by Taj McCoy El
Your party has defeated
Skaduweesp
Level:12
XP: +60
1126XP till next level
Mayah barely heard the ding as she was screaming and pulling at her hair. There’s just not enough time! I can definitely make him something awesome, but I neeeeeeed moooooooar tiiiiiiiime!!!
Every bit of XP she gained added insult to the injury that Grax had suffered. As it was it was getting late, and she needed to get some sleep for tomorrow’s adventure. She would definitely make It up to Grax, she held no qualms about that. But she was running out of time and by her extrapolation, there wasn’t any way to make something for him before he came back. She could definitely make him something but it’s worth wouldn’t be equivalent to his loss, by a large margin. If Grax came back into the game tonight she would just have to explain that to him. Decision made, she sighed in relief.
Now, I have a few days to work out these runes. There are some amazing ones in here.
Ding!!!
Your party has defeated
Skaduweesp
Level:12
XP: +60
1066XP till next level
Geez…. She’s still going at it. She checked the zeroed-out timer and shook her head. So glitched.
I gotta make some weapons that will be effective against those weesps. She turned her focus back to the faded husk of Grax on the other side of the clearing.
Let’s see what he left behind.
She walked over and touched the ghosted body of her fuzzy companion. A list popped up.
Daggers x2 (set)
Take?
23 gold
Take?
Leather pants
Take?
Mask
Take?
Take All?
Y/N
She let out an anxious giggle, seeing she had beat the pants off him, and then her solemn mood crept back in. She took the daggers and the mask and let the rest stay.
Maybe I can do something with these.
She returned to her spot by the fire. And opened her runebook.
We’re going to need to be able to see in the dark and, so far, I’m the only one that can do that. Maybe I can make a light source to start.
She paged through her runes earnestly then, realizing she wasn’t going to be interrupted by anyone. She stopped on the rune for Look (W) which made a magnifying lens.
Look (W)
Creates a focal lense to magnify your sight. Please don’t look at the sun. or any bright lights for that matter.
Cost:
100 MP
Magnification:
x2
Duration:
4 minutes
Cooldown:
5 minutes
She realized wouldn’t do much except extend their range of vision. Continuing on she finally reached the rune for Shadow (S)
Shadow (S)
Allows the essence of shadows to be identified through examination. Shadow magic and creatures will be outlined in a green glow. Increase shadow perception.
Cost:
50MP
Duration: 20
minutes.
Hmmmmm. Maybe? Time to combine some runes. She pulled out her storage crystals finding the one with the items from the Store and thinking about what she could use. Seeing nothing there, she returned them back except for all the fabrics she had gotten from Maam. Guess we’re sewing again.
She popped out a blank book and a few sheets of paper to keep track on her experiments and make sure she was on the right track. She drew a circle on a loose sheet of paper and added the runes to the outside of it. Enchanting it she was rewarded with one of her new favorite sounds.
Ding!!!
You have Created
Name:
Shadow lens
Type:
Visual Aid
Grade:
D
Enchantment #1:
Look (W): Creates a focal lense to magnify your sight.
Enchantment #2:
Shadow (S): Allows the essence of shadows to be identified through examination. Shadow magic and creatures will be outlined in a green glow. Increase shadow perception.
Material:
Cotton
Durability:
30/30
Magnification:
x2
Duration:
10 minutes
Attributes:
Will enhance the viewers ability to see magical shadows.
A globule of water formed in the circle and it slightly magnified the grain of the paper. She picked the paper up and the globule stayed in place without a ripple on its surface.
I should have cut a hole in the paper. And what’s up with that time difference. I really need to up that duration. Maybe?
She quickly pulled out the control boxes that Cloutus had given her. Setting the finished box to the side she quickly pulled apart the components of the unfinished one. She saw runes inside dancing around all types of geometric designs and activated Analyze. She slowly studied each section for about five minutes apiece until the complete blueprint showed in her engineering window. She could tell how everything was put together, but these runes were unknown to her.
She snapped her fingers. I never did give cloutus back the blueprints for the boxes. Need to apologize for that.
She pulled the plans out, unrolled and studied them filling in the data for the unlabeled runes and the names of all the connectors. Her diagrams took on more detail as the measurements from a better source spilled into her mind. She examined under the top and a familiar symbol stood out to her. It was almost the same as the electrical symbol for battery inside of the symbol for generator. As the realization flickered over her consciousness she was rewarded again.
Ding!!!
New Rune:
Mana Source (A,F,W,E,S,L,D,Lf) Level Complete
This rune will accept all forms of mana focused into it. This is one of the runes that is the same in all runic languages.
Bonus: 8x XP Towards Runes Skill for discovering this rune.
Mayah giggled, If this is what this is gonna be like I’m gonna have fun tonight. With that in mind she cross-referenced the runes in the control box with electrical symbols from her studies. Her giggling quickly turned into maniacal laughter before subsiding into a hoarse cackling.
Day Nine - When You Cross a Black Cat
“Anyone who claims that a cat cannot give a dirty look has either never kept a cat or is singularly unobservant.”
- Maurice Burton
9.1 Breaking Fast
Mo started awake to the terrifying feeling of suddenly rising into the air, followed by the equally fearful feeling of falling into the blackness halfway between dreams and reality. He tried to stretch his hands out to brace himself for his impact. They windmilled through the air trying to find purchase on any tangible surface. He found one of those surfaces with his elbow, quickly followed by the side of his head and finally his hips and legs.
You have been attacked
???
Level ???
-22HP Falling
220/242HP
“Uuuuurggggh…” he breathlessly groaned through the pain and tried to orient his senses in the pitch-dark room. He heard the snickers and laughter of someone standing over him. He tried to get to his feet but had to cover his eyes when a small orb of light appeared near the ceiling. It illuminated the figures of Bonkers and a few other knockers holding their bellies laughing.
“Oi told ya this was gon’ta hurt you more than me,” Bonkers said from in front of the crowd. They stood over him weapons sheathed but well in view and their leering smiles looking demonic in the weak orb-light. His bed was on the other side of the room—the side of the room that he had fallen asleep on.
Mo sighed deeply and laid back flat on the floor. Why did I sign up for this?
Bonkers chuckled at Mo’s disparaged face then squatted down by Mo’s head. “No toime for that roigh
t now, young paladin. You’ve got training ta’do.”
“But the sun’s not even out yet! It’s Barely 4 a.m.,” Mo complained.
“Cain’t teach ya this lesson when you’re awake. We had to catch ya all wonky snoozles to droive our point home.” He slammed his fist into his palm with a loud smack to add emphasis,
“And what lesson is that?” Mo asked with a death glare.
“How’ta sleep with ya peepers and plates open.”
Mo rolled over to try and right himself with minimal pain while asking, "I assume that peepers are eyes and what are plates?”
“Those would be these goi-ant useless ‘andles on the soide o’your noggin.” Bonkers reached over grabbing Mo by the ear and forcibly pulling up while adding, “On ya feet, ya lazy layabout don’t ya waste our toime and we won’t waste yours.”
Bonkers released the ear and brushed his grimy hands on his dirty pants.
“The first part of this’ere training is’ta get some food in your belly. To get your brekky vittles, you’ll need to get from’ere to the front door where the food is waiting for youse, alroight?”
Mo nodded. “I’m sure I can do that.” Bonkers raised his eyebrow and a menacing smile split his face showing all his teeth causing a primal part of Mo to react in terror.
“Well, since you’re a gormless numpty and don’t have any questions we’ll leave ya to it then. When the loight goes out you can come out of the room and make your way downstairs. Best of luck to youse.”
The knockers filed out of the room and before the door could completely close, Bonkers turned and popped his face back in.
“Oy!” Bonkers snapped his fingers, “Almost forgot oi did. No weapons or magic skills. Don’t want anyone to lose their temper and kill youse.”
“Wait! What?”
“Toodles.” Bonkers waved and quickly pulled the door shut behind him. Mo raced to the door and pounded on it, but it was locked from the outside and no one responded.
Maybe a test of courage? Some obstacle course? He pondered his fate and was relieved this was only a game. Oh, well, I guess I’ll find out in a mo.
He chuckled at his wordplay.
After five minutes the orb light went out, and he waited a bit for whatever night vision he had to kick in. His HP had regened to full from the fall while he waited. Realizing it was just going to be pitch black till he opened the door, he got on with it.
Feeling his way over to the door and finding the latch he lifted it and opened the door. He took a single cautious step out into the hallway hands extended in front of him feeling for any obstacles. Head swiveling left and right in the hopes that he could hear something. As soon as he lifted his foot to take another step he was kicked firmly in the chest. He could tell it was a kick because his hands were forced to clap, and he could feel the foot slip from his grasp as he flew backwards into the room. He landed with a thud and a few scrapes. He tried to catch his breath as the door slammed shut and a notification clouded his view.
You have been attacked
???
Level ???
-32HP Sparta Kick
213/245HP
A blind fight sure sounds like fun. Guess I need to try that again.
Mo checked his character sheet to see what skills he could best utilize without breaking the no magic skills rule.
Name:
Mojo Boomstar
Race:
Maglodite
Alignment:
Chaotic Good
Title(s)
Maglord
Class Skill:
Level 2 Speedster
Class Skill Points
Specialization:
Electrify
10
Level:
10
XP:
554/745
Hp:
245
Regen:
9.57HP
per minute*
*+50% to HP and Stamina when speed is disengaged -50% to HP and Stamina regen when speed is engaged - Speedster Class All regen rates shown at rest.
Stats
Strength
14
Max. lift
102lbs
Mana:
8
Mana pool:
240MP
MP Regen:
2.65 per sec.
Stamina:
13
Depletion rate at max effort
.41SP
per sec.
Regen:
11.40 per min.
Attributes
Bonuses
Constitution:
9
0%
Endurance
13
+21%
Intelligence
7
+28%
Presence:
1
+15%
Perception:
8
+23%
Agility:
17 (base 14)
+26%
Abilities
Acrobat Level: 7 (+19% to Agility)
God Arms Level: 3 (+9% to Agility)
Skills
Level
Electrify
7
Slide
4
Grease
2
While they were moot points at the moment, he still loved his skill set. Electrify, at his current level, let him cover 13% of his body with an electrical field which he would use for punches and kicks to devastating effect. Slide would let him dodge mostly anything by sliding away without moving his feet.
It’s like my own invisible short distance skateboard and great for getting behind enemies.
His newest skill was grease. An age old AOE that made an oil slick to trap his enemies, making them slip and take fall damage while wasting stamina. As an added benefit, the grease was flammable and electrify provided a handy spark. On top of that when he activated Electrify on the soles of his feet while using slide, he would gain almost three times the distance he normally would. With slide and electrify he could set the grease on fire by coasting right through. None of these amazing combos were usable for this challenge so, he looked at the two abilities he had.
God arms would help, some—if this was a fight. A rapid strike ability allowing him to throw rapid punches and multiple feints from various angles in a split second. He had gotten it with his speedster abilities during training. Ziggs said he looked like the goddess Kali—except ya know, male. Ziggs had recorded him practicing and it looked as if he had four arms. As he leveled it, he expected to show more arms.
The best overall gifts he had were his acrobat and the agility boost he received. While practicing parkour in the training village he had unlocked the ability and had been grinding it ever since. When he got the speedster class, he was doubly happy for it once he realized how much he would have wiped out if he didn’t have the boost.
"I can’t use my normal tricks to get out of here. Looks like I need to turn up the Speed.” He smiled and fumbled around the room for the door once more. His hand landed on the latch, and he engaged his speedster ability. While time seemed normal to him, he knew he was moving at 3 times the speed he was before. His Stamina was depleting at 1.5 times his max drain, and he was standing still.