The goblin attempted to dodge my spell once again, but when it planted its leg, the injured limb gave way and it fell to one knee. The bolt slammed home into the goblin’s perfectly positioned, floppy-eared head, dropping its hit points to zero and sending it sprawling.
You have killed a Goblin Scout! You have gained 50xp!
I pulled the arrow out of my leg, dropping my hit points even further into the red as the barbs ripped at my skin. The world started to spin, and I had to sit down while the out-of-combat regeneration kicked in and closed up my wounds.
Once my leg was whole, I walked over to the scout’s body and searched through its belongings. It had a silver piece and some copper pieces tucked into a pocket, but the real prize was the glowing pair of boots on its feet, courtesy of my Scavenger skill.
You have obtained “Scout’s Footwraps”! You have gained 5xp!
< Scout’s Footwraps >
These footwraps offer a small amount of protection and muffle the sound of the wearer’s footfalls. (+1 Stealth)
The footwraps were very simple, and as I tied them around my taloned feet they shifted and molded to my strange anatomy.
I took a few steps and didn’t really feel any different in terms of comfort, but the clicking of my talons against the stone floor was noticeably quieter.
One of my minions had returned to my side, but Little Fat was still a short distance away.
Without her front legs, her movement was reduced to an awkward slither across the stone floor, her chin scraping along the stone as she slid towards me.
I searched the area and found her broken leg bones and placed them next to her in hopes that Mend Bone would work on the animated minions.
The spell scooped up the broken forelimbs and swirled around the skeleton. A thread of purple energy spooled out of the shoulder sockets of the groundhog skeleton and latched on to the broken bits, reeling them in until they were back in place.
The magic seeped into the rest of the bones as well, fixing some minor cracks and chips, and bringing the minion’s health back to full.
Repairs complete, I turned back to the scout’s corpse and used Dissection, adding another goblin skeleton to my collection.
Success! You have obtained a Goblin Skeleton! You have gained 15xp!
My minions still had a good chunk of time left on their timers, so I decided to move forward, recasting Dark Shield on myself as I advanced.
I dropped into Stealth mode and slowly approached the campsite, keeping my eyes peeled for any additional stealthed enemies.
An older looking goblin stepped out of one of the tents as I got closer. It was wielding a small staff adorned with bones and feathers, and its name floated just above its head in yellow.
< Goblin Shaman >
The shaman was the only goblin currently present at the camp, or at least the only one I could see.
I shuffled closer until I was within range and cast Rot, willing my minions to charge as the dark purple cloud began to take form around the shaman. The first traces of mist reached down to caress the shaman’s flesh, but instead of being harmed, the goblin latched on to the spell with its free hand and severed the strands of magic with a quick gesture.
Goblin Shaman Counterspell – Successful.
The shaman turned to look directly at me, his beady black eyes narrowed in annoyance.
I cursed and cast a quick Necromantic Bolt, sending it flying towards the shaman but missed.
The shaman chanted its own spell, gathering electrical energy and shooting it towards me. I abandoned my next spell and leapt to the side, narrowly dodging the arcing electricity, but the lightning didn’t end.
Like the emperor from the old Star Wars movies, the shaman shifted his aim, burning a line across the stone until the lightning hit me. My entire body shuddered and spasmed in pain as my health plummeted.
My muscles refused to cooperate. I fell onto my face and flopped around like a fish. My hit points hit ninety, then eighty, then seventy percent. I couldn’t even move enough to scream as my health plummeted.
The lightning cut off abruptly when my hit points were at twenty percent and muscle control finally returned to my limbs.
I almost vomited as my nostrils were filled with the smell of burning… me, mixed with ozone, but managed to hold it in as I looked up to see why I was still alive.
The shaman was cursing and trying to dislodge Little Fat’s skeletal body from where she was latched onto its leg. Her teeth were buried deep in the goblin’s calf as her claws fought for purchase on the stone ground. My second minion was on the shaman’s other side, nipping at its staff and making a general nuisance of itself.
I pulled myself back into a kneeling position and waited for an opening, not wanting to chance hitting my minions with a stray bolt.
The shaman finally managed to free itself from Little Fat’s jaws, knocking her and my other minion away with a sweep of his staff. His gaze turned back to me and started casting another spell.
I completed my spell first, my Necromantic Bolt screaming across the cavern and sank into the Shaman’s side, dropping its health below half.
The spell disrupted whatever spell the shaman had been preparing, giving me enough time to hit it with Rot, which was able to fully manifest.
The shaman shot me a look of pure malice as the spell pulsed, sloughing off a layer of his flesh and dropping his health even further. The goblin took a step backwards, trying to keep clear of my minions as he repeated his counterspell from earlier, drawing the Rot spell from his flesh and dissipating it into the air.
The shaman chanted a quick spell and lashed out with his staff at the unnamed minion. When the staff connected, a wave of force exploded from the staff, reducing the skeleton to bits.
Groundhog Skeleton has been destroyed!
Little Fat attacked his flank, her teeth ripping into the shaman’s free hand as my next Necromantic Bolt blasted into the goblin’s chest, finishing it off.
You have killed a Goblin Shaman! You have gained 75xp!
Quest Update - Slay Goblin Shaman. (1/1)
Both my hit points and mana were almost drained, so I settled down to regenerate for a little before heading over to claim my spoils.
I once again gave thanks to my minions for pulling my ass out of the fire. Without their timely intervention, I’d be nothing more than another burnt bloodstain on the stone ground, learning firsthand all about the death system in Argos Online.
When my health and mana were recovered enough to withstand a stiff breeze, I approached the shaman’s corpse and started searching through its things.
I found two silver pieces and a scratched-up copper ring in a small pouch hanging from its belt. I tried to examine it as I had the footwraps earlier, but this time all I was able to get was a generic name:
< Unidentified Copper Ring >
I tucked the ring into my bag and activated Dissection on the corpse. My first attempt was successful at acquiring the shaman’s skeleton and even presented the opportunity for a try at the other components.
Success! You have obtained a Goblin Skeleton! You have gained 20xp!
Unfortunately, my attempts at the additional components failed.
The magic animating Little Fat had run out, reducing her once again to a small pile of bones. I gathered them, the shaman skeleton, and the shattered remains of my other minion and added them to my bag to handle later.
The campsite seemed like something ripe for the picking, but a quick search turned up nothing I was able to take. All of the worthwhile bits were either somehow bolted to the scenery or disappeared after being picked up.
I was hoping there would have been a treasure chest or something, but I guess this didn’t qualify. A small buff icon appeared when I got close to the fire, indicating a bonus to regeneration so I rested until my pools were full, and then carefully made my way back around the lake towards the cavern entrance.
***
6
The trek back a
cross the cavern had a couple of close calls, but without my minions skittering around I was able to maintain Stealth and avoid any other conflicts, and once I reached the exit tunnel, it was smooth sailing all the way back to the workshop.
Balaka looked up as I entered, giving me a toothy grin as he put aside his current project. “Well then, that was faster than I expected. From what my fellow instructors tell me, adventurers usually linger in the goblin caves for a while, even after completing their quests. I am glad that you, at least, seem to have some sense of urgency.”
QUEST COMPLETE – Training Part 4
You have gained 200xp!
CONGRATULATIONS! You have reached Level 4!
You have gained 2 Intelligence!
You have gained 3 Attribute points and 6 Skill points!
Your Hit Points, Mana, And Endurance pools have increased!
Light radiated through my body once again, the feeling of warmth and pleasure filling me up. When it faded, I opened up my character sheet and began allocating my points. My attribute points went to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Fortune again, and I added a skill point to Necromancy and Dissection to keep them on par with my level.
My teacher was looking at me patiently for a change, so I turned my attention back to him and waited.
He beckoned me over to his workbench and placed a small stack of silver coins and another two spell scrolls on the table before me. “Here are your rewards for dealing with our goblin problem, and the next two spells to add to your arsenal. Now that we know you are serious about pursuing the art, we can really begin.”
I grabbed my rewards and unrolled the first scroll.
Necromancy skill check – successful! “Cripple” spell identified.
You have learned “Cripple.”
Cripple
Range: Long
Type: Control
Requirements: Somatic, Material (Required): Leg Bone
Harness necromantic energy to cripple your foe, slowing their movement and combat speed.
Duration: 10 minutes +1 minute per rank
As soon as the mist of the spell was absorbed, Balaka smiled. “The Cripple spell is a utility spell that can be used to control the flow of the battle and keep your enemies at arm’s-length,” he said. “Being able to outrun your foe or slow their attacks will be quite critical to your survival as a spellcaster.”
It was a great addition to my arsenal. Being able to debuff both the movement and combat speed of my foes would give me and my minions a needed advantage. Extra ticks of my DoT, extra time to hit them with bolts, and if those all failed, extra time to run away, I could already see the applications.
He reached down and picked up a long thin bone from a pile under his workbench and wagged it at me. “Unlike Rot, the material component for this spell is not optional, so make sure to keep a stockpile to last you on your adventures.”
He returned the bone to its pile and moved closer to the shelves displaying a wide variety of skeletal creatures and gestured to the other scroll still unread in my hand.
I opened it up and grinned as I absorbed the mist and read through the new spell description.
Necromancy skill check – successful! “Minor Create Undead” spell identified.
Lesser Create Undead has been upgraded to Minor Create Undead
Range: Touch
Type: Animation
Requirements: Somatic, Verbal, Material (Required): Skeleton
Duration: 20 minutes +1 minute per rank
Animate the skeletal remains of a creature of size
Minions Pool: 4 (3 + Rank)
NOTE: The components for this spell are not consumed.
Balaka watched as I absorbed the spell with an eager smile. “Now that you’ve reached a new level of understanding in our art, your Lesser Create Undead spell has been upgraded to Minor Create Undead. This version of the spell allows you to animate larger creatures, is much more mana efficient, and has a longer duration.”
“It will allow you to animate minions of up to medium size. Humans, elves, dwarves, goblins; all will serve you in death,” he said with a wicked grin. “You can still use your groundhogs, of course, but it would be a waste of power unless no better options were available.”
“Your minion pool has increased as well, reflecting your increased mastery over necromantic energy,” he continued, tapping a talon against his forehead, “but that pool is still limited.”
He gestured to the shelves of reconstructed skeletons behind him, starting from the smallest and progressing to the largest. “The size of the minion will determine the number you can effectively control. The bigger the minion, the bigger the percentage of your pool they will require. At your current skill level, I sense you are capable of directing two medium sized minions, or four of smaller size.”
NOTE: Minion Pool Update – Maximum minion pool is now equal to 3 plus your skill rank. Medium sized minions use 2 points of the pool, small sized minions use 1 point.
The albino kobold had begun pacing, walking back and forth like a stereotypical college professor lost in their own lecture. “While you are still beginning on your path, you should focus on those skills and abilities that are the most useful to you. As you gain in power later on, you will have the flexibility to widen your focus, but it will be critical to your survival to keep at least your core skills at maximum efficacy. Gaining levels will be the main way in which your skills can be improved, but there are some quests, or items that can grant improvements as well, although they are rare.”
QUEST RECEIVED – Training Part 5
Successfully cast Minor Create Undead, raising a Medium sized minion three times.
Criteria: Animate medium sized remains 0/3.
Reward: +1 Rank - Minor Create Undead
I read through the new quest prompt as Balaka concluded his speech, “But be mindful, your rank in a skill can never exceed your character level.” He finished and then gestured for me to continue.
Attention: Skill points use is now unlocked for all available skills.
I looked at my current skill list, getting an idea of what I had to work with.
<><><> Racial Skills <><><>
Darkvision: N/A
Natural Weapons:1
Scavenger:1
Stealth:1(2)
<><><> Class Skills <><><>
Cloth Armor:1
Dissection:4
Necromancy:4
Simple Weapons:1
<><><> General Skills <><><>
Perception:1
<><><> Spells <><><>
Cripple:1
Dark Shield:1
Drain:1
Mend Bone:1
Minor Create Undead:1
Necromantic Bolt:1
Rot:1
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Unused Skill Points:9
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
So far, I’d only used my skill points to keep Necromancy and Dissection at max which was pretty simple since I was banned from using them for anything but my class skills. Ranking up my weapon and armor skills was pointless for my build.
Now that I was free to spend them as I saw fit, it was time to optimize for my goals. I added three points to Scavenger which was core to my plans for maximizing extra loot. It had already netted me a couple interesting items, and I could only imagine how much more I could get with a higher rank in the skill.
Next, I added two points to Minor Create Undead, raising my minion pool by two. I almost added the third until what Balaka had just said registered. In the Argos Online system, a skill’s level can never exceed the character’s level, so maxing out the spell now would negate the bonus point promised for completing the quest.
Necromantic Bolt was my main damage dealing source, so I maxed it out, leaving me with two points to play with.
After some thought, I added a point to Perception, which could keep me out of trouble and added the final point to Rot
to up its overall damage. Ten points went a lot quicker than I expected.
Character logistics complete, it was time to raise some minions. I took out three goblin skeletons and lined them up on the floor, focusing on the first as I initiated the new Minor Create Undead spell.
The hand gestures were slightly more complex than the earlier version, but I was able to follow along without too much of a problem. My mana dropped as I channeled the power into the spell, chanting along with the karaoke prompt, “Ex mortum, vitae. Ex vita, mortus.”
The necromantic energy flowed from my hands into the first pile of bones, and as I completed the spell, the bones shifted and assembled themselves into their previous, goblinoid shape with the same glowing purple eyes that seemed to be the hallmark of the animation spell.
You have created a new minion: Skeletal Goblin. [2/6]
Quest Objective update! Medium sized remains animated 1/3
That first casting drained my mana pool by just over a quarter, much less costly than the original version of the spell, and with rank five in the skill, the magic would last for twenty-three minutes, making it much easier to keep my entire minion brigade up and running without having to take too many breaks.
I commanded the first Goblin Skeleton to move over to the wall and wait and cast the spell again, raising another minion.
You have created a new minion: Skeletal Goblin. [4/6]
Quest Objective update! Medium sized remains animated 2/3
My mana continued to recharge during casting, so by the time I finished raising the second minion I had almost recovered what I’d spent on the first, and easily cast the third.
You have created a new minion: Skeletal Goblin. [6/6]
Quest Objective update! Medium sized remains animated 3/3
Balaka gave me another wide toothy grin. “You learn quickly, Apprentice. Think of what these new minions can do to serve you going forward. Unlike the groundhogs, humanoid minions can wield weapons and wear armor of the appropriate type, allowing for much more versatility.”
Extra Credit Page 6