by R J Triveri
Recommended Party Size: Four
Average Wild One Rank: Six
Medium Wild One Density
One Boss Wild One: Witch Dryder (One of three in rotation)
Tile set: Underwater Cave, Underground city B
Wild Ones: Spider, Dryder, Elemental Spawn
Trap Types: None
Loot-Table Type: D1 Common to D3 Common
Unique Qualities: The Dungeon of Land-Locked Tides closes for a week during the full moon cycle in Ciber’s Northern hemisphere. Any within the dungeon will be drowned or trapped within the city district. During this time, a special dungeon set is triggered. See [Locked] Dungeon of the High Tide: Rank Nine for more information.
As recorded PreSIFS, the dungeon was discovered by Sandra Saris, Inciperian Year 3AH (Cleared).
Dungeon Logged in video by streamer NightmareBabe1, known in Incipere as Mara Theorone.
Last Edited by: Smitty
“Lame,” River sighed as she read the entry to herself. “We have plenty of time though before it locks, right?”
Dante nodded. “The new moon just started two days ago. We’ve got a month if we need it. Shouldn’t take that long though.”
“Typical run time?” she asked.
“Five hours.”
Her grin grew more determined as she gripped the hilt of her wide-bladed sword. “Give us two and a half.”
Dante looked at her with a cautious, neutral face. “You sure, River? We’ve been pushing pretty hard. We could always call it for the night and come back tomorrow after we’ve rested a bit. We’ve still got a long way to go.”
“What’s your integrity?” River asked plainly, wondering just where the fledging Seeker was at. “I thought I kept you pretty fresh.”
“Ninety-six percent.” Though he knew his friend could see it just fine in the party window. “But really…”
“No,” she said sternly. “We’ve come this far. I have to do this.”
There was no arguing with the woman when her mind was set, so with a nod to his partner, Dante held his focus high and concentrated. “Fulgoris.”
Skill cost extracted: Dante Rior - 92% Integrity Remaining
His words summoned a shimmering light that radiated from his focus. With a satisfied smile, he studied it for a moment before he fell in behind River.
“Ready?” River asked as she hefted the sword up onto her shoulders. “If you aren’t, say the word.”
Dante smiled, held the orb forward, and said nothing as the pair took their first steps into their first real dungeon on Incipere.
***
River Hexi: Damage Received - 76% Integrity Remaining
Shit, shit, shit! Another blade came down, nearly colliding with River’s shoulder as she fell backwards to avoid the strike from the witch-class spider-woman. “I thought you said this was a rank-three dungeon!”
Dodging a blade himself from the witch’s floating arsenal and hiding behind one of the potion-covered tables, Dante cried out, “It is! This is insane! At least a rank five!” With a moment of rest, Dante triggered his second-most useful ability and focused on the Wild One Boss. A soft, green glow entered his vision as his skill began to take hold, but River’s next near-miss was enough to break his concentration. “Do you mind keeping her attention, River? I can’t focus on her.”
Bringing her sword to bear with the sound of ringing steel, her sword became a shield. A second ringing signaled that another of the floating blades met her resistance. “Tell that to her!” River screamed over the sound of steel meeting steel. With a flourish of her over-sized blade, she rejected the blade’s advances and got herself back into a better defensive stance. “I hate fucking giant spider-people!”
“I tried to warn you,” Dante groaned to himself before trying to re-trigger his skill. “Just hold her off for a second. Okay?”
River looked back from behind her shielding weapon as she spoke. Her words strained as she held back the force of the boss from Dante. “Easier said than done.”
The Wild One boss’s voice clicked and cried as she spoke her venom-laced words. “My tasty morsels, I have seen many more than you try to escape my web. Stop your struggling, and simply surrender. Your data will spoil if you continue this, and I must feed while it’s still fresh!”
A crash of metal against metal signaled River’s reply as her growing combat prowess spoke her answer as she landed a solid hit against the dryder’s right side with an equally sharp curse following her blade’s wake.
With the dryder’s attention on River, Dante was able to finally use one of his more focus-intensive skills. Quietly, he drew all of his attention to the creature rather than her attacks and said the magic word, “Scan.”
A flash of green fireflies in his vision soon condensed around the creature in a field only he could see. The flies swarmed around the creature, permeating the surface of the creature for as long as Dante could keep his focus. A moment later, the data dump returned to him with his reward:
Scan Complete!
86% Successful.
Blightska, Dryder Witch of the Bog
Rank 10 - Witch Warden
72% Integrity Remaining
Status: Good
Skills - Alchemy, Elemental Magic, Weapon Summoning, Ethereal Control
Most commonly used skills: Fulgoris, Flash, Create Energy Blades, Create Metal Blades, Throw, Telekinesis
Common Drops: Uncommon Focus, Uncommon Blade, Bytes, Loot Table DB 1
Three phases (1/3)
Data has been added to your reference tome.
After a few moments, Dante relayed the information to his partner. “Keep hitting her!”
“That’s all you can tell me?” River groaned as another blade clanged from her makeshift shield before vanishing back into data. “You’re absolutely no help, Dante.” Peeking out from around the giant weapon, she asked as politely as possible, “Can’t you just die?”
“My dear, I am so close to my first meal in so very long.” Her voice seemed a bit confused as she continued. “Why would I give up on such a feast?”
“Blade crash!” River cried as she triggered her weapon skill. Leaping from her position, she used the force of gravity to her advantage and rammed her blade into the other’s chest where the human-like half of the dryder met the spider’s bulbous form. There was an audible, sickening slap of iron against flesh before she continued forward, bringing the dryder into a pincer between her and the carefully positioned Seeker.
“Fine, then I guess you don’t want this Fulgoris,” Dante added moments after River’s attack left the witch stunned. Of course, her friend was no slack as the energy rushed from his avatar.
Skill cost extracted: Dante Rior - 82% Integrity Remaining
It didn’t take long for the spell’s activation cost to drain Dante’s operating data in a familiar, numbing way. The glow of his focus intensified before a bolt of pure energy took flight and connected with its target in a shower of golden sparks and kinetic force.
Despite the impressiveness of the contact, the Wild One shrugged the attack off as if it were nothing, but a moment later, the swords of the spider-woman were replaced in a flash by floating orbs similar in appearance to Dante’s focus just a moment before the Fulgoris took flight. A soft, dangerous glow lit the room in its sickly light before she spoke again.
“Darkness will help me to feast!” the dryder cried as she fell back from between the pair.
With the echo of her words, the orbs began to glow degrees stronger and gave the two a better look at the boss chamber. A few tables of alchemical supplies, a small bed, and a large archway decorated the room in a way that just barely made it look livable. The madness in the creature’s eight, humanoid eyes was in full display as the toxic, soft green light reached its peak and erupted from the orbs. The orb’s energy bolts crashed loudly against the opposite side of the room as the pair dodged the obvious attack. What remained of the energy danced through the puddles with a crackle of life before dying away.
<
br /> The next shot slammed into a prepared River, but for all the good the giant shield of a sword had done for the woman, it was hard for it to defy the hard-coded laws of conductivity as the green electricity arced through the blade, into her body, and shot through each and every nerve ending before searching for a ground anywhere it could find it through her.
River Hexi: Damage Received - 67% Integrity Remaining
Her scream of pain was short, and though Dante was swifter and had less inclination in becoming a lighting rod, a stray bolt still found his arm and used his data like a prepared circuit into the waterlogged patch of ground under him.
Dante Rior: Damage Received - 52% Integrity Remaining
Pain fired on all cylinders as the spider’s clicking laughter scratched at their ears. “Such will be your final moments. Take them well!” The orbs began to glow again as she moved towards Dante first. In her mind, River could wait as she killed the easier target.
Skill cost extracted: Dante Rior - 48% Integrity Remaining
“Fulgoris!” Dante cried as the stone in his hand released its light again and crashed into the boss-level Wild One, leaving them all at the mercy of the dryder’s glowing orbs as she shakily stepped backwards…
Right into River’s waiting blade.
With a few basic strikes, River began wearing down the dryder boss as she used the blade almost like a heavy mace. The duller edge didn’t deal as much damage as the sheer weight, but that didn’t stop her as she continued the combo into her favorite move. “Blade…”
Ability mutation triggered! Blade Crash has become Blade Rush!
A small smile crossed her face at the new message, but the hesitation of the skill mutation broke her combo, and the dryder escaped with a loud hiss and clicking of teeth as she crawled up the nearest wall. Skittering away, the orbs she used began to melt into nothingness, and Dante scrambled to pull his light back into being.
“What happened?” he asked as the soft light of his usual utility spell filled the room again. The dryder witch was nowhere to be seen, and not a sound of her skittering feet made themselves known. A moment later, he was at River’s back while she kept an eye on his.
“I think we moved phases again,” River answered matter-of-factly.
“Kind of obvious,” her friend replied before he reviewed the scanned information.
Irritated, she tried to remember what Dante had told her earlier. “You said there were three from your scan, right?”
Dante nodded to himself as he checked the information. “I just can’t believe we dealt that much damage to burn through to phase three, but if swords were phase one and the orbs were phase two…”
River returned his nod as her eyes scanned her half of the room. “Now we’ve got something new for phase three,” she finished for him. A silence filled the area before she felt a familiar itch of uncertainty and boredom. “See her?”
“Not a leg or a lock,” he returned. She could feel his body loosen as he pulled away from her back to take his light into the few dark corners that remained.
“Shit,” came River’s sharp response as not a sound echoed or a click clicked.
Not at first anyways.
Soon, the sounds of clicking, chattering creatures began to fill their ears as tiny spiders began to pour in from portholes on the sides of the room like water rushing from a punctured glass. Like a horror movie tapping into a primal fear, the dark, fuzzy-looking forms with their crimson eyes and chattering fangs began coating the walls and fixing their deep-red eyes on the pair as a voice echoed from everywhere at once as she announced the obvious intent of the small creatures.
“Now, my children will feast upon your souls!”
Chapter Four: Select Words Among Friends
“Dante!” River cried as she swung her sword in an arc, fragmenting the first few of the spiders. “You’re up!”
This is going to suck… “Keep the healing pots coming!” Dante ordered as he went to the attack. Harsh, red light sprung to life and replaced the glowing yellow of Dante’s orb. Despite the high damage that a mage could put out, there was one major drawback to being a pure magic class without weapon skill mitigation for his spells. “Pyros!”
Skill cost extracted: Dante Rior - 72% Integrity Remaining - Spell Channeling intent has been confirmed.
Pure magic, the power of the gods themselves, had a high price for mortals like him.
Power sapped from Dante’s body as he felt the rush of an arcane power surge that always accompanied his more powerful spells. As his integrity dropped, the red light of his focus spilled out into the air beyond the pair and ignited the room into Hell incarnate. Screaming balls of legs and fangs flung themselves forward at an unseen command, but the life-stealing flames continued to burn as he traded his integrity for each and every one of theirs. To his credit or as a testament to his power, the burning corpses exploded into a shower of data and loot before they could get close enough to become a real threat as River cleaned up the few remaining within the sphere of flames.
Skill channeled: Dante Rior - 60% Integrity Remaining
Skill channeled: Dante Rior - 55% Integrity Remaining
Skill channeled: Dante Rior - 50% Integrity Remaining
Warning: Continued use of Spell Channeling will result in reduced functionality. Continue?
The sounds of screaming spiders assaulting the barrier of flames had no intent of stopping if the air-filling screams were any indication. Knowing how he would feel when things were said and done, Dante could do nothing else but push on.
Yes, Dante confirmed grimly to his system message.
Skill channeling confirmed: Dante Rior - 45% Integrity Remaining
Damage Recovered: Dante Rior - 70% Integrity Remaining
Steeling his focus forward against the oncoming storm of spiders, Dante continued to pour integrity as River streaked his flesh with healing salves whenever he reached the danger threshold. For five minutes, longer than Dante had thought possible, he felt his life drain and recover before draining again as he held off the storm meant for five. The pull on his mind was maddening as he felt more than once he was about to reach his limit.
Finally, the gnashing, skittering noises stopped, and the flames died soon after. A few more seconds passed, and still nothing came. No gnashing. No skittering. No sound of life outside of their breathing made itself known.
Skill channeling canceled: Dante Rior - 46% Integrity Remaining
A heavy weight came off of Dante’s shoulders as his focus returned to his side. “Phase three sucks.”
River nodded in agreement. They had burned twenty healing potions in that encounter section alone; taking the last of the thirty they had come with, she handed it to him with an air of urgency. “Heal up. Stay back unless we need something like that again. If it follows normal game logic though, I don’t think she can do that again.”
Damage Recovered: Dante Rior - 71% Integrity Remaining
As soon as the salve’s effect kicked in, River watched as some semblance of stability returned to Dante’s actions, but they both knew he was reaching his hard limit. Unlike his physical condition, the mental strain of spell casting could only be dealt with by time and relaxation. Ah, the interesting life of Inciperian mages was a magnificent thing. At least, it could be called that before the mental break had a chance to set into them and put him out of commission for an entire day if he pressed it too far.
Dante nodded as he reached his limit and tried to relax the best he could in a boss lair. All around, he watched as the dark room glittered with softly glowing bytes, small treasure in the form of a few scrolls, crafting materials, and strangely enough, food. With the small lull in activity, Dante and River picked up a few of the closer items and examined them:
88x [Cooked Miniature Spider Legs]
Consumable
+5% integrity
5% chance to impart the buff, Sticky Fingers
Cooked either by accident or on purpose, these meaty spider leg
s have had their shells burned away, leaving behind a succulent, soft meat free of poison and hair. Most people might stick up their noses at it, but their healing properties are hard to ignore. Those with less than gracious natures also enjoy the rare status one can gain from eating them.
11x [Spider Eyes]
Crafting Material/Consumable
-3% Integrity
30% chance to impart the status, poisoned and/or nauseous
The red, ever-looking eye of a spider minion. Used in a variety of potions, poisons, and pranks. Eating is not suggested but is possible.
250x [Ash]
Crafting Material/Consumable/Junk
-10% Integrity
50% chance to cure ingested poisons
50% chance to cause sickness
The remains of burned organic matter. Some say it can cure poisons, others say it can make you sick. Used to create a variety of base-level materials for crafting and brewing.
Reaching for a particularly shiny piece of loot, River was brought back to attention by the sounds of an echoing, gnashing of hollow fangs and the clanking of steel-like chitin. Erupting from one of the passages and reaching the main-chamber-turned-tomb, the noise turned into a hapless wail of loss.
“My children! What have you done to them!”
The boss had returned, and was a little less than pleased with the results of her phase transition.
River wasted no time drawing the creature’s aggression with a playful, dark smile dancing in the soft light that the dryder brought with her. “The same thing we’re going to do to you, bitch.”
Dante smirked a bit as her taunt had its intended effect. Every time she used the skill, she had to call the target a bitch. He had still never gotten a straight answer if it was part of the skill trigger or not, but he always found it just a bit funny when she called rabbits, large deer, and the occasional owl-beast bitches.
Funny or not, Blightska leapt at her new target. Despite her giant form, she was frighteningly nimble. Eight armored legs hung in the air like a cloud before she fell like a meteor towards the dungeon’s damp, corpse-ridden floor. River dodged to the left and lined her blade up to strike into the prone flank not a moment later.