What astonished Hal most of all was the lack of bandages or limping from Val. He took the cocoa gratefully, his eyes scanning the back of the room. There, on the other side, working over a cauldron of all things, was Hamrin.
He sprinkled something into the bubbling mass. A flash of magic erupted from his fingertips, and a thin plume of purple smoke wafted from the blac...
2024-04-25 14:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post“More than muchly fisting needed!” Slyrox cried, running from the giant beetle charging towards the group.
Gathering Shadow essence around herself, Miranda stepped into the layered cloak of mana, disappearing from the giant beetle’s senses entirely.
She didn’t feel good about it, but the young adventurers had to learn and grow through the rite of combat. They had to stand on...
2024-04-24 14:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
More than one pair of eyes looked greedily at the card, but nobody raised any objections. Not only because Hal was their Founder, but because it didn’t seem anybody could put forth a better candidate.
Noth, much like Hal, was a very flexible fighter. She had kept more than one person from getting knocked out or worse by using her dark magic spells to leech health fro...
2024-04-24 14:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post
Preparing for battle, Shrubley poured mana into his [Bark Armor] essence ability. If he hadn’t been preoccupied conversing with the Dungeon, he would have built up the Nature defenses earlier.
As it was one of his earliest essence abilities, Shrubley was fairly practiced with its use.
[Bark Armor (Nature)]
Cost: Moderate mana per second<...
2024-04-23 14:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
A glowing bar at the bottom of Hal’s vision tried to grab his attention. Hal grinned, realizing something that they had likely all been too tired or wounded to notice before.
Their Ultimates were ready. Hal called it out, pulling every person in the alliance back into a loose defensive ring. The Tower had just played into their hands without even realizing it.
...
2024-04-23 14:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
A pair of Iron Ranked adventurers escorted Shrubley and his party to the edge of the miasma. They would go no further.
“I’ve already been in there three times,” Remus said. “It’s not worth it to go further. Does something terrible to your head. Hope you lot have a better time than we did.”
“Thank you, Remus,” Shrubley said kindly. “Your help has been m...
2024-04-22 14:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
“New plan,” Hal said, rising to his feet and giving a wink to Kow. “Whether the Tower is aware of our numbers and is actively trying to throw everything it has at us or not, the current strategy of rolling in and fighting everything isn’t working.”
There was some grumbling by the dwarves at that.
Nobody had died, and any severe injury was wiped out with...
2024-04-22 13:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
Shrubley spent hours reading his [Enchanting Manual]. There had been so many types of crafting to pick from. Surprisingly, enchanting had felt right as soon as he came across it.
It agreed with his ethos about the world. That all who live in it should strive to leave it better than they found it. What better profession could embody that than an Enchanter?
They didn’t ...
2024-04-19 14:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
“How didn’t I see them?” Hal wondered aloud.
“Komachi used Treasure Sniff!” the pobul explained. “Shoulda waited for ‘Machi.”
Hal grumbled, but otherwise didn’t argue.
She was right. He had totally forgotten that she was a support type familiar. Her goal was to buff and enhance others, including finding valuable loot.
“I...
2024-04-19 13:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
All eyes turned to Shrubley as he screamed. Once Miranda was able to tell it had nothing to do with her, she turned back to the shopkeeper, Hershil’s, inventory. “You have a lot of manuals here.”
“Lord Hammar is good to the town, my Lady,” Hershil said smoothly. “Many adventurers find things that they can neither identify nor unlock. You know how it is with cursed...
2024-04-18 14:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
“That was fun, ma’am!” Kow cried. His bushy, fluffed up tail wagged rapidly back and forth with excitement. “I even learned a new magic spell.”
Ashera brightened at that and talked with Kow quietly.
A quick triage was set up among the Rangers, who had some small skill with minor wound dressing. People were seen based on the severity of their injuries, t...
2024-04-18 13:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post
The very next morning brought a number of surprises to the group. Not only the Countess’ explanation that a new member would be joining them on their travels, but that it was somebody Shrubley already knew.
Konko was ushered into the private dining room, much to the surprise of Shrubley, Cal, and Smudge. Each of which had previous run-ins with her. None of them good.
...
2024-04-17 14:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
Area Discovered: First Floor (Tower of Blight).
You gain 2,000 Experience Points.
Your Exploration Skill has risen to Level 27.
+10% Faster drawing speed.
+3% Discoverable range.
+0.5% Hidden location discovery.
Hal grinned to himself. He didn’t even fig...
2024-04-17 13:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Miranda made sure to check in on Shrubley frequently. Cal, Smudge, and Slyrox demanded it, even if they knew they couldn’t do anything to help him.
When the little shrub was tucked into bed, Miranda took him to the rooms she had set up for the group. Several people were unhappy about the move, but nobody dared to say anything to the Countess.
“Sometimes having a rep...
2024-04-16 14:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Dwarves, elves, karaks and everyone else talked amongst themselves, trying to sort into their respective parties until the leaders got things under control.
Hal was in charge of his own party, and then it was Mira heading the second group, and finally Durvin in charge of the third. Each adventurer was accustomed to leadership in some capacity or another, so it made sen...
2024-04-16 13:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
“I do not know what you think you can do,” Retima told him as she showed him the patients, “but Lord Hammar wishes you to accompany me, and I will do as my lord asks.”
“Thank you, Miss Retima,” Shrubley said politely. “I am concerned that so many in your fair town have fallen ill. It must be difficult.”
Retima eyed the little monster, unsure if he...
2024-04-15 14:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
More people than a single party could hold wanted to go, and Hal was the one who had to make the final decision. Obviously Noth was his first choice. Not only because she was exceptionally skilled, but because she would probably kill him if he passed her over again for something like this.
There was no excuse Hal could think of to keep her out of harm’s way, and he r...
2024-04-15 13:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
Sitting beside the hospital bed, the Guild Leader, Hammar, listened to Shrubley’s story. Beside them, an older woman was checking the Captain’s vitals. It struck Shrubley was odd that she wasn’t using magic of any kind that he could tell.
Finally, the woman straightened up and made a note on her clipboard. “The green one is right, Hammar. The Captain was having...
2024-04-12 14:00:10 +0000 UTC View Post
“I was content to leave you alone!” Hal growled, balling his fists. “All you had to do was stay away from my home.”
He had only known such anger once. When Val’s Khaeros had nearly killed Besal. Now he felt that old hatred well up in his chest like molten bile.
I’m going to finish this once and for all.
Noth put her arms around him. “...
2024-04-12 13:00:34 +0000 UTC View Post
Komachi collapsed and curled up, breathing labored.
Confused, Chompers opened his lid to howl and began to attack the cart’s side.
Boxes rained down around the mimic.
“Ran. Out. Of. Inventory… Couldn’t stop!” Komachi wheezed.
Chaos reigned until Kai and Sam were able to simultaneously calm the mimic, pick Komachi up, and haul what remained of her c...
2024-04-11 14:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
Count Haalften stared out into the bleak night. Rain lashed the windowpanes as he put a hand gently onto the glass, splaying his fingertips. He looked forlornly for his love.
Thunder rumbled, then crackled in the distance.
“My precious wife,” he whispered miserably. “That monster hero has stolen you away from me. But I will get you back.”
The rain b...
2024-04-11 14:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Noth, it seemed, was well aware of Hal’s arrival.
She met him halfway to the town hall where she was usually found poring over one document or another. Her cute monster slimes bounced along after her, forming long tracks in the snow.
One of them looked a little odd. Hal took a more thorough look and realized it wasn’t a slime at all, but Vorax mimicking a sli...
2024-04-11 13:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
By the time they reached the gates of Talvar, the bandit seeking freedom was getting increasingly nervous. “Hey, what’s this then? You said you would let me go!”
“I am,” Shrubley said. “Once you are properly in the custody of the law, you will be let go.”
He said it so simply that even Miranda had to do a double take.
She ran the ...
2024-04-10 14:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
Sam put chunks of Copper and Tin ore into the Artisan Orb, beginning the crafting process of yet another [Bronze Ingot].
He was determined to push this ingot to at least a +1 quality. He wanted that extra Blacksmithing Experience.
The heat of the [Mobile Forge] was intense within the ramshackle workshop. It didn’t bother him much, though. Apparently high Vigor, a dece...
2024-04-10 14:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Pouring on the speed, Hal burst through the Gloamgate of Brightsong.
Mira and Komachi were in a newly constructed gatehouse. Hal didn’t remember seeing any plans for that anywhere.
“How long has it been?” Hal asked, barging into the gatehouse and letting in frigid drifts of snow.
“Shut the door!” Mira yelled at him.
Komachi, though never con...
2024-04-10 13:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
“You can just let us go,” one of the bandits tried for the tenth time that night. “We’ve learned our ways, honest!”
Shrubley shook his bushy head and continued to haul his cargo. After another careful search for hidden weapons and the like, they struck out again through the Ranmount Pass.
It wasn’t an easy journey by any stretch, and the bandits tried...
2024-04-09 14:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post
“I’m never going to get that smell out of my nose,” Matt said to the darkness. A few candles burned fitfully near his rough-hewn desk, but he didn’t really need them. They helped, but necrams had natural Dark Vision.
“Okay,” he muttered to himself. “Every fourth turn needs to go in the opposite direction.”
While hardly ideal, it was pro...
2024-04-09 14:00:02 +0000 UTC View Post
While Hal slept with a level of peace that only one marked by the Kindred of Dreams could ever achieve, a dark and foul miasma seeped up through the ruined stones of the cavern, seeking any sign of life.
Bereft of the few monsters that once inhabited the cave, the fumes were drawn to the beacon of magical potential sitting in their midst.
The Shadesblight had not...
2024-04-09 13:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Matt was busy grinding away his Alchemy levels when the kingdom quest came through. His eyes brightened at the thought of helping not only Sil’mara, but himself.
Those hellhound molars were proving to be useful in developing alchemical poisons. It was too bad he hadn’t been able to snatch up those hellhound fangs, too. Lenal likely already [Analyzed] them into oblivion, o...
2024-04-08 14:00:06 +0000 UTC View Post
As soon as the black bolt whizzed through the air, Shrubley went into a flurry of motion. He whipped out his shield and sword, swiping through the air at the missile, but the Countess was much faster.
She stepped forward, her long legs propelling her out of Shrubley’s reach. With casual disregard, she snatched the bolt out of the air, snapped it in two, and pointed. ...
2024-04-08 14:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post