QUEST COMPLETE – Reporting for Duty
You are now an official member of the Harvest Moon Necromancer’s guild
“Thank you, Guildmaster,” I replied. “Are there any tasks that you have for me right now?”
He flipped through a small notebook and shook his head. “Nothing at the moment. I suggest you head into town and learn some crafting or gathering skills to help keep you in coin. The materials and spells of our art are expensive,” he said with a sympathetic wince.
QUEST RECEIVED – Supplemental Income
Learn a crafting or gathering profession in Sommervale.
Reward: 50xp
That made things easy. I could start on my business venture and progress with the guild at the same time. I left the guildhouse and headed back towards the town center.
One of the benefits of choosing Sommervale as my starting town was that it had trainers for most of the main gathering skills, and places to use them. The forest was a great resource for lumberjacks, numerous herbs could be found in the forest and surrounding fields, there were several public garden plots for farmers, and there was even a small mine.
Squinting against the light outside, I decided that heading back underground would be quite a welcome change, so I set off in search of the local Mining trainer.
Where to begin, where to begin… I headed back to the town square and looked around until I found what I was looking for, the local smith. I stepped inside and approached the counter where a bored looking lupin woman was sharpening a small knife.
“Excuse me,” I said, and she looked up, her golden eyes taking stock of my current gear. “Would you be able to direct me to the local Mining trainer? If anyone would know a source of good ore and metal, I figure a smith would.”
She gave me a wry smile and replied, “A wise bet, little lizard man. We do indeed know the local Mining trainer, but you might not find him quite so friendly.”
“Really? Why not?” I asked, concerned.
She chuckled and gestured to the door. “Darr can be found at the mine. As to why… well, you’ll see when you get there.”
A new waypoint appeared on my map, marking the location of the mine. I shook my head and headed out the door. As the door was closing behind me, she called out, “If you bring me what ore you manage to dig up, I’ll give you a good deal!”
I followed my map through town, keeping my eyes shaded against the daylight.
Heading southeast out of Sommervale, I left behind the few trees that provided useful shade. My hood offered some relief, but the light was still irritating. I followed the map towards a small collection of rocks, a lone outcropping of granite poking out of the hilly terrain.
As I got closer, I spotted a tunnel leading down into the ground below the outcropping next to a small stone building built against the granite. The waypoint on my map was hovering right over the building, so I headed in.
The inside of the building appeared to be a tool shop. Pickaxes, shovels, rope, and other mining equipment lined the walls, and a long counter extended down one side with some more pricey equipment behind it.
At the back end of the building was a forge with a small, stocky, bearded… dwarf, cleaning a freshly smelted ingot. Crap!
“Oy, give me a second and I’ll be right with ya,” the dwarf said, eyes focused on his work.
I waited patiently for him to finish, hoping not to get shafted. One of the reasons I’d chosen Sommervale was to avoid dwarves.
He finished up and turned his attention to me, his expression immediately shifting into a scowl.
“Oy, ye damned vermin, what do ye think yer doin’ in me shop!” he yelled, grabbing a large hammer from the wall. “Come to rob me did ye? I’ll teach ye what a real dwarf’ll do to yerself!”
I raised my hands and backed away. “No! I came for training! The lupin lady at the blacksmith sent me here!”
The dwarf paused, his anger fading slightly as he gripped his hammer. “Damned lass, probably laughing her ass off right now at me expense. Oh, I’ll be gettin’ her back don’t you worry. Now what’s this about training? Why should I teach the likes o’ you?”
“Well, master miner,” I said, hoping the game wouldn’t make it too difficult even with the racial enmity between dwarves and kobolds in the mix. “I’m just trying to learn an honest trade and be of use to my guild and to Sommervale.”
He looked me over and stroked his long black beard. “I don’t trust ye, Adventurer, but as part o’ me contract says I’m ta train those that the town sends me way, I’ll give ye a chance to prove yerself.”
He tapped the side of his nose and then gestured to a map on the wall. “Mine shaft eight’s got a bit o’ a myconid problem. We had to shut down the shaft to keep ‘em from spreadin’ any further. Lot’s o’ rich veins down that shaft, and now that yer here, we can get ta clearing them out! I’ll even throw in some equipment fer yer trouble in addition to yer training if ye succeed.”
QUEST OPPORTUNITY: Tit for Tat
Master Miner Darr has offered you a deal. Clear out the myconid infestation currently present in Mine Shaft Eight and he will teach you the Mining profession and provide you with the tools of the trade.
Rewards: Training in the Mining Profession, Mining Tools, 200xp.
Accept (Yes/No)?
“That seems fair,” I said. “I’m in.”
Quest Accepted
***
13
When I accepted the quest, Darr handed me a small key and an update appeared on my map showing me the path to the entrance to Mine Shaft Eight.
When I entered the mine, my eyes felt a million times better, and I was filled with a deep sense of comfort. It was good to be back underground. I passed by several humans working away in the main shaft, freeing large chunks of ore from the cavern walls.
Towards the back of the main shaft was an elevator to the lower levels. It had options for the current floor, marked as “M”, and fourteen additional shafts.
I rode the elevator to the eighth floor where it opened into a small tunnel that ended at a newly installed door. I took out Big Mama’s skull and summoned her back from wherever minions spent their time when not active, my max mana dropping by ten percent as she took form.
Next, I took out two goblin skeletons and animated them. I armed the first with the Nailbat that I had been hanging onto, and the second with the Rusty Shortsword that it may have once wielded in life. Once they were standing, I started the binding spell to keep them around, but as soon as the first casting completed I got a message reminding me of the limitations of my abilities.
You have reached the maximum number of Bound minions. You may only have 1 bound minion per two ranks in the “Bind Minion” spell.
Well, now I know where I’m putting points next level, I thought with a sigh and then cast Dark Shield on myself.
I unlocked the door and stepped inside, looking around for signs of whatever the hell a myconid was. Seeing nothing, I sent my minions forward and closed the door behind me.
The entryway was a medium sized room filled with piles of old, broken mining equipment. I scanned the piles for any useful gear but there was nothing that I could use.
There was a single passage leading further into the mine, with a tunnel large enough for Big Mama and the two goblins to move down at the same time.
I commanded them to move forward, Big Mama in the center with a goblin on either flank. I followed close behind, keeping my eyes peeled while I mentally guided my minions onward.
As we followed the tunnel around a bend, I spotted four creatures standing at a crossroads. I halted my minions and peered over Big Mama’s shoulders, trying to get an idea of what we faced.
The creatures looked like large gangly mushrooms, but instead of a solid stalk leading down to the ground these had stalks that split into primitive legs, and above their heads hovered their names in white.
The creatures turned our way, their fa
ces splitting into wide gaping maws. The mouths of the two closest opened even wider, stretching further than should have been possible, and expelled balls of viscous green slime.
The slime splattered onto Big Mama and my Nailbat wielding goblin, coating their bones with a vile green sputum but having no noticeable effect.
Two more balls crashed in on Big Mama and dripped onto the floor as my minions stood there waiting for instruction.
I directed all three minions to attack while I cast Rot on the back myconid, using a pinch of Bone Dust from my pouch. The spell took hold as my minions collided with the front rank.
Big Mama sank her teeth into the lead Sporestalker who seemed to be perplexed by the lack of effect of whatever their breath weapon was supposed to be.
A Nailbat thudded in once, twice, and a third time on the same target, smashing its mushroom-like cap into mush and dropping it to the ground.
The other skeleton joined in the fun, hacking away at the second creature on the front line with its shortsword. I cast Necromantic Bolt, shooting it past the scrum and striking the victim of my Rot who was slowly melting before my eyes.
Instead of the infrequent pulses of damage I was used to, the Bone Dust enhanced Rot cloud was continuously in effect, rotting away the targets flesh with an audible hiss.
My bolt blasted into its shoulder, tearing its arm off and leaving a puddle of goo where the limb splatted onto the tunnel floor.
The untouched myconid joined the fray, opening its mouth wide and biting down on Big Mama’s skull. The creature’s jaws had surprising strength, and Big Mama’s health dropped by a third as the thing latched on and began beating at her body with its clublike appendages.
I started to cast another Necromantic Bolt targeting the rotted Sporestalker but redirected to the one latched onto Big Mama when my Rot spell finished it off.
The bolt slammed into the creature, knocking it off of my skeleton whose health was down to ten percent.
My goblin skeletons ganged up on the injured myconid, Rusty Shortsword and Nailbat taking large chunks out of its health with each hit.
I called Big Mama back, not wanting to risk having her destroyed and joined the fight, casting Drain on the mushroom creature. I siphoned away the last of its life force before sending my minions to finish off Big Mama’s first victim that was regaining its feet.
They fell on it with mechanical precision, finishing off its remaining health in no time.
You have killed 4x Myconid Sporestalker! You have gained 200xp!
Quest Update – Mine Shaft 8 Cleared – 9%
All of my minions had suffered at least some damage, Big Mama being the worst of the lot. My mana was at a decent level, so I cast Mend Bone on all three of them, draining my mana but restoring them all to full after a couple minutes.
Once healed, I ordered the skeletons to stand guard while I searched the corpses for anything of value and let my mana recharge.
The one who was killed by Rot was nothing but a pile of mush, and the rest weren’t that much better. They had no clothes or obvious equipment, but I figured they would have some way to carry things around.
I poked at the mush with my knife and struck something hard in the center of its form. I used the knife to scrape away the goop and found a small fibrous sack that could have been its stomach. I sliced it open and found a few lumps of rock inside.
< Unidentified Rock > x 3
I shrugged and put them into my bag. They automatically stacked into one slot, which was nice. I searched the rest of the body but found nothing else of value.
Next, I focused on the body and activated Dissection. Only two icons appeared: A green droplet and a small mushroom, both grayed out. I focused on the icons, trying to see if I was missing a specialized tool or something.
Dissection unavailable. Current dissectible materials are damaged beyond use.
“Ahh,” I sighed. There was a cost to rotting your opponents to death. I moved on to the next body, again cutting open its stomach and removing the one rock I found there.
I attempted Dissection and both icons were available, but they were both orange. I decided to try anyhow, going for the green teardrop. The corpse blurred as the progress bar ticked by.
Dissection Failed.
I collected four stones from the last two stomach pouches and attempted to dissect them again but both attempts failed. I did get lucky on the last body, triggering my Scavenger skill and finding a bit of extra loot growing under the myconid’s cap.
I tried identifying it, but the only thing the system revealed was that I lacked the skills necessary to identify the item. I considered casting Psychometry but didn’t want to use up the time I had left on my unbound goblins’ animation timers.
The first fight had been pretty quick, but healing them up afterwards took a couple minutes leaving them just under fifteen minutes.
I approached the intersection, looking down each of the intersecting tunnels. To the right I could barely make out a large shape just at the edge of my vision, while the current path and the left branch headed downwards, further into the mine.
I decided to head down the right path. I knew there was something there, just not quite what.
I dropped into Stealth and moved a short way down the tunnel until the object I’d spotted at the end of the tunnel became clear.
Growing along the floor and taking up a good chunk of the dead-end tunnel was a massive growth of some sort. The surface of the monster was slightly translucent, and just under its skin were the remains of one of the former workers, or at least that’s what I assumed based on the mining pick suspended in the creature next to the corpse.
I focused on the creature and two separate tags appeared.
< Myconid Devourer >
< Human Miner Corpse >
The corpse was gray, but the Devourer was yellow, representing a decent challenge. I took another step forward, and the thing began to shift.
Stealth Failed! You have been detected
Before I could react, the creature’s skin split and expelled a green glob similar to the Sporestalker right at me.
I ducked to the side, avoiding the loogie which hit the wall to my left. Some of the liquid splashed onto my legs and tail and I immediately started to feel ill as the spots where the liquid touched my flesh began to itch.
My health bar changed from a vibrant red to a sickly looking green and started pulsing.
Save vs. Poison: Failed
You have been poisoned! Reaction speed decreased! Duration 1 minute.
Note: Poison duration and effect proportional to amount of poison absorbed
I tried to retreat, but it was like I was moving underwater.
I mentally ordered Big Mama to come and pull me back down the tunnel, and she complied, carrying me like a kitten back to the tunnel entrance where I was able to see the creature extend a long pseudopod, grasping at the position where it had detected me.
The poison wore off a minute later and I shuddered. If I had taken the full brunt of that attack, I’d have been the next rotting corpse taking up space in that creature’s stomach.
Their green goop was some sort of paralysis poison, and I was quite susceptible. But luckily for me, it seemed my skeletons were completely immune which would give me a nice advantage in taking out these mushroom men and completing the quest.
I pulled out one of my groundhog skeletons and animated it, not wanting to risk the goblins or Big Mama just to test my theory about the slimy creature.
I sent the groundhog down the tunnel and watched as it approached the spot where I had been attacked.
It scuttled along; its eyes glowing as it sniffed around the corridor in imitation of its previous life until it reached the same point I’d reached before.
The Devourer struck, spitting out another glob of green nasty that splashed all over the animated skeleton to no effect.
I wondered if there was a way I could see the effe
cts on my minions the same way I did on myself and got a prompt.
Would you like to turn on notification messages for your minions? (Yes/No)
I selected yes, and another note appeared.
Note: You can customize the messages and notifications that you receive by entering the Options menu. Also be aware that prior messages can be viewed in the Event Log.
I focused on viewing the Event Log and a window opened in the left side of my display showing hundreds of lines of text scrolling by. I skimmed through the list. The messages I was used to seeing were interspersed here and there with numerous other messages. Hits and damages, abilities and the like. The Sporestalker spit was a type of damage over time poison while the Devourer’s was a paralytic. I skipped over most of it until I got to the last couple of entries.
Myconid Devourer attacks Groundhog Skeleton with Paralysis Poison Spit
Groundhog Skeleton has been hit with Paralysis Poison Spit!
Groundhog Skeleton is immune to poison.
A quick glance at my minion timers showed none were close to expiration, so I sent my minions charging in and then followed behind. The newly added groundhog was first to reach the Devourer and leapt towards it, its skeletal mouth open to rip into its flesh.
A pseudopod formed out of the myconid’s mass and swatted the groundhog out of the air, sending it skittering down the hallway into the stone wall where it crumpled into a pile of inert bones.
I pulled a pinch of Bone Dust from my bag and cast Rot on the enemy. The caustic fog sank into the creature and started eating away at it, dropping its health bar tiny bit by tiny bit.
The shortsword wielding skeleton slashed into the appendage and severed it at its base. The severed appendage spread into a slimy puddle when it hit the ground at the skeleton’s feet. Another pseudopod formed from the devourer’s body and swiped at the goblin, sending it stumbling back a few steps with a glancing hit.
Extra Credit Page 10