by Adam Myhr
A small temple elf punched you! -2 HP
Staggering back slightly in surprise, I swiped at it with my sword, missing by a mile. It bobbed and weaved in front of me, getting two punches off before I could act again. One glanced off my vest, but the other connected with my thigh.
A small temple elf punched you! -1 HP
More in control of myself now I watched his pattern for a moment before striking, drawing blood on one leg.
You slashed a small temple elf! 4 Damage
It took another jab at me, trying to throw its weight behind it. I was able to avoid the slower punch and saw an opening.
You stabbed a small temple elf! 6 Damage
The new line of blood along its stomach didn’t seem to faze it at all. The only response I got was a series of blows to my abdomen.
A small temple elf punched you! -1 HP
A small temple elf punched you! -1 HP
A small temple elf punched you! -1 HP
While each hit was relatively weak, getting a flurry of them at once was painful. I gritted my teeth and brought the sword down hard on the elf's shoulder.
You slashed a small temple elf! Critical hit! (x1.5) 7 Damage
You defeated a small temple elf! +8 Exp
The room fell silent as the elf hit the floor. A quick glance told me it wasn’t worth searching the elf, pocket-less shorts the only thing it wore. I was surprised at how much damage it had managed to do in such a short time. Fearing my low hit points might not last in a fight, I decided to spend the skill point I received from leveling up on Dodge.
You have bought Dodge (2)!
You are now harder to hit. Turtles have nothing on you! Expect the ninja kind. They’ll kick your ass. +5 Exp, +1 Dex
Next, I ate a couple of pieces of fruit. Seeing myself only up to 9 I ate my last two.
With the fight finished I was finally able to look around the room. More bags were hanging from the ceiling in varying shapes and sizes. I also saw targets along the far wall, and a roped off ring behind me. It was definitely a training room and had nothing to offer me.
I went back out to the junction and across the hall. Approaching the steps, I was greeted by the now familiar prompt asking if I wanted to leave the area. With no hesitation, I selected yes and started up the steps.
Frank: Average Human
Str:5
Dex:7
Con:5
Int:5
Wis:6
Luck:6
HP:13 (15)
SP:0 (0)
Food:100% (44/50)
Turn:263
Exp:89
Lvl:1
Weapon:
Tarnished Steel Short Sword
Normal, 3-6
Armor:
Tree Folk Basic Outfit
0
Leather Vest
2
Equipment:
lock picks, 2.5 pieces dried venison, 1 dried peach, Small Light Brown Vial
Silver: 13
Skills:
Dodge (2)
Short Blades (1)
Magic:
Fourteen
As I circled the staircase, I was compelled to open a trapdoor above me. I climbed out into a room, the door silently sinking into the floor behind me. I could see no indication of how to get it open again. The room was small and square with an opening to a hallway in one corner. Small piles of trash littered the room, and everything was covered with a fine layer of dust. I paused in the doorway, glancing into the hall before entering.
To my right, the hallway went for some distance before turning left. To my left, it ended at a T just a few feet ahead. I inched closer to the T, smelling something old and stale as I moved along. To the left, I found a door, to the right a long hallway. The smell was coming from the door. Moving closer I examined it.
Locked Door. Key or lockpick required. +1 Exp
Grinning inwardly, I brought out the lock picks and stared at the tools and lock before me. The longer I looked at them, the more confused I became. I really had no idea what I was doing with them. I tried poking a random one in the lock and wiggling it around. For a moment it seemed to do something, then it suddenly caught on the inside and bent, stuck. After yanking for a couple of turns I was able to get it out, but it was obviously broken.
Sighing, I turned around and started down the hallway in front of me. The stale smell was replaced by a musty odor as I came close to a right turn at the end of the hall. As soon as I rounded the corner, the source of the musty smell became apparent. A short way down the hall an open doorway loomed on the left. I stepped in and was almost knocked over by the smell of mold and mildew.
Shelves lined the walls and piles of decaying furniture were scattered around the floor. I scanned the shelves and saw what appeared to be a book on one of them. I picked my way across the floor to take a closer look.
The book was in really bad shape. The cover mushed under my fingers as I touched it. I peeled it back like a banana peel, some parts of the pages inside going with it. The pages were covered in wet splotches of black and green, the text and pictures long gone. I searched for more books, finding two more in similar shape.
I was looking over the last wall of shelves when something smacked the back of my legs.
A mold monster bashed you! -2 HP
I turned around to find one of the moldy piles had closed in and was attacking me! I sliced down with the sword while side-stepping to avoid being backed into a corner.
You sliced a mold monster! 4 Damage
The pile lunged at me, narrowly missing my legs. I stabbed down at it, unsure where to aim.
You stabbed a mold monster! 6 Damage
The stab brought me in close, and I couldn’t avoid the next attack.
A mold monster bashed you! -1 HP
I stumbled back, barely maintaining my footing in the damp room. I swung across the mass of mold in front of me again.
You sliced a mold monster! 3 Damage
You defeated a mold monster! +6 Exp
If it hadn’t been for the HUD, I wouldn’t have realized it was dead. I poked at it with the sword, half looking for anything useful and half making sure it was actually dead. I backed out of the room, keeping a close eye on the other piles of mold on the off chance they’d attack as well. Back in the hall, I continued along my way, chewing down some venison as I went.
At the end of the hall was another T. To the left was a room almost identical to the one I’d arrived on this floor in, but with a staircase going up. To the right the hallway continued, a full intersection halfway down to yet another right turn.
Arriving at the intersection, I was greeted by closed doors on either side of me. I looked back, realizing I’d gone in most of a circle at this point. The door to my right was the central room on this floor, and likely the most important.
The door was made of the same jet-black mineral as the rock a level down was, even down to the hardware. There were intricate carvings of the elves in various ritualistic scenes on it. I tried listening through the door but could hear nothing on the other side. A quick check showed the door wasn’t latched, so I opened it and stepped in.
Looking around I was reminded of a throne room. The ceiling in here was twice as high as the rest of the ceilings on this level. Columns, like the ones framing the temple entrance, marched down the room on either side of the door. At the other end, a large chair sat on a raised platform, steps leading up the sides but not the front. The entire setup would have been intimidating were it not for the worn look everything had, and the comical appearance of a small elf perched on the throne.
The elf was staring right at me as I walked in, it’s expression somewhere between bored and annoyed. It showed no indication of what it would do on its next turn, so I looked around the room for ideas on how to proceed. Along the wall, behind the columns, various piles of junk had accumulated. There was a worn path in the dust leading up to the chair with the elf.
I clutched
my sword at my side and took a cautious step forward. The elf’s eyes narrowed as it watched me approach. I looked around again, confirming it seemed to be alone. I took another step forward. It stood in the chair, no weapon yet drawn. I was almost half-way to the elf now. My experience with them so far suggested this would end one of two ways, and I didn’t want to be on the painful side of that seesaw. I took another step, getting ready to lunge forward at the elf. It jumped down from the chair, landing on the platform with a scowl.
I was close enough to get a good look at it now. It wasn’t wearing armor, and what I originally thought was a cape or jacket was actually a robe. It still had no weapon out and showed no signs of going anywhere. Just two more turns, three to be safe, and I’d be close enough to lunge at the elf. I took another step, ready for it to jump at me. It took out a small wooden stick and waved it in my direction while mumbling something. As I watched a small blue streak of light shot out from the end of the stick, slamming into my chest like a professionally pitched baseball.
A small temple elf cast missile at you! -3 HP
I couldn’t reach it until next turn. I gritted my teeth and started my rush, trying to position myself to roll out of the way of the next missile to come at me. The elf didn’t disappoint, sending another missile shooting at me. I was ready this time, and just barely avoided it. With its attack done I lunged forward and slashed down at the elf’s arm. My aim was a little off, and I hit its shoulder instead, easily slicing through the robe it wore.
You slashed a small temple elf! 4 Damage
The elf fell back slightly from the hit. It started to wave its hands around in a strange pattern while mumbling something incoherent. The mumbling got louder and louder. Just as it started to shout it thrust its hands at me, glowing white versions of them pushing on past where its physical hands stopped. They slammed into my arm with a jolt, turning me slightly off balance.
A small temple elf cast electric hands at you! -5 HP
Worried about how fast this was going south I lunged forward, driving the sword deep into the elf abdomen as I went.
You stabbed a small temple elf! 6 Damage
Blood spilled out from under its robe as I pulled my blade back. It was in obvious pain now as it started to bob and weave while chanting. It took me a moment to realize it was in a complete turn loop, waiting for me to take my next action. Judging by what it had done so far, I didn’t want to find out what something that took two turns to cast would do. I sliced across its body, unwilling to risk missing this hit.
You slashed a small temple elf! 5 Damage
It stumbled in its dance, the chanting trailing off as it attempted to maintain the delicate pattern of movement it had been in. Its movement became more erratic though, culminating in a flash of light knocking it to the ground in an obvious daze. I wasted no time taking advantage of the situation, bringing my sword down hard on the elf’s neck.
You chopped a small temple elf! Critical Hit! (x2) 12 Damage (Decapitation)
You defeated a small temple elf! +9 Exp
I heard a crunch as I brought the sword down, noticing too late that the small wooden stick it had used to shoot missiles at me was laying near its neck. I quickly bent down to try examining it, but it registered no differently than any junk I’d found earlier. I searched the rest of the elf, finding a tiny golden key and a larger steel one.
I stood up and looked around the throne itself. There were more piles of trash, though these had some silver pieces scattered in them. There were no other entrances or exits from the room and nothing else of interest inside. I went back out and across the hall.
This was a standard wooden door which opened easily. I saw no elves when I entered the room. There was a single bed in this room, and it looked lived in. Judging by the pile of clothing near the foot of the bed, this was where the elf I’d just killed lived. I stepped the rest of the way into the room and got knocked forward!
A miniature gold-tailed lemur scratched you! -1 HP
I grabbed at the thing on my back, flailing like an idiot trying to get it off.
A miniature gold-tailed lemur scratched you! -1 HP
I finally got hold of the thing, yanking it forward and throwing it against the wall across from me with a thud. It got up, looking at me and growling as it jumped up, landing on a dresser to my left and obviously ready to spring back onto my head next turn. I sliced the sword down on it as if I were swatting at a fly.
You sliced a miniature gold-tailed lemur! 6 Damage
You defeated a miniature gold-tailed lemur! +1 Exp
I looked around the room again, a little shaken by the surprise attack. I didn’t see any more creatures waiting to attack me from the corners.
I turned back to the room itself and started rifling through the elf’s belongings. There wasn’t anything valuable on the various shelves or in the drawers. I sat down on the bed for a moment, munching a bit of venison while looking around the room. Something felt off as I sat there. I pounded around on the bed, discovering the foot of it had a harder surface than the rest. Yanking the mattress back I was rewarded with a trap-door held closed by a tiny gold lock.
The key from the elf opened the lock with no resistance, revealing a small compartment in the bed. I found another wooden stick, similar to the one the elf had wielded, inside. I also found a small pile of silver coins and some more dried peaches. Under all of it was a list. It was very faded. Examining it, I felt all but three items were crossed off.
Looking more closely at the wooden stick wasn’t very helpful.
Cracked Wooden Wand: Effects: ? (??) +3 Exp
Its slight purple hue was reminiscent of the healing vial I’d found previously. I waved the wand around, not sure exactly what was happening. After a moment I lost control of my arm. I started to mumble something incoherent as the wand’s purple hue turned into a glow. The glow expanded, covering my whole body before fading down into my skin like a soothing blanket placed on me at night time.
Item identified: Cracked Wooden Wand of Light Healing
+10 HP
You have learned the effect of a Cracked Wooden Wand of Light Healing. +5 Exp
Feeling much better I glanced at the remaining key in my inventory and decided to head out.
Frank: Average Human
Str:5
Dex:7
Con:5
Int:5
Wis:6
Luck:6
HP:14 (15)
SP:0 (0)
Food:100% (43/50)
Turn:345
Exp:105
Lvl:1
Weapon:
Tarnished Steel Short Sword
Normal, 3-6
Armor:
Tree Folk Basic Outfit
0
Leather Vest
2
Equipment:
lock picks, .5 pieces dried venison, 4 dried peaches, Small Light Brown Vial, steel key
Silver: 27
Skills:
Dodge (2)
Short Blades (1)
Magic:
Cracked Wooden Wand of Light Healing (??)
Fifteen
I went left out of the bedroom, confirming my suspicions when a completed circle led me back to the room with a trap door hiding the down stairwell. Just a few steps beyond that I found the locked door to the left, stale smell still intact.
The steel key fit smoothly into the lock. I turned it and pushed the door in. The room was dark, a shaft of light from the hallway the only thing allowing me to see. Wary of what creatures may be hiding in the dark I hesitated.
In that moment of hesitation, an elf lunged at me from the darkness.
A mummified small temple elf bashed you! -3 HP
The smell came from the elf, it’s body wrapped in bandages. Its head was partially covered by a mask, empty eye sockets visible through the eye holes. Every movement it made cast off dust. It was faster and more articulate than the skeleton I’d fought earlier. It wielded a st
aff, heavy at one end. I recovered quickly from the surprise attack and slashed up along the body of the mummy.
You slashed a mummified small temple elf! 4 Damage
Bandages fell away as my sword cut through them. The elf didn’t seem to notice the hit, twirling the staff and bracing for the next hit. Thankfully it seemed this was another slow weapon. I took another swipe, stepping to the side as I swung this time.
You slashed a mummified small temple elf! 6 Damage
More strips of cloth fell as the elf smacked the staff down hard on my arm.
A mummified small temple elf bashed you! -5 HP
I stabbed up into it and pulled the sword out before stepping around behind it, trying to throw its aim off.
You stabbed a mummified small temple elf! 5 Damage
It tried to track me, swinging as it turned, but it was moving more slowly than when it started. I was pretty sure I could defeat it soon. I swung across the mid-section. When that didn’t fell it, I swung down hard on its head.
You slashed a mummified small temple elf! 4 Damage
You chopped a mummified small temple elf! 6 Damage
You defeated a mummified small temple elf! +10 Exp
The elf collapsed into a heap of dust and bandages, the bones disintegrating as they fell. I ignored the staff, not interested in weapons that couldn’t attack every turn. Searching through the pile for anything else kicked up so much dust I started to cough.
You breathed in mummy dust! -1 HP
I backed away from the pile, trying to shield my mouth and nose as I stepped into the now open chamber. In here, with no light, I felt as if the temple’s entire weight was pressing down on me. I quickly glanced around the room and saw a coffin sunk into the center of the floor, nothing else.
Inside the coffin, I found a dead elf. It was wrapped as well, though the strips of cloth were painted gold and it wasn’t moving. The inside of the coffin was painted with scenes featuring a single gaudily dressed elf. I suspected they were representative of this elf’s life. I started to rifle through the coffin looking for other items, but something gave me pause. I looked down at the face mask, into the empty eye sockets, and I just couldn’t disturb it. I backed out of the room, closing the door and removing the key.