Monster Party
You used [Analysis]!
---Adult Male Orc Grunt: Guze [???]---
Considered by some to be the pinnacle of Goblinoid transformation, the Orcs stand apart as their own Feral Race. Like the Enlightened Races, they are capable of forming proper cultures, making technological or magical advancements, and continue to accumulate their own history. Physically, many Orcs are on par with Humans while some may surpass the Enlightened Races in particular areas--usually raw strength or stamina. Their numbers often grow rapidly in times of peace, thus many rivals seek to keep them suppressed.
An Orc Grunt stands right around 5 feet tall on average, but the density of their muscle mass usually puts their weight between 130-150 pounds. Their abilities can usually be considered "average" for the various Orc subtypes. Guze's physical stats are roughly quadruple your own, without taking into account equipment.
Guze seems to possess several combat skills, and is good with archery and hand to hand combat as you have seen firsthand. His Job is unclear, but likely to be some sort of scout or hunter. His MP is about half of your own. You can detect just a few magical abilities from him, but only one seems to be active. He is equipped with a Bowhorn Shortbow (Good), Hide Clothing (Well-Made), Cloth Wraps (Average), Leather Pouch (Well-Made), and several other items you have not seen clearly yet. You suspect there is another weapon of some sort, what seem to be some basic supplies or survival kit, and tools for hunting or capturing more slaves.
Fire, Poison, Ice, Curse, and Spirit magics are often most effective on Orcs. Most other elements are decently effective, but they tend to have high tolerances for pain and damage resistances. The weakest elements against them tend to be Earth and Water.
---Analysis Complete!---
You used Monster Analysis II! You used Magic Analysis IV!
---Cariblade---
A possible Transformation of the Bowhorn Deer, the Cariblade's horns have better adapted for close range combat. A diet rich in certain nutrients has hardened its antlers, turning them from woody formations to rigid, metallic spikes. Special blood vessels throughout the blades allow them to vent heat very efficiently, however this makes the metal unsuited for normal forging. Whereas other types of deer mark their territory or shed horns by rubbing against trees, male Cariblades often use rocks instead to hone their edges. Cariblades are not particularly magical in nature, but have higher MP than most other creatures you've seen in the forest. Its MP is still slightly lower than your own. It does not possess any magical skills, but seems to have some physical ones. Its physical stats are all higher than yours. It is weakest to Lightning Element Magic. Fire and Wind are decently effective. The effectiveness of Ice, Water, Metal, and Earth are lessened.
You used [Analysis!]
---Adult Male Orc Grunt: Guze [???]---
Considered by some to be the pinnacle of Goblinoid transformation, the Orcs stand apart as their own Feral Race. Like the Enlightened Races, they are capable of forming proper cultures, making technological or magical advancements, and continue to accumulate their own history.
An Orc Grunt stands right around 5 feet tall on average, but the density of their muscle mass usually puts their weight between 130-150 pounds. Guze's physical stats are more than double your own, without taking into account equipment.
Guze seems to possess several combat skills, and is good with archery and hand to hand combat as you have seen firsthand. His Job is unclear, but likely to be some sort of scout or hunter. His MP is slightly greater than your own. You can detect one magical skill from him. He is equipped with a Bowhorn Shortbow (Good), Hide Clothing (Well-Made), Cloth Wraps (Average), and a Leather Pouch (Well-Made).
You used [Analysis!]
---Whetstone---
Sharpening stones come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and material compositions. Stones may be flat, or shaped for more complex edges, such as those associated with some wood carving tools. Whetstones may be natural or artificial. Artificial stones usually come in the form of a bonded abrasive composed of a ceramic such as Carborundum or Corundum.
This stone is of Well-Made quality, and does not seem to have been used much. However, it also seems a bit too "squared off" to have been made by hand, especially by an Orc...
Its only magical quality seems to be a faint hint of elemental Mana, Earth and...something quite similar, but not the same. It seems as if it might conduct Mana as well. One side is a bit cooler than the other and ever so slightly damp...
You used Magic Analysis I! You used Material Analysis I!
---Rusty Chipped Arming Sword (Very Poor) (Blood Coated)---
This once-fearsome sword has seen better days. It can do some damage in the right hands but also breaks quickly. It is roughly two and a half pounds in weight, just under three feet in total length, and its grip is made for a Human's single hand. >> Given its current level of damage, a great impact might break the blade due to the changes in its edge shape distributing the force. Honing the chips out of the edge, and polishing off the rust to keep it from eating further at the sword, could restore its usefulness. But it will likely never return to its true power.
---Fur Clothing (Bad)---
A set of clothes consisting of a kind of robe, belt, and mantle pieces all fastened together with plant fibers. Seems to feature Dire Rat fur most prominently, but there are some other bits in here from creatures you don't recognize too. It has a rather strong smell. >> Given its condition, some of the pelts could use replacing and the cordage is starting to dry rot.
---Vine Bracers (Various) x4---
A set of bracers or greaves made by taking simple vines, braiding them, and wrapping them around one's limbs, with a stick or two. Braces the limb and provides slight protection from blunt impacts, but cutting edges or fire could easily dispose of this "armor." The quality varies between each piece, as they were likely made by someone unskilled. Right Leg - Average. Left Leg - Bad. Right Arm - Poor. Left Arm - Below Average.
---Broken Haubergeon (Below Average > Bad, Damaged)---
A shirt of chain mail, a shorter version of a proper Hauberk. A Hauberk would reach to mid-thigh and cover the arms down to the wrists; this article, on a Human, is about the length of a normal shirt and its sleeves are shorter. >> It seems quite old, perhaps second-hand, and in recent battles has taken quite a bit of damage. At this point, the links are liable to break under any considerable force, but the overall garment may still stand up to a handful more blows.
---Filthy Underwear (Bad)---
A pair of boxer shorts that have seen far, far better days. The less said about the stains and smells on this garment, the better. >> If it were properly washed, it would still be a bit threadbare, but in certain weather something is better than nothing.
---Vine Greaves (Good) x2---
Specifically made for the legs, these thicker vines have been braided and wrapped on a Goblin from the knees down with two flat pieces of wood to brace the limb against impacts. They'll stand up about as well as some light cloth padding would, but sharp blades and hot flames would make short work of them. >> They're better than the Vine Bracers, but not by much.
---Treebark Bracers (Good) x2---
By taking a strip of thick bark from a rounded limb, and using braided vines to fasten it in place, this piece of armor provides a primitive layer of protection. The hard wood will even stand up to a sword, though not for very long, and while it's still vulnerable to flame it would take longer to burn to ash. >> It's a good bit better than Vine Bracers, and the Wood could potentially be processed for improvement.
---Scrap Leather Boot (Below Average)---
This boot is far too big for a goblin, hence why half of its toe-end has been cut off. It's made of what was probably once fairly decent leather, and seems to have been cobbled competently, but it's seen too much wear and tear and mistreatment.
---Iron Dagger (Well-Made)---
Though competently made, the iron in this weapon is of somewhat poorer quality. Technically, the forging process renders any "iron" object a form of steel, but this difference in quality is reflected in calling it Iron rather than Steel. Still, it is much better than anything a Goblin could normally make. Compared to Stone Knives you have seen before, it is more than twice as strong and fast.
---Ripped Cloth Bandanna (Average)---
A simple headwrap made of soft cloth. It offers some light protection for the head, but also keeps longer hair or sweaty brows from interfering with one's vision.
---Black Iron Skillet (Average)---
Technically, the forging process renders any "iron" object a form of steel, but this difference in quality is reflected in the object's name. Black Iron, sometimes called Ohg Iron, is even lower in quality than normal Iron. But for simple tools and appliances like this it is more than sufficient. >> The goblin wearing this has imparted it with a very thin layer of...personal grease. Cook with it at your own risk.
---Wooden Club (Good)---
A simple wooden club made by taking an especially thick branch, stripping and drying it, and wrapping some vines around the grip. It's fairly effective as a weapon.
---Stone Knife (Average)---
A knife made of a Sharp Stone, further knapped to refine its edge. Vines have been wrapped around one end so as to hold it without cutting oneself. Its light weight means attacks can be made quite swiftly.
---Rat Jerky x3---
Dried meat from a Dire Rat, sprinkled with some form of herbs and spice. It has a rather gamey smell and the taste is doubly so, but it'll keep one from starving at any rate.
---Tarnished Copper Ring (Well Made)---
A simple ring with no inscription or gem set in. It has been exposed to the elements and not well taken care of, so despite the obvious skill of its craftsmanship it is beginning to turn a chalky green color.
---Hard Shell (Average)---
A small piece of an Armored Badger's shell. This piece isn't big enough to be of any great use, but a few more pieces could be added to it to make something suitable as armor or shielding.
---Large Piece of Glass (Fragile)---
Wrapped in a dirty piece of cloth, this piece of glass is rather thick. It likely came from a jar or vial rather than a window. Though it's rounded around most edges, it could still cut quite easily.
---Analysis Complete!---
You are experiencing a Rapid Rate of Skill Growth.
You are experiencing a Fast Rate of Experience Gain.
Skill Rank Up: Material Analysis I > Material Analysis II (1.925 > 2.025 > 2.575)!
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.
Skill Rank Up: Magic Analysis I > Magic Analysis II (1.975 > 2.025 > 2.6)!
Gain more detail about Magic oriented Skills and Spells. Lose less effectiveness when analyzing Monsters, Materials, etc so long as they are magically inclined.
Skill Gain: Lucid Dream I (1.0)!
Your mind's eye has learned to wander in the sleeping world! In your own dreams, you are now able to do anything you'd like with some focus--swim in chocolate, or fly without wings! However, you will also retain more control when affected by certain dream or mental effects--foggy visions may become more clear, and whispering voices are louder...
While Torrent and Oberon tried to figure out just what and who Guze was, and what he and his mount might really be capable of, Ash and Digbie distributed their level up points and the little demon goblin gathered everything he could strip off the Goblins without feeling too bad about it--as well as a few things he hadn't been aware they had, stuffed in what few pockets they had or...in other places. The captured green skins were quite indignant about it, but helpless in their chains.
Once he had all his loot in various piles on the ground, Digbie laid out his various stones as well and channeled his Mana as he spoke to his chosen patron.
"How are these stones, Jehanne? Are any of these good for my prayer bead necklace?"
He stood there, quietly, for several moments. Eventually a cool breeze blew, prompting him to open one eye. And he was almost immediately blinded--the breeze, a mere piece of a greater wind high above them, had blown the clouds further away and revealed more sunlight in the tiny clearing. Its rays glittered off the Quartz Pebble, the Shiny Stones, and the Smooth Bead. It seemed pretty obvious to Digbie, even though Jehanne hadn't answered him, that these could probably be ground down or drilled through to make some beads. But as he bent to gather them up, he couldn't help noticing the two Hard Stones he had as well. They were pretty big...but if he could bash them against each other, couldn't he break off a few pieces to be smoothed out into beads as well? And as he stood back up, various stones in hand, another glitter of sunlight caught his eye again--coming from that large piece of glass he had found on one of the Goblins.
And now that he thought about it, hadn't he heard, or read, or seen at some point in the Old World something about how people who were really good at digging things up often found things like beads and pottery in old places? A lot of times those beads were just balls of clay that had been hardened in fire or the sun, or shells ground down by hand...
Skill Gain: Intimidate I (0.8 >1.0)!
Your force of personality has become semi-magical in and of itself. When demonstrating your power or anger, you appear more threatening to those weaker than yourself. You may be more capable to force them to do what you want.
Skill Gain: Memor Eyes I (0.1 > 1.0)!
By expending a flash of Mana, you burn an image into your mind in a limited form of eidetic memory. This image can be recalled at any time with far more clarity than the greatest artist's sketch, and certain other skills--such as a form of Analysis--can be used on the image as if they had been used at the moment the user actually saw the event. At this Rank, only 1 image can be stored in the user's memory at a time. At this Rank, the stored image can only consist of a singular instant in time and cannot be linked to other memories. These images can be read by or transferred to others using certain mental magics--sometimes against the memory holder's will.
Meanwhile, Ash prepared herself for her second Transformation since coming to this world. That had to be a significant event, right? She hadn't been much of a "gamer," in her old life, but getting this far had to mean something. She made sure she was safe inside the little dugout cave, with her spear nearby, and closed her eyes as she focused on her choice...
Immediately, she dropped into a deep sleep.
Ash's physical body curled in on itself. Her breaths became deeper, swelling her chest cavity each time...and her muscles seemed to tense up...
She had never been able to recall it with true clarity the first time, but now that she was once more floating upward, the visions of her first transformation all came rushing back to the Pygmy Drake's mind. The things she had seen back then--the cavern's interior, the forest, the curling smoke trails, the deserts and mountains, all of it--were crystal clear for this moment in her mind. But now things had become so different...
They were farther North, so she could no longer see the cave where she had been reborn. She could still see all the trees of the forest, far below her. To the east, a particularly large tree glowed a light green color, bright enough that it seemed like a lighthouse beacon from here. Even further north, she could almost feel the same clouds of cold and snow she could see, and the howling winds that spun them round and round an even darker and deeper forest.
To the West, she could see the small shape of Guze and his captives making their way up the mountain ledges--and then immediately her vision swept up to the great scar across the mountains. It was as if some blade of impossible size had sheared off its tip. The rocks there were blackened yet smooth, with a glossy appearance. Within this smoking crater, many lights glittered. She had risen even higher by this point, so she couldn't pick out any details among the small figures moving in groups along the slopes and the ring of structures they had erected along the lip of the black crater...
Still higher she went, drifting through clouds. To the north, not as far as the ice and cold, a river meandered down out of the mountains. To the east, beyond the forest and the emerald glow, a sparkling lake. Even further in the west, and somewhat to the north, over the ridge of the mountains there was a tower like a mighty tree reaching up to the heavens. Its roots, too, stretched deep, deep into the earth. So far to the east that it became west again, a lonely, cold, desolate island where red lightning split the sky. Further beyond that, marshlands and mountains and untamed, wild lands.
She rose higher. A world, a planet, rotated thousands of miles an hour, yet from this distance appeared as no more than a soap bubble. A great city, too far from here to see, had called for her before but now it was silent. The island's red skies still held her in sway.
She was more aware now than she had been the first time she had seen this vision. Aware enough to know things were different. Aware enough to try and put something together. Aware enough, perhaps, to
do something...?
Back in the waking world, with Guze gone Torrent took up a watch of sorts outside the shelter. Digbie was still communing with his goddes, and Oberon went back to his experiments.
As Torrent tried to draw light into her body, she began to feel quite warm. Like lying on a rock in full sunlight, her body slowly heated up in a pleasant fashion. And, in between one blink and another, it seemed like her surroundings got...brighter. As if she were standing under a flourescent light that had finally warmed up to its highest setting after starting out dim.
When she tried to concentrate this magical feeling into her breath magic, and opened her maw wide...Nothing shot out of her mouth. There was nothing to blast into the small stream, or into the trees she aimed at. Anyone looking at her might think her teeth were oddly bright for someone who had no toothbrush, but to the lizard herself nothing seemed to be happening. Still, she tried to Analyze this result...
You used Magic Analysis II!
---Breath ????---
You are attempting to concentrate mana into some form of breath weapon. However, the mana element you are using is too scattered to create a visible effect as of yet...
Meanwhile, Oberon tried to remember what he had learned back when they left the cave--which now seemed like over a year ago, even though it hadn't even been a week. He reached out with his mind and his will, and without realizing it his Mana Sense as well. His control over his magic had grown substantially after all this practice, and he felt it responding much more strongly to his attempts to shape it.
Suddenly, as if he had a phantom limb like an amputee, he felt his "hand" close around the pebble. He could, without a doubt, feel its hardness...but its weight felt so much heavier than it should have. Was it just a trick of his eyes, or did the pebble shiver, just a little bit?
He was doing something, that was for sure. Now the question was, did he just need more raw power, or did the technique require some kind of adjustment...?
PixieSlime Party
You used Monster Analysis I!
---F. Lizard Zombie---
Fanged Lizards are a reptilian monster with potent venom. When injected via a bite, it acts as a neurotoxin to paralyze the prey. When exposed to the air, it becomes a highly acidic liquid. The lizard can spit at a distance. Fanged Lizards are capable of magic but most do not naturally possess it. >> As a Zombie, the undead version of this monster becomes slower, but their durability and strength remain the same. Their poison becomes more potent, however, due to the process of decay. They also become much more aggressive, as all corporeal undead are naturally hostile to all living creatures.
In the few seconds provided by the flare's illumination, Ardur only managed to get a clear Analysis of one creature. A Fanged Lizard Zombie, its scales gray and peeling and its tail severed, crawled at a slow but steady pace towards the other end of the passage they were currently trapped in to join its fellows.
"Wait, Asura! If you rush forward too quickly--" Trent started to say, but it was too late. The red slime's Faster speed took him far ahead of the group, breaking their formation. Though Trent, Steve, and Momma Slime picked up their own pace, Asura barreled forward towards the rapidly increasing group of enemies. By the time he had dodged the next poisoned Javelin, those two Ghost Wisps from before had made their way to the Zombie Goblin.
Ardur called out orders to the group, and Steve tried to scuttle faster. She still didn't have the speed to catch up to Asura, and Trent's long legs rapidly outpaced her. Momma Slime burbled something that sounded affirmative at Ardur, but being the heaviest of the group even as she rolled herself into a tight sphere she couldn't quite keep up.
The Zombie Goblin lobbed yet another javelin, this time at Trent. It thumped against the boy's shield, sticking there and hissing as the poison tried to eat into the rawhide covering over the study wood.
You used Monster Analysis I!
---Zomblin---
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. >> As a Zombie, this creature's speed and strength haven't changed, but its durability has increased. Even with debilitating wounds it will continue to fight, as all corporeal undead have an extreme hostility towards the living and a hunger for flesh.
While Asura continued to charge forward, he also analyzed his opponent. He couldn't get any information on the creature's armor, as his Material Analysis skill hadn't yet activated--all he could see was that it was made of overlapping plates of bone and hollowed out skulls of one humanoid creature and one animal. The skulls made up two pauldrons, the plates a chestpiece, and something like faulds of smaller bone tied with bloody strips of sinew were draped over the creature's torso. There were noticeable gaps in the bone pieces, but they looked extremely fresh, and brought to mind those large blood spatters the group had seen outside the dungeon's entrance.
But as the Amorphous Slime's attention was on this information, he felt a burning sting as an impact struck his improvised stone shielding, driving him back just a "step," despite his lack of feet. One of those Ghost Wisps had fired its Mana Orb--he was in range of their attacks now! The other Ghost Wisp fired its attack as well, attempting to lead the shot as the slime was not dissuaded from his charge.
The group was getting close enough now that their torches could show them their enemies--and it also revealed another Fanged Lizard, two regular Wisps that had a distinct purple sheen to their glow, and a Skeleblin approaching around the shore of the pool!
Still flying, Ardur moved up above Trent and moved forward. Turning back to him for a moment and his quivering torch. “Come on Trent, let’s go make your knight friend Zieglar proud. For Galatine and for the sun we will drive these abominations back.” Holding his Femur Bone aloft, a mix of orange and white sparkles shone brightly before the same light outlined Trent's body.
"I knew it, that's the Inspire spell!" Trent blurted out, though he immediately focused back on the enemies up ahead. Still running, shield held up, he pointed his sword forward at the group of enemies. "Mana Orb!" The bolt of energy, now surrounded by the same glow as Inspire, shot forward.
Asura, whether he had been hit by the second Ghost Wisp's Mana Orb or had managed to avoid it somehow, now had cleared the space between him and the enemy party. The Fanged Lizard at the undead Goblin's side hissed as its mouth opened to shoot poison--but Trent's spell crashed into it, knocking the creature end over end. The red slime leaped head on at the foe, and he managed to worm his way between the amateurish armor's pieces. The spinning handful of stones he possesed scooped away a section of the creature's ribcage--but there was a sudden clicking sound, and he was momentarily stuck. His [Slime Shell], the Bowhorn Skull, obviously couldn't shapeshift to come through the gaps with him! The Zombie Goblin managed to grab the still-fresh horns, and yanked the rest of Asura out before slamming him to the ground, and jabbing at him with a Poisoned Javelin! At the same time, those two Ghost Wisps were focusing their fire on the slime, launching two more Mana Orbs even as their own bodies began to flicker--!
Trent was rapidly closing into melee distance. Steve would soon be in range to use her Web Shot. Ardur was still flying above the group, and it would be a few more moments before Mother Slime made it. But behind the Zombie Goblin, the Fanged Lizard, and the two Ghost Wisps, those two regular Wisps, a second Fanged Lizard, and the Skeleblin had also entered the fray! There wasn't quite enough room in the passage for all of them to stand abreast, but as soon as they resolved themselves the invading party would have even more opponents to worry about.
Ardur, from up high, could also see a Pixie--or rather, its yellowed bones still supported by gossamer wings--and then a second, fleshy Pixie with glowing purple eyes, as well as another Wisp, racing to join the Zombie Goblin's party. He could also see several glowing spheres and glittering wings racing across the opposite side of the pool, cutting over the water. They were moving at an angle from the group, rather than directly confronting them...
Skill Rank Up: Faster I > Faster II (1.9 > 2.0)!
Further increase your base speed stats and movement rate. By gaining at least one rank of Stronger, Harder, and Better, Skill Synergy will occurr and you will gain one rank of Physical Conditioning.
Rat Party
"Well uh, if ya say so bud." the Gnome responded, scratching himself and belching as Ed explained biology and cooking. "You sound like you really know your stuff." Then he rubbed his chin, and absently reached for another handful of meat.
"A hunting ground, eh? Lemme think for a bit..."
While he was thinking, Asteria had a few more questions. When she mentioned Undine, though, the Gnome stopped chewing and looked at her.
"Bound to a sword? That's...that don't sound right." Those big gem eyes blinked mechanically. "You could make use of an object in a contract, I suppose--as like an origin, or a boundary point, for an area that the creature is supposed to guard. Within 50 feet of the big tree. No further than the garden fence. Stuff like that. But if a creature themselves was bound to a weapon, that's not a contract. That's a Soulforged Item. And...if a creature got Soulforged into an item...you shouldn't have been able to "meet" them at all." He reached for another piece of meat, and talked with his mouth full. "I know a li'l bit about that, considerin' it happens a lot to Elementals. A creature that gets Soulforged, it really ain't that different to bein' dead. And if ya ask me, bein' Soulforged is bad enough--you're saying you could still
talk to the creature or summat? Like it was
trapped in the object?"
The Gnome shivered. For a creature that didn't seem to notice the heat of the flame, it was clear that it probably wouldn't notice cold either. Asteria would likely respond in the affirmative that she had been able to speak to Undine, and the Elemental shook his head in the manner of someone who has just watched a disturbing, gory video on the internet.
The female rat changed the topic to the contract between him and his mage again, asking what a "carryover" meant.
"Well, I get to share a little of his Mana if I need it. And because I'm an earth elemental, he sort of picks up some of my abilities through the connection. It makes his own earth spells stronger, or sharpens his senses for manipulating the element. Because this particular contract is multi-generational, some--not all, just a few--of the benefits from previous holders of the contract are bundled in, too."
When Asteria proposed a language experiment, the Gnome shrugged his shoulders in agreement and scooped up another few handfuls of meat into his pot before he went into the second chamber. When he came back, he shook his head.
"There were parts I couldn't hear, just due to muffling and distance, but what little I could still sounded like Gnomish to me. I heard somethin' about you," he pointed at Asteria, "having a little brother." He pointed at Ed, "And you were saying something about Earth...but the way you said it made me think you ain't just talkin' about my element."
He sat back down, and had emptied his pot. The grease running down his chin had practically oiled his entire chest by this point.
"Anyway, while ya were doin' that, I had a chance to think about hunting grounds. You guys said somethin' about bandits earlier. I remembered that some thugs attacked some other guys on this road, a few weeks ago. The racket woke me up, but I didn't see 'em or nothin'. They prolly know better than to come in here. I did happen to poke my head up afterwards, though, and I saw 'em headin' towards that hill off towards the forest. I bet if they've got a camp, they'll have a fire burnin' at some point so you could see the smoke.
"Further east, but north of Laketown, there's a tribe of Goblins that fish in the river. I heard from some adventures a while back that their numbers were lower for some reason, maybe they'd make easy prey.
"Back the way y'all came from, there's a nest of Myrminors under the ground. I've felt 'em digging and expanding for about a week now.
"And to the south of here, in the Alpin Plains, there's a pack of Mongrels. I hear 'em howling all the time during the full moon. If you're gonna hunt them ya gotta be careful though, they're never alone when they wander."
And finally, as he sucked hobgoblin juice from his fingers:
"And if ya went to Laketown, I hear a lot of novice adventurers make a coin or two cleaning out their sewers. I ain't sayin' hunt them, but there's bound to be critters down in the sewers. If newbie adventurers can do it, I bet you two weirdos could too."
Deep Forest
Skill Gain: Meditate I (0.7 > 1.0)!
By concentrating and calming oneself, increase the regeneration of Magic Power and Stamina. This skill cannot be used in battle. Any distractions in the environment will drastically decrease the effectiveness of this skill. This skill cannot be used in conjunction with other skills.
The ambient Mana is high in this place for some reason.
Your MP is Full.
Your MP is overfull, you have Temporary Extra MP.
Status Update:
Hunger decreased. You are Peckish.
Thirst increased. You are Parched.
There are 3 Kele Shoots remaining.
Your [Leaf Dress] has been reinforced! It is ever so slightly tougher!
Status Update:
Hunger decreased. You are Peckish.
Thirst increased. You are Parched.
There are 3 Kele Shoots remaining.
You have reinforced the [Leaf Dress]! It is ever so slightly tougher!
As Nira concentrated on her meditation, she found that the air around this tree seemed especially thick with energy. Sooner than she anticipated, she felt the Skill complete and received a notification soon after. The surge of energy immediately topped her off, and then some. It felt like a sugar rush, bringing to mind the question if she could possibly crash later on because of it.
Femus's attempts to use Growth on her Dress were successful as well...but whether it was because they were using more energy, or just because they hadn't had anything to drink to go along with their meal, the system soon gave them an update on their bodies' needs--which they didn't really need, in all honesty. Why, exactly, did the system have this odd habit of stating the obvious?
Femus's attempts to shape his Shock Round were less successful than he might have hoped. The blast did become more concentrated, like the Mana Dart, but once released it was only faster for a split second. Once it had traveled a certain distance, it seemed to begin inflating to its normal size as it drifted lazily along. Still, it was a better result than nothing. Maybe he needed to think of other ideas to try...
While the two rested in their tree, they soon saw some new beasts enter the clearing. These, however, were much more cautious in their approach. It began with a great Bowhorn Deer, obviously a male from his size and the spread of his great antlers, poking his head out of the tree line. Then he took a few careful steps out. He snorted, then wiggled his ears. He lowered his head. He passed his nose from side to side. Then, he softly bleated back into the woods.
The monstrous deer approached the same patch of Kele and other herbs. Following him, just as cautiously, came what could be assumed to be a doe from the smaller size of her body and horns. And then, after her, two dappled youngsters, less than half the size of the adults and with no antlers to speak of.
Skittish, and always keeping one eye on their surroundings, they bent their heads to graze. The male scratched at his flank with his curved horns, dislodging a clump of fur that drifted to the ground. He kept a careful watch as his family ate their fill...
Farmstead
Geir gaped in shock as Jason transformed and slipped out of his grip, then yelled out when he was slammed headfirst into the ground. Yet he still managed to get his hands underneath him and push, shoulder rolling away as Jason released his grip. The two were at distance again, squaring up for another clash--
Skill Unlocked: Warcry II (2.175) is now available again!
WARNING! YOUR MP IS LOW!
Just as Jason received this message, Geir lunged at him again with a roar. He hit the former warlord like a pro linebacker, driven by a combination of rage, sheer willpower, and...something else. Just like when his arm had transformed, now his entire body seemed to be made out of stone.
"Get up."
The girl in pupil's robes looked up from her sobbing. Her bright green eyes were filled with tears, and one of her hands was covered in blood. She had been trying, unsuccessfully, to staunch another young man's wound. He was dead, now.
"I, I can't leave him..."
"You said your name's Mira, right?" Geir pried his hand-axe out of the Goblin's skull, and kicked it down the sloping path of the cavern behind them. "And his name was Mark." He barely waited for her to nod, and choke down another sob. "If you don't leave him, you'll be lying there next to him soon. Because I'm getting out of here, and back to the Guild." Mirabelle looked up at him. His heart dropped in his chest. He wanted to cry too. He had failed to save Mark too. But this wasn't the first time he'd failed. "Someone has to warn them that this tribe is growing fast. If we don't, they'll eventually break through into the sewers, and come up right underneath us. And then a lot more people will end up like Mark."
"I, I know. B-but--"
"But nothing! Mira! Get up, or die! Those are your options!" She shrank away from his voice, but he didn't have time to be nice. "If you sit here and cry, they're gonna kill you! If you can't focus, they'll kill you! If you try to drag his body back, you won't be able to fight and they'll kill you! You can either do the hardest thing you've ever done, right now, or you can die! That's the only choice you get out here--struggle until you die, or lay back and DIE! So make your choice!" He could hear them cackling. He turned on his heel.
The first Goblin got a face full of his axe as it came around the corner. He kicked its body into the second, and swung at the third. It dodged him, but when it tried to evade his off hand grabbed it and slammed it into the rock wall. Its nose broke and it gurgled on its own blood. He felt something strike his padded jerkin, and even though the point didn't pierce him the creature put all its weight and strength behind the shaft and drove HIM against the wall. He couldn't get a good swing with his axe, so he punched it as hard as he could. The one with the broken nose ran past him, swinging a grody, shit-covered knife--
A fireball ignited its entire head, and lit up the path. Mira's robes flapped around her as she ran, screaming, and drove her small dagger into the back of the third goblin. Geir shoved its body off, and they pressed forward even as more growls and snarls followed them...Jason felt like he'd been hit by a truck as he was hurled, once more, out of the redhead's body. He could feel his essence seeping away, point by point, the System's warning still flashing in his mind...
Someone, no, two someones, were running out of the door to the house and sprinting towards Geir as he writhed on the ground...
"If you think you can, Miiba, then go." Lear had said to the Goblin. He sighed and marked the page in the book with his thumb. "Honey, I think the kids should go ahead to bed."
"W-wait, Dad! If Miiba's gonna help Geir fight the monsters..." Reuben ran back into the hallways separating the bedrooms, and almost immediately came back. His mother gasped, and started to say something about running with dangerous objects, but the long hunting knife he handed Miiba was still in its leather sheath.
"Be careful with that! Dad made it for my birthday!" the youngster warned the goblin. "If...if ya steal it, or hurt a Human with it, we...we won't be friends no more!" He was still trying to look tough, and stern. But for someone to stop being friends with you, that meant something else, too, didn't it?
Mirabelle had already flung the door open, and a Mana Orb glowed above her fingertip to provide light as well as ammo as she rushed out...
Your HP is below 25%.
Your MP is just above 50%.
Danny made it around the house just in time to hear the door slam open. He could tell from a shifting, bobbing light that someone was running out into the yard. As he floated over the fence into one of the animal pens and activated his Muffle skill, he couldn't see Geir or any other Humans coming after him...but even with his stealth skill, he couldn't erase his presence when he was this close to the animals. A large, white feathered bird squawked as he startled it, and began to scratch the ground with those big talons as it turned its head this way and that. Those beady eyes looking at him didn't seem quite as docile as a chicken from back home...
