and dropped it to the earth with a short spray of blood.
Ghost Party
Mana Density returned to normal levels.
Temporary Extra MP has been used.
A Quest is yours to receive: Delve into the Earth- There are Mountains to the West, it wouldn't be unusual to find caves or tunnels there.
- Wherever an entrance may be found, the hidden depths of the earth can hide an abundance. Materials, valuables, ancient history, and who can say what else...?
- There may, however, be risks in the darkness...
Do you wish to receive this Quest? Y/N
Jason's MP depleted as he used his Ghost Touch spell to shift the earth and bury the remains of the Goblin. As he prayed over it, he could almost hear that iron bell in his mind...How could he make sure Onogoro heard his prayers? How could he make contact with the being, find out what it wanted, how to be granted its blessing? All he could really remember from that dream was the endless darkness of the earth, that feeling of sinking down, down, down...He had intentionally sought out the Figure, but the moment it answered him he had risen back up. However, the thought of being under the earth again, of being surrounded on all sides by solid rock and weighed down by the pressure of the ground above, wasn't exactly pleasant. If he buried himself, as an Undead, would he accomplish the same thing he was doing now with this Goblin corpse?
After his prayers, he communicated with Danny telepathically. Between that skill and the offer of Mana from Guidance, his extra magical power got used up. The drain on his spirit form had become less intense in the darkness, though...and it seemed like that wispy spiritual outline he saw overlaying his vision had become stronger now that so little light filtered down from the sky.
Danny's Analysis had shown him that it was indeed Jason rising out of the earth, with the same results as the last time he had scanned the slime-shaped spirit. His Mana Vision now saw the Ectoslime in much sharper detail against the growing darkness, and when Jason used Ghost Touch to shift the dirt the Poltergeist got an inkling of how that skill worked as well.
Skill Rank Up: Monster Analysis II > Monster Analysis III (2.975 > 3.0)!
Gain more information about a creature or other items directly related to a creature. You may now gain comparison information about the creature's physical capabilities contrasted with your own.
Skill Rank Up: Magic Analysis I > Magic Analysis II (1.95 > 2.0)!
Gain more detail about Magic oriented Skills and Spells. Lose less effectiveness when analyzing Monsters, Materials, etc so long as they are magically inclined.
LEVEL UP! Your combined experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 8! You gain Skill Points to distribute as you please!
Unspent Skill Points: 5
Current Skills:
Mana Orb II (2.675)
Lesser Force III (3.075)
Levitation (--)
Monster Analysis III (3.0)
Meditate I (1.65)
Mana Shape I (1.6)
Aqua Sphere I (1.35)
Magic Analysis II (2.0)
Mana Dart I (1.1)
Blunt Resistance I (1.1)
Focus I (1.05)
Faster I (1.2)
Plant Analysis I (1.2)
Mana Vision I (1.4)
Point Strike I (1.2)
Muffle I (1.05)
Crafting I (1.45)
Spiritual Awareness I (1.1)
Fireball I (1.05)
<UNUSABLE>
Mana Strike (0.9)
Mana Shell (0.1)
Suppress Presence (0.9)
Spell Cancel (0.2)
Aqua Stream (0.2)
Magic Dash (0.2)
Spell Chant (0.8)
Material Analysis (0.9)
Mana Drain (0.1)
Alert (0.3)
Fire Resistance (0.2)
Charisma (0.2)
Stronger (0.7)
Dextrous (0.4)
Dash Attack (0.1)
Skewer (0.1)
Tremor Sense (0.3)
Keen Sight (0.1)
Smash (0.6)
Wall (0.1)
Defender (0.1)
Use Light Equipment (0.2)
Dual Cast (0.05)
Double Skill (0.05)
Alchemy (0.1)
Mana Control (0.1)
Flame Burst (0.2)
Iron Gullet (0.1)
Pierce Resistance (0.3)
Once the duo started moving, they practically broke into a run. Since they could both float above the surface of the ground, however, they didn't make quite as much noise as they usually would. Jason's spirit form was little more than a cold wind moving through the branches, and Danny was small enough to get around most of the underbrush without trouble. Heading east, they didn't encounter any other monsters for some time, though at one point they could see a distant light just a little bit further to the north that might have been a bonfire of some sort...maybe it was those Goblins led by that female reincarnator? Nonetheless, they ignored it and kept going East. Maybe they could head that tribe off and figure out what it was they were after before they even got there...
Eventually they broke through into a large area of cleared land. Someone had intentionally cleared more of the trees and worked the earth to create a small meadow. It was shaped like an uneven circle, and at the center roughly fifty to a hundred yards from any outer edge a structure had been built. Enclosed by a low, square wall of earthy brick sat a house, with a shed off to one side, a well near the corner of the yard, and a small fenced off area in the back. The "courtyard" in front of the house had been divided into several small fields. As a matter of fact, the entire area had a somewhat grid-like pattern to it. Parts of the fields had been just recently ploughed, with small mounds where something had been planted. The result made the area seem like a patchwork quilt of different squares. A few of the fields do seem to be growing something--green shoots quite like the wild, onion-like plants they had already seen; something very similar to clover; patches of small, round and purple flowers.
Of course, now that night had deeply fallen, everything was covered in midnight blue hues and white, misty starlight. But from the farmhouse, a handful of lights could be seen shining through windows...
Deep Forest
When Nira tried to create a sphere of magical energy, her Meditation was interrupted. She couldn't regain her Mana while also trying to manipulate other spells, at least not with the skill at this Rank. However, as she felt the flow of magic within her body and tried to pull it out, a soft white glow began to issue from her palm. Using the memory of Femus's spell as a base, she focused on the light until it grew brighter and more substantial. It seemed to lift from her hand of its own accord, and like a liquid spilled in zero-gravity, it took a perfectly spherical form...but it was very small, and didn't crackle as much. Alternating between practicing this and meditating to restore her MP, she soon increased the size of the orb and the amount of power she could put into it, but every time she attempted to launch it or throw it the spell simply fizzled out.
As night drew onward, she eventually found a place to settle for the night and drifted off...
Meanwhile, Femus's experimentation took a more...artistic turn. Using the various bits of plant matter he had gathered to fashion tiny arrangements, he made small holes in the leaves. He had some idea in his head that, by crafting a fascimile of nature and drawing out a pathway of some sort, that he could cause mana to gather into this object. Whether or not that were true would be the point of this experiment. He tried to extend his mana into the plant sculpture, and as he did so...
The soft white glow did seem to seep into the plant, but as the Mana crackled the leaves began to blacken and wither. The first bud even began to smoke somewhat, though it smelled more like ozone than ash. He had only been able to make five of these from the materials he had gathered, and now he was down to four. He wanted elemental mana, he wanted the energy of nature itself to infuse these plants. He tried to visualize the leaves taking in carbon dioxide and filtering out oxygen. The next bud didn't do anything different, save that it took it longer for the mana to diffuse and burn it up. He tried to focus on the bark, on the xylem and phloem within that transported water and nutrients just like the bloodstream of a human. This time, the Mana seemed to not burn the bud for much longer...until he tried to do anything else with it. If he tried to circulate it, the plant would burn. So, down to his last bud, Femus made his last attempt of the night. He allowed his mana to flow into the artificial seedling, seeking to transform its properties into that of nature's own...
And nothing. The bud just sat there, softly glowing. It got dimmer over time, like a candle burning out. It didn't blacken, but it did wither after several minutes.
You used Magic Analysis I!
---???---
1st Attempt - You are charging this object with your mana, overloading it.
2nd Attempt - You are carefully charging this object with your mana. It is overloaded.
3rd Attempt - You are circulating your mana through this object. Nothing is happening as a result of this action.
4th Attempt - You are circulating your mana through this object carefully. Nothing is happening. Your mana disperses over time.
5th Attempt - You are circulating your Mana through this object carefully. Your mana is settling within the object. This object is now charged with your mana.
---Analysis Complete---
You are experiencing a Fast Rate of Skill Progression.
Skill Gain: Mana Control I (0.9 > 1.0)!
Your precise control over the flow of your own Mana has increased. You cannot change the base nature of a Spell Skill unless you have another Magic Alteration type Skill. However, Spell Interference from enemies is lessened, and your ability to maintain a spell or use it in an unorthodox fashion is less likely to fail. Learning a new Spell based on an already known one is less difficult.
LEVEL UP! Your learning experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 6! You gain Skill Points to distribute as you please! YOUR BODY CANNOT HOLD OFF THE CHANGES FOR TOO MUCH LONGER...
Unspent Skill Points: 10
Current Skills:
Monster Analysis I (1.35)
Mana Orb II (2.4)
Lesser Force I (1.4)
Levitation (--)
Meditate I (1.7)
Magic Analysis I (1.95)
Shock Round I (1.0)
Mana Shape I (1.0)
Shield I (1.0)
Mana Control I (1.0)
<UNUSABLE>
Suppress Presence (0.7)
Alert (0.9)
Faster (0.3)
Harder (0.1)
Soil Manipulation(0.1)
Muffle (0.3)
Stealth Kill (0.1)
Charisma (0.3)
Mana Drain (0.5)
Iron Gullet (0.1)
Mana Sense (0.5)
Keen Smell (0.1)
Mana Dart (0.1)
Mana Burst (0.1)
Fireball (0.1)
Plant Analysis (0.4)
Crafting (0.5)
Keen Sight (0.1)
Wisp Flash (0.1)
Focus (0.3)
Spell Chant (0.3)
Growth (0.5)
As the Wisp and the Pixie settled in the boughs of the tree, night fell upon the clearing deep in the forest...
((You now enter Day 6 along with Monster Party and Rat Party))If the first rays of the morning sun dappling through the leaves hadn't already awakened them, the raucous of marauding Goblins certainly would. It looked like the entire tribe of greenskins had gathered a ways away from their ramshackle nests, within sight of the old tree Femus and Nira currently sat in and also some distance from that extremely large tree. The Goblins weren't just amassed to watch their leader and his subordinates duke it out again, either. This time they had been herded into something that at least resembled a proper formation, with all of the males at the front. There were some females, too, but the largest portion of she-gobs and younglings, along with all of the elders of both genders, had been pushed more towards the back. The Hobgoblin with the spear walked along the ranks from the front, looking over various specimens. The Redcap, and the other three captains--one of whom Nira would recognize as that swords-goblin she had seen yesterday--stood somewhat apart from the ranks.
"I picks...youse! And...bof'a youse! And youse too!" The boss was picking out different goblins, but it didn't seem like he was doing it at random. He held his lance tightly in one hand, but also had what looked like a pouch hanging at his side full of small rocks. One of the goblins he had picked was short but stocky, holding a gnarled stick with a rock tied to its end to make it even smashy-er. Another had a pair of stone knives that had jagged, but clearly sharp edges. Another seemed to have fashioned some kind of flail out of a piece of vine and a bigger, rougher rock. And so on and so forth. Crushing, stabbing, slicing, throwing, just about every primitive type of weapon one could imagine a creature with the culture of a caveman and the prowess of a small child would use to kill their enemies was present. After he had picked out his own team, a total of 8 fighters counting himself, the Hobgoblin began doling out the others to his "lieutenant" and "sergeants." He didn't call them that of course but by now it seemed clear that they served in a very similar capacity. If Nira and Femus looked closer and paid more attention, they might be able to tell just what kind of strategy each group planned to use based on its makeup of combatants...
But, what in the world were these 40-odd goblins gearing up for? Who or what were they about to fight? And what did this mean for this up-til-now peaceful forest glade?
Farmstead
"I...I guess you're good? Better than other goblins, anyway." Reuben said. He looked away from the whimpering greenskin, rubbing the back of his head. He looked perplexed as well. "Maybe...if you're tellin' the truth and all, then you wouldn't really be a goblin, would you?" Suddenly intrigued by his own thought, Reuben rubbed his chin. "It's more like...more like you're one'a them kiddy stories! Like you was Cursed to look like a goblin, even though you're not! That way you can be good, since Goblins is all s'posed to be bad!" Thinking about it from this perspective seemed to have solved some of Reuben's crisis. He didn't seem as uneasy around Miiba anymore. "Maybe we can find a way to break the curse, so you ain't gotta be a goblin no more!"
The boy turned on all fours and started to shuffle out from under the other side of the table. He motioned for Miiba to follow. Mirabelle had finished writing the letter as Lear dictated, and Geir was in the process of tying the tiny scroll to the Guild Hawk's leg over near the window. The mage woman was putting her parchment and quill back into a knapsack, and the farmer had gotten up to go out, seemingly for firewood.
"Miss Mira, Miss Mira!" Reuben said, grabbing two fistfulls of the girl's dress. The magic user made a light squeak, looking down sharply at Reuben with a reddening face before pointedly taking his hands away and crouching a bit to face him. "I think we figured it out! Miiba might be Cursed, like in the fairytales! Maybe if we break the curse she won't be a Goblin no more!"
"What?" Mirabelle looked at Miiba with genuine curiosity. "What's this about a curse?"
Meanwhile, when Scott approached Gwen, he found himself in a bit of an awkward situation...as she was in the middle of, aherm, feeding the infant. Directly. She looked down at him with wide eyes, but didn't seem offended--after all, he wasn't a man, but a Pixie.
"Ah...yes? Mr. Pixie? How can I, um...help you?" She looked towards Geir, then towards Mirabelle, and seeing them both occupied grew a little more nervous. But, she set her jawline and adjusted the baby's weight against her hip, subtly turning her body sideways so that her arm was between the monster and her child.
