Shrubley sprinted down the first corridor that he saw, eager to be out of the room. Creatures were beginning to slither into the room, pushing past the blockages of ice.
He was not afraid, but a good adventurer always knows when to retreat.
The goal wasn’t to get bogged down in endless fighting. A Dungeon could always create more monsters than an adventurer cou...
2024-05-16 08:00:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Despite his recent rise in Levels, Hal still only had 35 Burden Points, or BP as it was shortened to on his status sheet.
With the spells he usually kept set, that meant he had 4 points to spare. With Spoil Shield only requiring 3 points, Hal was free to set it.
“Hold up,” he said to the others, who had finished bandaging their wounds and were h...
2024-05-15 11:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Remal sighed and leaned back in his chair. He ran a hand through his recently styled hair, tousling it for an extra dazzling effect.
Even while bedridden, he had to look his best. Mostly for himself, though also for Sel. Not that he was going to tell the beautiful elf that.
Despite what they had gone through together, Remal wasn’t accustomed to tying himself do...
2024-05-15 08:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Hal could scarcely believe what the [Citadel Quest Tablet] contained. A Quest unlike any other that offered the chance to change Brightsong forever.
New Quest: Dawn Citadel
You have discovered the plans to the once-lost Dawn Citadel in the form of a schematic not seen for centuries. Citadels are built in stages, each stage requires a great deal of un...
2024-05-14 11:00:10 +0000 UTC View Post
“What’s so wrong about calling them Calcium Cannons?” Cal asked as they came to another 3-way split in the tunnel.
“I’m not sure exactly why, but nobody seems to like it when you do,” Shrubley pointed out.
“But the cows, that’s what…” Cal trailed off. He didn’t want to be rude.
Konko had long since found relief from the stench with a c...
2024-05-14 08:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
“Clearly you have found something interesting,” Elaise told him. Everyone else nodded. Except Giel, of course. “You have included us in the discussion so far. It would be rude to exclude us now that you have made your choice.”
How does she do that?
Shaking his head, Hal told them about his Sword Advancement, Beastblade.
“If you don’t ta...
2024-05-13 11:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Once Cal was put back together, he calmed down. “Sorry for falling to pieces like that,” he muttered to everybody. “I’m just… still not over the Rattle Rousers, I guess.”
Shrubley patted his friend’s back and adjusted his cloak. “It is okay,” he told him. “Healing takes time. You are among friends, Cal. We will not let them harm you ever again.” 2024-05-13 08:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post
“I am going to have some hard choices to make, it seems,” Hal told Elaise, dodging the question. Then he rattled off all the Social and Survival Skills he had to the group.
Val whistled tunelessly. “That’s a lot more than me. But hey, at least your Combat and Magic Spheres aren’t clogged up, right?”
Hal shrugged. He wasn’t about to reveal he had Dar...
2024-05-10 11:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
“This is not for me,” Miranda told them. “This is, as Shrubley said, between Slyrox and Smudge. I will, of course, find one of my own. But this is all brawn, no brains. That is not my style. If you’ll grant me the use of your compass, Shrubley, I would be grateful.”
The little shrub nodded fiercely. “Of course, Countess!” He turned a slow circle, gripping...
2024-05-10 08:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostThis Advancement, Hal liked more. The sound of it was far more interesting.
[Way of the Sword]
You have dedicated yourself to a singular weapon, the noble sword, and have worked tirelessly to improve yourself. Your dedication has not gone unnoticed, and your capacity for devastation will only grow if you continue to dedicate yourself to the Way of the Sword. All ...
2024-05-09 11:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Cal slipped more than once. Lacking some much-needed gripping power, he slid out of control. Scrambling, Cal managed to hold on through the sleeves of his darksilk cloak.
The rest of the climb down went easier, though the skeleton was tremendously nervous the whole way.
Shrubley came after him and had significantly less trouble, though that was likely because he ...
2024-05-09 08:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
“Finally,” Hal muttered to himself.
Robas, one of the Ebon Star tribesmen, looked up curiously.
Hal grinned wearily at him. “Just finished a Perk tree for my Sword Skill.”
The man nodded sagely. “Feels good to have something completed, does it not?”
“Yeah. And I haven’t even seen the Advancement yet.”
Hal then began to wonder w...
2024-05-08 11:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
“There are many tasty berries over in this bush,” Shrubley told Konko. “Would you like to try them? I do not know if they taste good to humans as well.”
“This is it,” she muttered to herself. “This is how I die. He’s going to poison me and make it look like an accident, but if I don’t do it, I’ll look like a jerk and the others won’t accept me. Th...
2024-05-08 08:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Aldrich Valerion was once a young, handsome man from the proud and regal Valerion line. His family traced their lineage back to the fabled Balesian Mages of eld.
As the young scion of House Valerion, Aldrich was expected to carry on the family name and to uphold the Balesian standard by becoming a mage without equal.
Following the near destruction of Aldim, that ...
2024-05-07 11:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
“I don’t mean to speak out of turn,” Shrubley said, looking at the ramshackle mess before them. “But wasn’t your castle a little larger last time?”
“I swear Shrubley, if you weren’t so innocent, the things I would do to you!” the Countess snapped, overtaken by fury.
“Nooo,” Cal whispered miserably. “I secretly always knew he ...
2024-05-07 08:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post
The devastation was far more than anything Hal could have ever hoped for. Honestly, he was a little afraid. Never before had he been able to wreak so much destruction with so little effort.
It was as if he had maxed out his Strain and then some, but usually when he did that he was near death and fighting an impossible foe.
If he could have that power without the ...
2024-05-06 11:00:06 +0000 UTC View Post
Holding his [Guidance Stone Compass], Shrubley peered down into the ravine. Past the winding silver streak of a tumbling river, something faintly gleamed. Perhaps it was merely the sunlight reflecting off moving water, or something more significant.
Shrubley did not recall his Guidance Stone of Vitality being able to shimmer like a jewel. However, the artifact had been...
2024-05-06 08:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Hal brushed aside the prompts with a mental nudge. He would deal with the attribute assignment and selecting the next obvious Perk, Alloyed Essence, after he finished examining his latest creation.
Your Osseochemy Skill has risen to Level 49.
+2% Crafting speed.
+2% Spirit efficiency.
+3% Essence dissolution.
...
2024-05-03 10:00:07 +0000 UTC View Post
Hal worked through the day with Hermes at his side. The little thief was surprisingly insightful about things that Hal would never have thought to try.
Most of the time, Hermes was wrong. However, a few times he had stumbled upon something that Hal would have sworn should not have worked, and yet it did.
Hermes’ shining inspiration came when Hal showed him the ...
2024-05-02 10:16:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Once Hamrin had a plan and a bag of beans to work with, he left with a signed letter from Hal telling the builders that anything Hamrin wanted for the new farm he was to get without delay, no matter the weather conditions.
Any commissions he needed were to be given top priority over everything but the safety of Brightsong, and the care of those who were injured or sick...
2024-05-02 10:15:52 +0000 UTC View Post
As surprised as Hal was about the prompt, he kept the knowledge to himself. It would have felt wrong somehow to bond with Hermes over Vorax, and he was glad to see that the Shard agreed.
Feels a little greedy to try for two soul companions, Hal thought, but who was he to deny the will of the Shard?
Focusing back on his essences, Hal tried to sense w...
2024-05-02 10:15:35 +0000 UTC View Post
Hal plucked the bundle of stolen goods off the oppa’s back and set it aside. Then he walked over to his bed, rolled up some blankets and put them in front of the fire… then he set the oppa atop them and let go.
“I’m not a warden,” Hal told him. “Not a cop, not much of anything, really. I won’t let you steal from me, but I’m not going to hold you or puni...
2024-05-02 10:15:11 +0000 UTC View Post
During Shrubley’s travels, he opened his [Verdant Inventory] and checked over his planted spare weapons in his enchanting pots.
“I don’t quite have it right yet,” he said, musing aloud.
As he turned around a pot, a polearm planted in a pot shifted, then fell out of the soil. For some reason, the growing process hadn’t fully taken hold.
Frowning, h...
2024-05-02 08:18:44 +0000 UTC View Post
“Hold still maarthter!” Igor said, slathering on the burn cream.
“That cur stole my weapons! And my best suit!” The Count bellowed.
“Aren’t you forgetting somethting, maarthter?”
After a poignant pause, the vampyr added. “He stole my wife too!”
Igor continued to diligently apply the [Shadowmatter Burn Cream]. It did wonders for vampy...
2024-05-02 08:18:27 +0000 UTC View Post
Cal pressed his nose hole against the pane of glass, fogging it up with his breath. “Look at the pretty tools!”
Slyrox watched him, then motioned at her mask. “Psshkoh! How does that work?”
“What do you mean?”
Slyrox shook her head and shrugged.
Smudge floated above their heads. Cal had tied a string around the slime, fastening it to his w...
2024-05-02 08:17:47 +0000 UTC View Post
Back at the Rooster’s Rest, Shrubley hefted his new shield, looking over its many intricate plating and grooves with an unbridled sense of wonder and awe.
Its design and craftsmanship were unfamiliar and exotic. If he understood the Shardscript correctly, the [Adrastos] hailed from another land. One where magitek was commonplace. This fascinated Shrubley greatly.
... 2024-05-02 08:17:03 +0000 UTC View Post
All throughout the day, the monster adventurers worked tirelessly to save Talvar. It was not their home, but they felt it was their responsibility.
Miranda didn’t, but she understood that she would never hear the end of it from Shrubley if she didn’t at least try.
With the help of Konko and Smudge as her assistants, Miranda developed a concoction tha...
2024-05-02 08:16:27 +0000 UTC View Post
“Damn this accursed light!” Count Haalften wailed, pulling his puffy crimson and black robe over his head, utterly spoiling the villainous effect he had cultivated for all of 2 seconds.
Despite his humiliating entrance and the cape turned over his head, the smoking vampyr thrust out his chest, his fists on his hips, in an over dramatic pose.
“Foolish husband,” M...
2024-04-26 14:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Hal awoke to Level Ups he hadn’t bothered to deal with during the day.
Osseochemist reaches Level 5.
You have 15 attribute points awaiting distribution.
Your HP, SP, Spirit, and MP are fully restored.
You have 1 Osseochemist Perk point awaiting assignment.
Some slimes let out squeaking cheers for his success...
2024-04-26 14:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post
Miranda and Sose walked down the steps to the sight of the last battle. A column of blue-white light was their way out. The Dungeon always provided an exit once it was cleared.
However, a glance over her shoulder told her that they could just as easily walk back the way they had come.
“Most irregular,” Miranda muttered to herself.
“That’s Shrubley,” Sose...
2024-04-25 14:00:06 +0000 UTC View Post