by Adam Myhr
The room was lit by a lantern in the ceiling. It appeared to be a bedchamber of sorts. The door behind me had a bar that could latch it in place from this side, which I unconsciously pushed over.
The door was in a corner, with a wall immediately to my right. Across from me was a chest. To my left was a bed sticking out from the wall. On the other side of the bed, a small trickle of water flowed down the far-left wall, gathering in a pool on the wall which spilled over and through a small hole in the floor. There was nothing else, and the place was cleaner than I would expect after being up close and personal with the goblin’s filth.
I laid down on the bed and let a few turns pass, thinking maybe some rest would help me. Nothing seemed to happen, so I got up and examined the chest.
The chest was made from a dark wood I didn’t recognize. It was very sturdy, and the top was held down tightly by a latch. A tarnished brass lock was in the latch, preventing anyone from opening the chest. With barely a thought I pushed in my recently acquired key and turned.
The lock clicked open smoothly, falling away as the latch popped open. I found my heart racing as I lifted the lid of the chest to see what lay inside. My excitement was slightly dulled at seeing a black stone ring and a small test tube of some light purplish liquid inside.
Ring: Effects: ? +3 Exp
Small Light Purple Vial: Effects ? +3 Exp
I opened the vial and sniffed. The liquid inside had a faint artificial grape smell, like the cheap drinks amusement parks sold for kids. I’d always liked that flavor, so I downed the shot-glass sized beverage.
Item identified: Small Health Vial
+10 HP
You have learned the effect of a Small Health Vial. +5 Exp
I immediately felt better, almost whole even. Glancing at the HUD, I saw my health back up to 12 and let out a sigh of relief. With that win, I decided to go for broke and put on the ring.
Item identified: Minor Cursed Ring of Cracked Stone
-1 HP every 10 attacks
You have learned the effect of a Minor Cursed Ring of Cracked Stone. +5 Exp
Congratulations, you have earned a level!
You are now level 2!
HP total increased by 6!
SP total increased by 0!
You have gained 1 skill point!
I tried to pull the ring off, but it didn’t budge. Pulling more started to hurt, as if the ring had grown spikes into my skin. I looked more closely at my finger. It had turned red around the ring. I couldn’t move the ring, not even to rotate it. Examining the ring gave me the stats again, but no indication of how to get rid of the damn thing.
I tried biting the ring, spitting on my finger, and washing it in the small pool to no avail. Nothing I could do would get rid of it. With a sigh I gave in, looking around the room to see if I had missed anything the first time. Seeing nothing else worth my time I ate my last ear of corn and half of my remaining fish. Fully restored and filled I set out to find the stairway down, not running into any of the imps on my way back.
Approaching the stairwell, I was greeted again by a warning message.
Advance to a new area, are you sure?
I paused for a moment. Do I really have another choice? I could’ve gone back to the cave and blindly looked for the outside world, but who knew if I’d find it before my food ran out. It seemed to me the best move was down, deeper into the lair these imps shared with a goblin. I selected no, assigned my skill point to short blades, and started down
You have bought Short Blades (2)!
A blade is a tool, and you know how to use it. You can do more damage in combat now! +5 Exp, +1 Str
Frank: Average Human
Str:7
Dex:7
Con:6
Int:6
Wis:5
Luck:6
HP:22 (22)
SP:0 (0)
Food:100% (54/60)
Turn:1155
Exp:161
Lvl:2
Weapon:
Rusty Machete
Normal, 2-5
Armor:
Dirty Farmer’s Overalls
0
Minor Cursed Ring of Cracked Stone
Equipment:
.5 dried fish, flint & steel, 2 torches, 1 torch (152), kindling, dull old rusty ax, old iron dagger
Silver: 14
Skills:
Ax Wielding (1)
Dodge (1)
Firestarter (1)
Fishing (1)
Medicine (1)
Short Blades (2) +1 Dam
Stealth (1)
Magic:
Ten
The stairwell was longer than I expected, the stone walls changing color as I descended. My descent was compelled. I had no control over the speed I went or what I looked at on the way. It was a strange feeling. Rounding the last corner, I stepped into a small room and was greeted by a thunderous boom. Just as I regained control of my body, I was pushed forward by the concussion of a collapsing stairwell.
I caught myself before I fell forward, coughing and waving dust out of my face. I looked around at my new home. The walls were layered with brick from floor to ceiling. There were inset alcoves on both sides of the room holding lit torches. The ceiling was natural rock, darker than the rock above had been. The air smelled stale as if nobody had been down here for ages.
The only way out of the room was now a door along one wall. It was heavier than the doors above, banded with iron. I opened it, the hinges groaning loudly in protest.
The hallway revealed ended in a T not far ahead. Glancing both directions, I saw a door one way and a turn in the hall the other. I examined the door.
Locked Door. Key or lockpick required. +1 Exp
Still unable to get through a locked door I went back to the passageway. I peered left around the corner, seeing the hallway turn right shortly ahead. I also heard some clicking noises in the distance. I followed the hallway, first turning right and then slowly curving right. Cobwebs started to appear along the way, and the clicking got louder and louder. Some of the torches weren’t lit, dimming the hallway.
I came to another T intersection. The clicking noises were much louder here and came from the left. The torches stopped in that direction, plunging the hall into darkness just a short way down. To the right the torches picked back up, the cobwebs growing fewer down the hall. I turned right and continued along the hall until I came to a door on the right.
The door was ajar. Peering through the crack, I saw a dark room with the same style as the hallways I was walking. I listened intently but could hear nothing. Readying my machete, I pushed the door open.
The light from the hallway spilled into the room, providing dim illumination. I stepped in cautiously, looking all over with each step.
CRACK!
I jumped and looked all over, my heart racing. I’d stepped on a small bone of some kind. The silence around me had amplified the sound. I was about to take another step when I noticed a large shadow to my right. I couldn’t quite make it out, so I turned and examined it.
A spider, the size of a German Shepard, jumped at me, missing by inches and landing next to me! The bone had saved me from being underneath the creature. I forced myself to pause, wanting nothing more than to hack away at the thing like mad. Thick legs sprouted from its hairy body. Its abdomen was right next to me, covered in veins that pulsed as its heartbeat. Underneath eight dull gray eyes saliva dripped from its mouth, the pincher’s quivering in apparent anticipation of sinking into my flesh.
I brought the machete down across its body and was rewarded with a squeal of pain.
You slashed a giant spider! 4 Damage
The spider turned and lunged at me, getting a glancing bite on my leg in the process.
A giant spider bit you! -3 HP
I stabbed down at the spider’s head this time, cutting through a couple of its eyes as the blade slid down the side of its skull.
You stabbed a giant spider! 5 Dama
ge
The move had left me more open than I realized. The spider took advantage of the position and bit down hard on my ankle.
A giant spider bit you! -7 HP
A little breathing room suddenly appealed to me. I stepped to the spider’s side, hacking at one of the legs as I went.
You slashed a giant spider! 3 Damage
Hitting the leg was like smacking a steel pole with a metal bat, my hand almost felt numb from the impact. The spider turned towards me with surprising agility, narrowly missing me due more to my involuntary reaction than anything I did on purpose. With my hand still stinging just a little a decided to back up instead of pressing the attack. While it did prevent the spider from getting another move in, I was now against the wall and had little room to evade.
My hand felt better, but I had nowhere to go. I swung up across the spider’s face, trying to let my momentum carry me to the side a little.
You slashed a giant spider! 5 Damage
You defeated a giant spider! +10 Exp
My machete cut through the spider’s head, sending a spray of brain matter flying as I finished the follow-through. Its legs quivered as they collapsed inward, the lifeless body no longer able to hold itself up. I stabbed it again, just to be sure the vile creature was dead.
The danger gone, I looked around the room to see if I could salvage anything from this encounter. Dust and grime covered shelves lined the room. I found some broken arrows and dry, cracked leather. In the corner the spider had attacked from, I found hollow husks of spiderweb as big as pumpkins. Some bone fragments were scattered throughout the room. Sighing at my misfortune, I left the room and continued down the hallway.
The hallway ended in a left turn and a room. I glanced around the room to see a clear space at one end with a few rows of benches spanning the rest of the room. The dust was thick and undisturbed, so I continued to the left. Shortly I came to a branch; I could turn right or head forward. To the right was a faint smell of spice, so I went that way, finding an open room to the left just a short way down the passage. The smell of spices was coming from this room. The room was filled with crates and barrels.
I pried the closest one to me open with the machete. It fell apart revealing nothing inside. There was something cathartic about breaking the crate open. I immediately broke the next one open, feeling intense pleasure at the experience. I was so enamored with opening it I almost missed the silver coin that spilled onto the ground. I broke every crate and barrel in that room, finding a few pieces of silver, some dried beef, and a few arrows. Noting my HUD, I quickly ate the beef.
+5 % Food
You have learned the effect of dried beef. +1 Exp
I pressed on through the room and out the back, finally feeling as if I was finding something worthwhile. The other side of the room opened to another hallway which I followed to the left. It curved back on me, and I soon found myself facing a door to the right or going forward a bit to the same hallway I found the last room on. Not wanting to back-track I cautiously opened the door.
The room was dimly lit as compared to the rest of the place. It was long and shallow from where I stood. There were bunk beds scattered throughout the room suggesting it used to be a barracks. I heard some scraping and bumping noises from the right. Following the noise with my eyes, I saw a door in the wall. I glanced back around the room and didn’t see anything worth taking a closer look at, so I went to the door. The noise got louder as I came closer. Whatever was scraping around was on the other side of the door.
The noise stopped when I got to there. Crouching down I leaned in cautiously, placing my ear on the door to hear better. As soon as I touched the door, it flew open. My hair rustled as something flew past above my head, smacking into the doorway.
I stumbled back and to my feet, finding myself face to face with the grin of a small humanoid skeleton. It lunged at me, swinging the club in its hand.
A goblin skeleton bashed you! -4 HP
With a thought, my machete was in hand. I took a swing at the skeleton, not sure where to aim for best effect. My hesitation resulted in a miss. The skeleton responded by pressing the attack, hitting my arm as I recovered.
A goblin skeleton bashed you! -3 HP
Determined to turn the tide of battle I side-stepped and brought my machete down hard into the arm holding the club.
You chopped a goblin skeleton! 4 Damage
It swung at the spot I just vacated. Its miss helped me get my breathing back under control so I could look at what was going on. The skeleton had some dried muscle still attached to the bone in places, skin in others. The stick it carried didn’t hurt as some of the sharper weapons had, but I knew it would get the best of me if I wasn’t careful. It had pushed into the bunk room with me. Light shone through the door I’d just been at, casting a bright spot on the floor. I saw an opening for my attack based on the skeletons miss and swung hard at its back.
You chopped a goblin skeleton! 5 Damage
In a surprisingly smooth motion, the skeleton turned and slapped me across the face with the club, setting stars in my vision for just a moment.
A goblin skeleton bashed you! -5 HP
The move put it right in front of me and wide open. I swung my machete up through the front of the skeleton, lifting it from the force.
You slashed a goblin skeleton! Critical Hit! (x1.5) 7 Damage
The skeleton stumbled back under the onslaught, ribs dropping from its body. It weakly brought the club back around, attempting to sweep my legs out from under me. I was able to dodge the swing, responding by slashing the skeleton across the chest once more.
You slashed a Goblin skeleton! 4 Damage
You defeated a goblin skeleton! +13 Exp
The skeleton’s bones shattered under the force of my hit, flying off to the side. For a moment the head and shoulders hung there, before falling to the ground as a pile of dust. The only thing left of the skeleton was its weapon.
Wooden Club
Picture a really hard, thick, stick. Now picture it bashing your skull in. Normal, Damage 3-5 Exp + 1
I left it there and went through the doorway.
Frank: Average Human
Str:7
Dex:7
Con:6
Int:6
Wis:5
Luck:6
HP:10 (22)
SP:0 (0)
Food:100% (42/60)
Turn:1212
Exp:186
Lvl:2
Weapon:
Rusty Machete
Normal, 2-5
Armor:
Dirty Farmer’s Overalls
0
Minor Cursed Ring of Cracked Stone
Equipment:
.5 dried fish, flint & steel, 2 torches, 1 torch (152), kindling, dull old rusty ax, old iron dagger
Silver: 22
Skills: (1)
Ax Wielding (1)
Dodge (1)
Firestarter (1)
Fishing (1)
Medicine (1)
Short Blades (2)
Stealth (1)
Magic:
Eleven
There were more bones scattered across the floor in here than in the bunkroom, along with some weapons so rusty they fell apart when I tried to pick them up. This room appeared to be a washroom, with pits along one wall and a small waterfall along the other. Opposite the door I came in was another, similar door.
I approached the door and listened for something on the other side, not daring to touch it. I passed a few turns and heard nothing. No movement. No breathing. I readied the machete and cautiously pushed the door open. The room was much like the bunk room behind me may have looked years ago. There were bunks around the room which had a lived-in look to them. The floor was more or less clean, and light shone in from both the room I was standing in and a door in the left wall.
I went in and took a closer look at some of the bunks. The grimy blankets had the same homeless person smell I’d encountered e
arlier, though not as strong. I took a closer look at one, finding nothing but hearing something.
I looked around the room and saw a goblin walking in. It hadn’t noticed me yet, giving me a little bit of an edge. I wouldn’t be able to get to it and hit in one turn, so I crouched down, hiding against the bunk I was next to.
The goblin stepped into the room and turned towards the washroom. There was no way for it to miss the open door, so I had to strike now. I jumped out, driving the machete forward as I landed near the goblin.
You stabbed a goblin! Sneak Attack! (x2) 8 Damage
I let out a yelp of pain after hitting the goblin. My finger stung with pain. Looking down I could see blood dripping out from under the ring on stuck on it.
A ring bit you! -1 HP
The goblin lurched forward from the force of my blow, drawing a sword and turning to face me. It didn’t attack, but I swore I saw a smile cross its face.
I swung my machete at the goblins face, hoping to get a strong hit on it. Its head was too small a target, but I did manage to come down at enough of an angle to still get it on the shoulder.
You slashed a goblin! 4 Damage
The goblin drove its sword into my side, hitting the bone before it yanked the sword out.
A goblin stabbed you! -7 HP
As the sword came out, I heard steps behind me. Glancing back, I saw another goblin entering the room through the darkness at the edges of my sight. I looked back at the goblin in front of me, looking much better than I felt. A quick glance at the HUD showed just how bad a place I was in. I had 2 HP and no options left. Maybe I’ll wake up back on the table, finally out of this place. I swung the sword low, attempting to step past the goblin while slashing its leg.
You slashed a goblin! 5 Damage
The goblin near the door made a strange chanting noise. I turned just in time to see a dark hammer shape with glowing purple edges flying at me. The pain as it hit me was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. I felt my flesh tear as the hammer drove into my chest, caving my torso in around itself. My heart was crushed, and I couldn’t breathe. As the world faded from sight, the sensations of pain from my body increased. I felt myself falling to the floor as I lost consciousness, screaming wordlessly.