by Adam Myhr
You stabbed a rriggat! 6 Damage
The wolf sank its teeth into the rriggat’s back, latching on and growling. The rriggat hardly seemed to notice the wolf pressing down on its back, instead making another swing at me, slower though and easily dodged. The wolf lost her grip in the rriggat’s attack, landing on all fours behind it. I stepped in and swung down on one of the rriggat’s legs, hoping to replicate the previous battle.
You sliced a rriggat! 5 Damage
My hit slid down the rriggat’s leg, slicing into its flesh but not doing significant damage. The wolf jumped at the rriggat, scratching down it’s back but not getting a bite in. The rriggat went for my head, miss-judging by just a bit and digging into my shoulder instead.
A rriggat clubbed you! -2 HP
I stabbed at the rriggat’s head, hitting only empty space. The wolf crouched down and sprang forward, past the rriggat and towards me! I turned towards the wolf just a little, readying myself to catcher her as she bowled me over. A green leg appeared on the edge of my vision, flying at me from the right. The wolf had matched the trajectory beautifully, sniping the new rriggat out of the air right before the leg hit me, preventing it from knocking me to the ground with a flying kick.
The rriggat in front of me had held back it’s swing in anticipation of another rriggat standing in my place. I took advantage of its moment of surprise, jumping forward and driving the point of my sword hard on into its body.
You stabbed a rriggat! Critical hit! (x2) 14 Damage
It fell back under the onslaught, blood gushing forth from the hole in its gut. Still, it managed to rally enough energy to smack me across the body with the club.
A rriggat clubbed you! -3 HP
I heard the wolf and other rriggat scuffling behind me, but couldn’t turn far enough to see how it was turning out. I sliced down into the rriggat’s ribcage, getting the sword momentarily stuck before I was able to yank it out.
You slashed a rriggat! 5 Damage
You defeated a rriggat! +17 Exp
Behind me, the sounds of struggling continued. I turned around to see the rriggat grappling the wolf on the ground, trying to hold her jaws back from its face and unable to get its legs up under her. I took a turn to use the healing wand on myself, not sure how I could best help the wolf this turn. The rriggat finally pushed the wolf off itself, just barely. I took the opening and chopped my sword down hard on it. It managed to get an arm in the way of the blade, but I still managed to gouge the arm and leave a line on its face.
You chopped a rriggat! 5 Damage
The wolf jumped right back into the fray, not letting the rriggat get up. I knelt down, placing a hand on the rriggat’s head, and shoved my sword down into its skull.
You stabbed a rriggat! Deathblow!
You defeated a rriggat! + 20 Exp
The wolf released her grip on the rriggat and started to pace back and forth around it. I looked over the two corpses. Neither had anything of value, as if they’d come out of bed for the fight. Scanning the cluster of huts, I didn’t see any other movement. I went over to one and tried to jump my way inside, failing miserably.
I remembered the first area I left, across a river, and went to the riverbank, looking for a way across. All I found was a small beach, presumably used by the rriggats to get in and out of the water. With nothing to help me, I continued forward, following the river and hoping for direction.
I left the rriggat huts behind, following the river through a sharp curve to the left. The terrain started to get a little rockier, and mountains appeared on the horizon across the river. Before long I heard a distant static, slowly building to a dull roar as I continued. The river sped up beside me, the far bank coming closer in. Rocks started appearing, and the bank became steeper.
I had to stop for a quick snack, but around a sharp bend to the left, I finally found what I was searching for, a bridge crossed the river. The far bank was obscured by mist from the raging waters, but the bridge appeared intact. I approached the narrow bridge expecting an option to enter a new area. Instead, the gravel in front of the bridge rose swirling into the air. It started to form two shapes in front of me, one roughly matching me and one roughly matching the wolf. I tried to side-step it, but it matched me move for move, step for step. It was always between me and the bridge. The wolf just sat patiently in front of her copy, watching my antics.
I tried pushing straight forward but was met by the pile of gravel pushing back against me. The harder I pushed, the harder it pushed back until pieces of gravel started to poke through the skin on my hands. I backed up next to the wolf and glanced at her. Seeing no help there I took off, charging the bridge like a linebacker. I met the gravel pile the way a car meets a brick wall. I bounced back a full foot before losing my balance and falling to the ground in pain.
After laying on the ground for a couple of turns, I got up and looked the copy of myself right in the face.
“None shall pass.”
“Seriously? That’s it?”
“None shall pass.”
I drew my sword, the construct in front of me growing a gravelly appendage in response. Trying to figure out the best way to beat myself in a fight, I started with a slice through its arm.
You sliced a lesser stone golem! 5 Damage
The slice shaved off gravel which fell clattering next to the golem. I noticed some of the gravel roll back into it, but not all. It responded with a similar blow to my arm.
A lesser stone golem hit you! -2 HP
To the side, I saw the wolf start batting at the golem across from her half-heartedly. Shaking off the frustration I concentrated on the golem in front of me. I stabbed into it near it’s off-hand and when I pulled the sword out I turned slightly, covering the same place on my body with my shield.
You stabbed a lesser stone golem! 7 Damage
The golem’s thrust at me hit the shield, jarring me, but leaving me otherwise unscathed. It then mimicked my defensive posture, presenting a more difficult puzzle to stab. I chopped up into its side, shaving another batch of gravel from the golem, but couldn’t get the shield around.
You sliced a lesser stone golem! 5 Damage
A lesser stone golem hit you! -3 HP
I glanced over at the wolf, now warily circling her opponent. I looked back at the golem on me and had an idea. I turned and charged at the wolf golem, calling for the wolf to lay down. My copy started charging the wolf golem alongside me, in lockstep as we rushed it. The wolf saw me coming and stopped circling, backing away slightly. I completed the rush at the stationary wolf-shaped gravel pile and sliced down hard on its back.
You chopped a lesser stone golem! 6 Damage
The golem version of me chopped down on it too, scattering far more gravel when it hit than the blade I used did. The wolf cocked her head sideways as if trying to figure out what we were doing. I took another swing at the golem wolf.
You sliced a lesser stone golem! 4 Damage
Again, the other version of me followed suit, the golem wolf just sitting there taking it. Suddenly the real wolf sprang into action, diving at the golem version of me as if trying to knock it over. The golem wolf also sprang into action, bowling into the golem version of me. The shower of gravel released was impressive, both golems looking noticeable smaller.
The pattern established, we helped the golems whittle each other down to mere piles of rubble. Finally, I gave the one of me a kick.
You kicked a lesser stone golem! 3 Damage
You defeated a lesser stone golem! +32 Exp
The wolf golem collapsed while the gravel from mine was still in the air, suggesting they had been the same creature all along. I went up to the bridge and got the expected prompt asking if I wanted to leave the area. I backed out of the prompt and pictured a portal next to the bridge, overlapping slightly. I started the incantation, and my body took on a life of its own, my hands weaving to the rhythm of sound coming from my mouth. A glow appeared in the air next to the bridge. It slowly grew, until it was large
enough for a person to walk through; the right side of it just touching the bridge. My heart started racing as I turned back to the bridge threshold and selected to enter the new area.
The trip across the bridge was mostly uneventful and uncontrollable as these transitions all seemed to be. When the far bank materialized out of the mist, it was rockier, harsher. As if the bridge brought me much closer to the mountains then they seemed from the other side of the river. The boards of the bridge, softened by the constant exposure to the mist, started to crumble under my feet. I wanted to speed up, but I couldn’t. I just kept plodding along, barely making it off the boards before they plunged into the rapids below. I knew I was safe, but it was still unnerving.
I was getting higher as I crossed, the noise of the rapids fading behind me. The boards stopped crumbling and started cracking, breaking under the weight of my passage. By the time I reached the other side, the river sounded more like distant static than a roar. The wolf landed by my side as I stepped off the bridge and regained control over myself.
I immediately turned left to get to the portal. I got one step in and grabbed at the bridge’s handrail, almost falling off the cliff in front of me. The portal was floating in front of me, about ten feet over from the bridge on this side, hanging in open air above the river.
“Damn-it!” My legs buckled, leaving me sitting on the ground. “Screw you and your damn simulation! You hear me!? Get me the hell out of here!”
I took a deep breath and got up. There was a defined trail through the rocky terrain on this side of the bridge. Glancing at the wolf, seemingly unaffected by my outburst, I stormed down the trail.
Frank: Average Human
Str:6
Dex:7
Con:5
Int:6
Wis:6
Luck:6
HP:10 (20)
SP:4 (6)
Food:100% (7/50)
Turn:674
Exp:290
Lvl:2
Weapon:
Tarnished Steel Short Sword
Normal, 3-6
Armor:
Tree Folk Basic Outfit
0
Leather Vest
2
Stone Studded Shield
Equipment:
lock picks, 5 carrots, 1 cucumber, Small Light Brown Vial
Silver: 27
Skills: (1)
Dodge (2)
Short Blades (2) +1 Dam
Magic:
Cracked Wooden Wand of Light Healing (??)
Lesser Transition Portal (2 SP)
Nineteen
I’d barely left the river behind when I needed to stop and eat, healing while I was at it. When I had finished off the last cucumber, I looked around and noticed a small pass just off the trail. I would have missed walking down the trail due to how it vanished into the area’s rocks.
You discovered a new location! +2 Exp
The pass opened to a surprisingly large valley. Nestled in the valley was a stone keep or castle of some kind. I started into the woods covering the trail down to the heart of the valley. The trees here were more coniferous than in the last forest I’d been in. The air was crisper and had a tinge of cold to it. The path changed from gravel to needle covered dirt. A few turns down the path I felt the wolf tense at my side. I looked around before taking another step, trying to see what was setting her off. Unable to find anything I took a cautious step forward, then another. Around the next switchback, I almost ran into a creature the size of a pony.
It had short, stocky legs going into a fat body. The large scales covering it got smaller going up the tall, skinny neck protruding from its body. Atop the neck was a small, bird-like head. A head sporting a large beak. A beak that stabbed me in the shoulder.
A forest gibberer stabbed you! -3 HP
The wolf jumped on the gibberer’s back, trying to find something to bite. I quickly recovered from my surprise, pulling out my sword and stabbing the body of the beast.
You stabbed a forest gibberer! 6 Damage
The wolf kept trying to bite into the gibberer’s hide with little success. The gibberer turned from me and stabbed at the wolf, pushing her off its body in the process. I took another swipe at the thing’s body while its attention was divided.
You sliced a forest gibberer! 5 Damage
It hissed as it turned and stabbed at me again, barely missing my face. I instinctively sliced at its neck, not even noticing what the wolf was up to this turn. I missed though, the gibberer moving its neck at an amazing speed, bringing its beak into my thigh.
A forest gibberer stabbed you! -4 HP
I saw the wolf coming back around to the front, so I circled away from her, slicing down along the gibberer’s body.
You sliced a forest gibberer! 7 Damage
The gibberer poked at the space I’d just been in, incredibly fast but easy to confuse. The wolf jumped at the gibberer’s neck, narrowly missing. The gibberer had to turn to the wolf to dodge, taking its attention off me. I took that opportunity to try for the neck again, this time near the base instead of in front of my face. I was rewarded with a slice along the base of its neck, where the scales seemed to thin some.
You sliced a forest gibberer! Critical hit! (x2) 10 Damage
The gibberer stabbed at the wolf, already committed to the action from the previous turn, and missed when it reacted to the pain of my slice. It let out a huge squawk, turning towards me. The wolf took that opportunity to jump onto the gibberer’s back once again. I stabbed down into the thing’s body while bringing the shield up to protect my head, hoping the wolf would get the kill grab in this turn.
You stabbed a forest gibberer! 6 Damage
The wolf made the lunge, grabbing the gibberer’s neck as I felt it’s beak bounce off my shield.
Your companion defeated a forest gibberer! +7 Exp
I stood up and put away my sword. The wolf went ahead on the path a little bit, away from the gibberer, before stopping to lick herself clean. Momentarily confused I started to smell something, an acrid stench started to come from the gibberer, engulfing the area directly around it like a blanket. Trying to hold my breath I went along the path, happy to leave it behind.
I arrived in the clearing at the bottom far sooner than I expected. The keep filled the clearing, towers sticking up like candles on a two-tiered birthday cake. Large iron-banded wooden doors blocked the entrance, themselves blocked by an iron gate. I circled the keep, finding a small door on the right side, and a smaller version of the front doors in the back. Barred windows were scattered over the walls in no discernible pattern, and too high to reach. The gates in front of the doors didn’t budge when I tried tugging at them, likely controlled from inside. That left the small side door.
I started examining the door, not finding anything strange about it. I went to try the handle and got the message I’d been hoping for, asking if I wanted to leave the area. Backing out of the prompt just long enough to cast a portal next to the door I entered the keep.
I missed. I’d created the portal a few feet to the right of the door. The room I entered the keep in had a wall on my right and a door in the far-left corner. The walls were filled with hooks, benches, and alcoves. There was nothing on any of them as if I’d arrived early, or late, for a party. I went through the door and found myself in a huge kitchen. The middle of the room was filled with high tables, each littered with various kitchen utensils. A huge fireplace adorned the far wall and water trickled down the walls on the right, collecting in hollowed out counters at various spots before flowing down and out a grate.
The wall to the right featured two sets of doors with windows cut into the top. As I stepped into the room, I thought I caught movement through one of them, but it didn’t show in the current turn’s loop. A quick glance told me the kitchen had nothing I needed, so I hurried through the closest door to the next room.
Light from huge chandeliers filled the room, illuminating a grand table with chairs against t
he wall directly across from me. The walls on either side sported double doors just a bit closer to me than the table. Round tables surrounded by chairs filled the space between the large table and myself. Bouncing around in the middle of the tables were two people in a state of decay usually reserved for Halloween haunted houses. At my entrance, they stopped their mindless milling about and turned to face me.
The wolf growled at my side, apparently not a fan of the undead. I drew my sword and allocated my skill point to short blades, hoping to speed the combat along.
You bought a level in Short Blades!
Hit harder, hit more often, just hit already! +5 Exp, +1 Dex
I closed the distance to one of the zombies, unable to make it all the way there this turn. The wolf jumped over a table, landing on top of a decaying dog I hadn’t previously seen. The two zombies shambled my direction, one getting caught up in a chair and the other just out of reach. I took the opportunity to not only slice the zombie’s neck, but also move, so they were both in front of me.
You sliced a zombie! 5 Damage
The wolf growled, tossing the dog in the air. It landed with a wet thud, letting out a muffled bark. In front of me, the zombie’s neck held, and it grabbed me with surprising strength.
A zombie groped you! -4 HP
I slice up through the zombie’s thigh and found I had enough speed and control left to drive the sword into its shoulder too.
You sliced a zombie! 6 Damage
You stabbed a zombie 4 Damage
The wolf continued tearing into the undead dog, leaving me to deal with the zombie in front of me, which I barely held off using the shield, and now the other zombie in the room, coming around the table and due to reach me next turn. Not wanting to fight on two fronts I circled the zombie while taking another jab, an easy hit on a slow-moving enemy.
You stabbed a zombie! 7 Damage
The wolf sprang up onto a table across the room, rotting flesh dripping from its maw. The zombie in front of me turned and lunged, hitting a chair instead of me. The other zombie found itself blocked from me by the tables, chairs, and other zombie. I took another slice at the zombie’s neck, hoping to finally finish it this time. While I was ready to swing back, the head rolled off the side of the zombie before I could.