Monster Party
Skill Rank Up: Lesser Force I > Lesser Force II! (2.0)
MP Consumption decreased. Range slightly increased. Force strength slightly increased. Rather than more powerful, it would be more accurate to say this skill is now more efficient.
Skill Gain: Dual Cast I (1.0)!
Splitting one's focus is a difficult task, but like playing the drums it can be learned. Casting different spells with different effects or requirements increases the difficulty and the MP required, but the caster's mindset can also affect this Skill. A Caster at this Rank may Dual Cast by: (1) Cast the same spell simultaneously, usually within two hands. Example using Current Skills: Fireball. This expends twice the MP cost, and both versions of the spell must be the same Rank, but the Casting time is only that of a single cast.(2) Prepare two spells simultaneously, to be used one at a time. Example using Known Skills: Digbie's Rock Spire and your Fireball. Rock Spire is prepared but not cast; the Earth Mana shines under the targeted area. Fireball is cast at a target, knocking it into Rock Spire's prepared area. Rock Spire is released. Both spells can be no higher than Rank I. Delayed Spells can be held no longer than 10 seconds at this rank. Certain spells that might require rituals, components, or other complexities might not be Dual Cast in this manner even at Rank I. This use consumes twice the MP for a Delayed Spell plus the normal MP cost for the other spell. (3) Cast a single instance of two different spells, usually within two hands. Example using Known Skills: Your Fireball and Ash's Mana Slice. You cast Fireball at a target to your right and Mana Slice at a target to your left, at the same time. This usage expends the sum of both spells' MP cost, and requires a slightly longer casting time, but both spells can be used at the same time or one after the other. Both spells must be Rank I. Certain spells with more complexities may not be Dual Cast even at Rank I. Certain spells that synergize well may increase in power or cause new effects when Dual Cast in this way.
Skill Gain: Stronger I! (1.05)
You have grown stronger through tough training! Tear muscles down, and rebuild them anew! Your physical power stats have increased! By gaining at least one rank of Faster, Harder, and Better, Skill Synergy will occurr and you will gain one rank of Physical Conditioning.
Skill Gain: Mana Control I! (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 such as Focus or Spell Chant. 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.
You used Monster Analysis II! You used Magic Analysis III!
---Giant Rat---
Giant Rats are rodents of such unusually large size, many people don't believe they exist. Their behaviors are virtually the same as the Dire Rat, but they often shed many of the usual "prey" animal behaviors of rats due to their much greater size and strength rendering them difficult for predators to bring down. As a result they can often be quite calm, and some humans even keep them as pets. When hunting, however, they are extremely vicious. They have lost their fear as a smaller creature, and are now far less likely to retreat. They lack magical power and usually don't develop any magical abilities unless their environment is very rich in ambient energies. This particular target has no active Spell Skills. It is developing Magic Resistance.
You used Monster Analysis II! You used Magic Analysis IV!
---Giant Rat---
Giant Rats are rodents of such unusually large size, many people don't believe they exist. Their behaviors are virtually the same as the Dire Rat, but they often shed many of the usual "prey" animal behaviors of rats due to their much greater size and strength rendering them difficult for predators to bring down. As a result they can often be quite calm, and some humans even keep them as pets. When hunting, however, they are extremely vicious. They have lost their fear as a smaller creature, and are now far less likely to retreat. They lack magical power and usually don't develop any magical abilities unless their environment is very rich in ambient energies. This particular target has no active Spell Skills. It is developing Magic Resistance. This creature is vulnerable to Fire, Lightning, and Ice magics. Metal, Earth, and Shadow magics would also be fairly effective. Water, Poison, and Curse magics are less effective. However, the Giant Rat currently has no native magical defenses, so all magics can deal better damage than physical attacks.
As Digbie raced into the camp, the giant vermin hot on his heels, Ash took to the sky. While she was analyzing the creature, back down on the ground Torrent made herself scarce and began to creep around the edge of the clearing to look for an opening. Oberon was the first to attack, while Digbie strengthened his defenses first. The Giant Rat was focused entirely on that enticing gobby rear in front of it, and didn't see the Mana Slice coming at all. The blade bit into its snout right down the middle--it squealed in pain and reared up on its hind legs, as a long red line flayed it open from the top of its nose almost to its forehead. It shook its head madly, but only managed to get blood in its eyes. Immediately it turned towards the attacker and lunged.
Oberon got away clean this time, compared to the Giant Slime from before, and his wings buzzed as he rose out of reach. The rat turned back towards Digbie, but the Demiblin was already rising up on his improved Earth Wall. The Giant Rat stood on its haunches again. The Earth Wall was much thicker now--but still only as tall as Digbie himself. And when standing up, the Giant Rat was big enough that it could juuuuust reach over the top of the stone platform.
Before its claws could sink into Digbie's ankles, though, Ash's Poison Splash came down right on top of its head. Fumes filled its nostrils, acid burned its eyes, and the open wound on its face was now exposed to her magical venom. Again the rat thrashed and creened in agony, a high pitched wailing cry. While it was blind Torrent attacked from another angle, spewing the intense purple flames from her mouth. The Giant Rat's fur, greasy and thick, caught easily. The flames turned red as they began to spread across its flank, but it snorted and coughed and began to buck as the poisonous fumes did their work. The creature's stomach convulsed and it suddenly began to vomit. Oberon observed the beast from above just like Ash had done before, looking for any sign of weakness--although at the moment it seemed the situation was greatly in their favor.
The Rat spun in a wide circle, whipping its thick tail. But Torrent had already disappeared back into the foilage, and re-activated her stealth skills. The Giant Rat brushed its face with its paws to clear its eyes--then its ear twitched. As Ash came down spearpoint first, like some kind of...jumping dragon knight, rather than a Pygmy Drake, the huge rodent pushed off the ground with all its strength. Spinning through the air, it slammed unintentionally into Digbie's Earth Wall just as the Demiblin finished chanting. His Sacred Ground spell felt stronger, and its glow was brighter...But, with none of his allies in the immediate area and Digbie himself not currently suffering from any major injury, its use was somewhat tempered.
In the next moment, however, the enemy made a decision. It bounded straight up, running up Digbie's wall, and came face to face with the Demiblin in mid-air. Snatching him by his Makeshift Robe, the creature's much greater weight dragged Digbie off of his platform--and the next moment, the Giant Rat was breaking into a run towards the tree-line--!
PixieSlime Party
ERROR. You do not meet the requirements for Skill Point Reset.
You are still Poisoned! You are taking damage!
Your HP is decreasing.
You are Well Fed.
Your throat is Dry.
Your Stamina is steadily decreasing.
You are Poisoned.
Current Skills:
Shield II (2.2)
Lesser Flight III (2.3)
Minor Heal III (3.675)
Physical Conditioning I (1.0) <CANNOT INCREASE WITH SKILL POINTS>
Fire Resistance I (1.4)
Taming I (1.7)
Fireball I (1.7)
Stronger II (2.15)
Crafting II (2.0)
Muffle I (1.3)
Inspire I (1.1)
Guidance I (1.55)
Spell Chant I (1.2)
Use Light Equipment (--)
Meditate I (1.2)
Point Strike I (1.05)
Monster Analysis I (1.05)
Keen Sight I (1.05)
Material Analysis I (1.0)
<UNUSABLE>
Keen Ear (0.3)
Alchemy (0.5)
Faster (0.5)
Magic Analysis (0.7)
Mana Orb (0.15)
Focus (0.6)
Throw Voice (0.1)
Mana Strike (0.9)
Charisma (0.2)
Soothe Song (0.7)
Harder (0.1)
Alert (0.9)
Reinforce (0.6)
Throw Item (0.5)
Stone Shot (0.6)
Iron Gullet (0.5)
Soil Manipulation (0.3)
Material Analysis (0.8)
Rabid Fit (0.5)
Lesser Cleanse (0.7)
Fire Fist (0.2)
Magic Resistance (0.3)
Minor Regeneration (0.1)
Flame Aura (0.1)
Warcry (0.1)
Immolation (0.05)
Spiritual Awareness (0.4)
Overwork (0.1)
Lucid Dream (0.1)
Blood Drain (0.1)
Dextrous (0.1)
Mana Sense (0.2)
Mana Drain (0.1)
Mental Resistance (0.2)
ERROR. Command not recognized, "Prerequisites for Skills."
TRANSFORMATION STATUS:
Pixie > Immature Hipixie
Currently Known Possible Transformations: 6
1. Adult Hipixie***
2. Adolescent Imp*
3. Adolescent Sprite**
4. Adolescent Bauchan*
5. Adolescent Brownie***
6. Adolescent Lampad**
Currently Unknown Possible Transformations: 1
As Asura continued to feel the burn of the Poison, Momma Slime hit him once again with a regular strike. When he told her to use a Smash, she seemed hesitant. She turned her attention to Ardur and waited for several moments...but although the Hipixie was talking about something, she didn't understand. And he hadn't done any more of the glowing stuff to Asura. She turned back to the red slime, and waited a moment more before finally using her Smash skill. It knocked Asura "head" over "heels" and slammed him into a tree. He felt his HP drop significantly, though he didn't get a low warning from the system yet. Momma Slime began to shake as she hurried over to him.
"Ah, Awsoo, Auwa...Asuwa!" she said, after inflating her membrane as if she were taking a deep breath. "Me, my...I. I...I not wanna do dat no more!" Once she had said this, she seemed to settle down. Her resolve was set. "I not like when you gets hurt. Makes I...makes me, feel bad!"
But before anything else could happen, there was a sudden crash from the forest. This was much louder than either the deer or the three frogs--and it had a more distinctive rhythm. Footsteps. Heavy breathing. An actual voice, shouting angrily...
A Bugbear, four and a half feet of solid muscle, barrel chested and covered in matted gray fur, came hurtling out between the trees. He held a long stick, sharpened to a point, in one hand and wore the pelt of a few Dire Rats around his waist. His eyes looked bloodshot and wild, and in the greenish skin around his face he had dark spots as if he had not slept.
"OUTTA MY WAY, OUUUUT!" he roared, charging straight for Asura and Momma Slime--and if he got past them, he would be barreling over Ardur and Steve too...
Rat Party
Skill Rank Up: Rabid Fit I > Rabid Fit II (2.0)!
Your rage grows in strength! Your attack power increases slightly more. While you are still extra vulnerable to damage, you gain a temporary increase to resistances for certain status effects, like Sleep or Confusion.
Skill Gain: Mental Resistance I! (1.0)
Take less damage from Psychic-type spells or skills, and have a better chance of resisting mind-altering effects such as Confusion or Hypnosis. This counts as an Elemental resistance for the purposes of Magic Resistance.
Skill Gain: Magic Analysis I (1.0)
You may now analyze magical energies or objects to learn their most basic magical characteristics. Less effective on Materials and Monsters unless they are magical in nature.
Skill Gain: Focus I! (1.0)
By spending at least 30 seconds focusing before using an offensive Skill or Spell, you can increase its damage or range. At this rank it is comparable to increasing the power by one rank (eg Mana Orb I to Mana Orb II) while also increasing the MP cost by half again (spend 1.5x Mana Orb I's cost).
Skill Gain: Smash I! (1.0)
A Physical Skill that consumes Stamina instead of MP. One blunt type attack deals increased damage!
Skill Gain: First Aid I (1.0)!
Skill in using Healing items such as herbs or bandages. Increase the amount of HP recovered by yourself or allies when consuming these items, so long as you properly apply your knowledge and experience. Does not apply to healing spells.
Skill Gain: Minor Heal I (1.0)!
The most basic of healing spells. In most cases, only surface level wounds are affected. Cannot cure diseases. May even accelerate certain conditions not healed by the body's natural recovery. Cast upon a single target within eyesight.
Nothing but the echo of a pebble answered Ed as he peered into the entrance. Without entering, he could see that the mound seemed to have a double set of chambers at its entrance. The one he was looking into seemed to be small, with a low ceiling barely six feet up, with a little fire pit in the center of the room and four small tables. Two of these tables were set up just inside the entrance, on either side of the doorway. The other two were at the opposite side of the room, on either side of the second doorway leading into that second chamber, which Ed could not see. On these tables were what seemed to be platters, goblets, candlesticks, and a few wilted flowers or other plants of some kind.
Where he stood in front of the entry, a plaque could be seen at a human's eye-level set into the outer wall. It read:
Within this Barrow, we citizenry of the Lords of Viska lay our honored dead. In the war against the Alpin Tribals, they laid down their lives to force the enemy over the river and establish the greater borders of Viska. By the Ancestors and the Spirits, we place our protection on this place. Those who lie here have earned their rest; may the earth swallow any who disturb them.
Those who travel and who mourn, if ye sup at the fire within, make offerings unto the spirits what doth guard this place. If ye pray at the altar above, pray for good fortune upon the lands of the Five Lords.
Though just barely, Asteria was able to scramble up the wall of the mound and get up to the top. The dirt packed up here had long ago sprouted grass, and the roots had formed a network that held the soil in place against wind and rain. It felt firm underneath her paws as she progressed upward. She soon found a footpath of sorts, made of round stones set into the dirt, which led to the monolith structure.
Four large pillars sat in a rough square, and a wide, flat stone had been set atop them to serve as a roof. Underneath this roof, a small circle of stone sat with something else at its center. It seemed to be an alter of some kind, made of overlapping plates. The plates each had different symbols on them, and were differently shaped. Each plate was also successively bigger, and the difference in shape of the ones above created spaces for the symbols to show on the ones below. It seemed to be...some kind of star chart or sundial, perhaps? Circles and lines seemed to form a graph of some kind, one plate had images that might be phases of a moon or planet, and another had either some alphabet or a numeral system. Maybe Asteria hadn't noticed yet, since unlike Ed she hadn't read the plaque or seen this world's languages change before her eyes...but these symbols did not change, no matter how long she stared at them.
If Asteria looked around aside from the altar, however, she would find that from the top of the barrow she could now see the surrounding countryside in more detail. Back the way they came, the village was just a smudge on the horizon again, but the mountains were in full view. The setting sun turned the snow at their peaks blood red. Toward the east, in the direction they were going this whole time following that road...
Water.
Another gentle slope from the barrow went down over a distance of perhaps seventy-five, a hundred yards before the plains evened out. From here, the road stayed flat for some distance. It wasn't clear if the elevation began to dip again, or if it just went so far that it created an optical illusion. But the road went on and on, down to what had to be the bank of a great lake. Like, a GREAT lake, not just the kind you went fishing with grandpa at on the weekends. And it seemed there was a river running out of this lake as well, heading towards the south. But along the banks, lights glittered. Not just the last rays of the sun on the water's surface, but flickering lights that could only be candles, and cookfires, and street lanterns. Lights, sitting in big black boxes against the backdrop of that smooth, dark blue sheet...A town.
Ghost Party
Skill Gain: Ghost Touch I (1.05)!
A spiritual attack. For Spirit-class Undead, the affected limb becomes physical for the duration of the Skill to allow Physical attacks. For non-Undead, the affected limb becomes capable of physically striking and damaging spiritual beings. MP is expended not only to activate the skill, but in proportion to the strength of the attack used.
Jason could feel his MP decreasing as he ferociously attacked the next goblin, however just as the System told him his Temporary Extra MP had been expended, he used Mana Drain. He was immediately notified that the temporary increase had returned, but the Cudgel goblin struggled spiritually against him. Again memories of a goblin tribe, fishing and mending nets made out of vine on the banks of a river, clashed with his own. But Danny was wrestling with the same Goblin, in an attempt to disarm it. Jason lost his hold as the Poltergeist managed to get the weapon, in the process jerking the goblin far enough off balance that it fell and rolled on the ground. The creature cried out as it swiped its arms in every direction to try and fend Jason off.
"I seen it, I seens it too! It's a, a ghost!" Light bruises were already forming around his eyes, like he had been smacked in the face by two doorknobs. He stumbled blindly in his attempt to get up and fell back to one knee.
Danny now had a weapon, and one of the opponents was on the ground. The other had seemingly run back into the bushes--there was rustling, but they couldn't see him currently. However, while Danny had been focused on grabbing the cudgel, that other goblin had grabbed up his spear again.
With a hefty grunt, the goblin planted his feet and thrust hard at Danny's back. The Poltergeist felt wood bite deep into his shoulder, and heard it crack and splinter.
WARNING! YOUR HP IS CRITICALLY LOW!
Orchid's Tribe
Orchid's process of tanning the leather wasn't quite so refined as she would like, but it seemed like it would work. The System recorded each step of her "Processing" as she removed the hair, blood, and excess fat and skin from the hides, then stretched them out to dry. However, when she went to get the other three hides, she found that these were not so much pelts and skin like the Badger Hide. These Badger Armor Plates were more like scaly, fleshy shells, like an armadillo or maybe a slightly more flexible turtle's shell. These didn't seem like they could be tanned, though some of the excess hair and such could be scraped off of them.
Hustling as she displayed her irritation, the rest of Orchid's goblins did as they were told. Crispy hurried over to her as quickly as he could without jostling his arm too much, and with quick nods that made his ears flap he followed her lead into the forest.
Though Orchid and Crispy would soon leave the camp and thus not see it, while the Hunters took up guarding the camp or sitting around the fire munching on what little food they had left, the Gatherers managed to find a few more things before they settled in to wait on Orchid's return. Added to the growing resource piles were a Hard Stone, a Sharp Stone, a Pointy Stick, a Green Switch, a Lump of Clay the size of a goblin's fists, and an odd piece of hide that bore scales rather than fur. Orchid would no doubt want to look over these things once she got back...
She and Crispy traveled through the woods and stayed close together. In the tribe's greater numbers, most of the forest critters had left them alone. Two goblins, fairly well armed, would probably be considered too risky a prey by most Monsters, but then again one of them was injured.
Orchid was looking for moss. Crispy had mentioned mushrooms, and she knew mushrooms would grow in moist, dark places. So would moss, and it would also give her an idea about where exactly they were, or at least what direction they were going in. Eventually, she spotted some moss growing under a pile of leaves that had built up along the slanted trunk of a leaning tree. Using the position of the sun, it seemed the best guess would be that the moss grew the thickest on the north side of the tree. So she and Crispy were heading north, away from their camp. Their intended destination, the farm, would be back to the east, though possibly a little south as well.
They next came upon a bush of Blue Argeps, several handfuls' worth. Searching under the bushes and leaves where the moss grew, Orchid soon found a place where deeper shadows fell due to the thickness of the canopy. A rotted tree limb had fallen here in some storm long past, and at the thickest end of it near the tree's roots she saw several flat brown, white spotted mushrooms growing on its underside.
"Boss, ovah heah!" called Crispy. He pointed to a skeleton he had found, what looked to be the remains of a Fanged Lizard long ago killed and stripped clean by scavengers. Growing between the white spokes of its ribcage were a few more mushrooms, these bearing red caps with what looked like green beads of sap on top of them.
As they continued to search, Crispy found another Pointy Stick. Though he already had a stone knife in his vine belt and that odd throwing star he had made, he picked it up and carried it with the intent to use it as a small javelin. He got the chance when a large, melon-shaped and colored frog bounded out of the bushes in front of them. With a warrior's screech, Crispy hurled his spear--and missed by a foot as the frog croaked loudly, then leaped away again.
The next useful thing they found was another berry bush...but something else lay in wait for any creature that tried to eat. Another large frog, different in coloration and bearing a tail, poked its head out of the bush just as they got close. It lobbed a large purple loogi at them, and Orchid could hear the poison hissing. Yet before it had even confirmed a hit on its prey, the frog turned and ran back into the bushes just like the last one had...
Nira and Femus
As Femus flashed and darted about, the other Pixie hovering with Nira let out loud whoops and began to clap as it turned circles in the air. When the Wisp darted back into the tree--leaving a hastily woven flower crown behind--the Pixie "oooohed" and darted down to grab the crown. Placing it over its head like a lei garland, it motioned to Nira and began flying and dancing around on the branch, showing off its new fashion accessory.
It then pointed to the higher branches of the tree, where more flowering vines grew. Flying up a few feet, the pixie motioned for Nira to come too and shook its flowers...It seemed like the creature wanted to make more. But now, this raised a question. This Pixie seemed to jump from violence to pranks to flower picking at the drop of a hat...how long would Nira, or Femus, have to play along with its games before it got tired? Or, how long would it take the creature to get bored with its new friends, and decide to go get some more of its bretheren who might not redirect it the way Nira had?
Meanwhile, Femus had escaped persecution for now...but how long could he stay inside this tree? The Pixie hadn't harmed him, but now another creature besides Nira knew where he was. And who knew what it might do when it came back? Would he choose to just stay here, continuing to meditate, and hope that when he needed to defend himself he would be capable? Would he try to get some kind of message to Nira?
