In this world, Magic is Everything. All people, all races, are granted with the power to perform mystical and magical feats via grimories, mystical tomes granted to each and every child on their 15th birthday. Those blessed by the mana can have their names written down in legend.
Shattered Grimoires is the work of the mind(s) of Ardere & Shattered Grimoire's staff. All characters and content are copyright their creators, and may not be replicated without their creators' permission. Black Clover is owned by Yuki Tabata and published by Viz Shonen Jump. All images belong to their original owners. The theme you are currently viewing was made by Eliza of ElizaCodes exclusively for Shattered Grimoires.
Post by June Silva on Dec 28, 2020 14:37:19 GMT -5
The Fringe was a dangerous area to wander alone which was precisely why June had been vague about where she would be going when she left the Silva Estate. Her lady-in-waiting, Autumn, was a protective woman by nature. The Shattering and subsequent deaths of June's parents had intensified that protective nature into something that more closely resembled separation anxiety. At first, the blue and silver-haired noble had indulged her servant, letting Autumn dress her in layers and layers of petticoats and fine things, reporting her comings and goings to the maid, and such. However, June wasn't known for her patience. Not even affection for the woman who had looked after her since their youth was enough to contain her urge to go out on her own and test her strength.
This time, June told Autumn that she would visit a low level dungeon and assist some new adventurers or Knights still green behind the ears by accompanying them. She left out the dungeon's location on purpose, knowing that Autumn would only fret. Telling her lady-in-waiting where she was going (half) truthfully had the added benefit of being allowed to leave the house in plain clothes.
A hint of the self-satisfied smirk that had twisted her mouth when she walked through the gates still lingered at the corners of the Magic Knight's mouth while she walked through the Fringe with confidence. The excitement that came with sneaking out wasn't quite the same as it had been when her parents yet lived, especially now that there were was hardly anyone alive to hold her accountable, but it was still somewhat enjoyable.
The noble woman strode through the barren trees and dried shrubs with an air of confidence as though she'd been through the area countless times. She hadn't, but June's pride and confidence couldn't be lowered by such things. Her steps were unusually quiet as June stepped around the dry sticks and leaves coating the ground. Her training with both the Magic Knights and her fiancé had taught the woman to be light on her feet. Instead of loud crunching, only the occasional whisper of leaves rustling announced her presence.
The chilly wind whipped against her face, blowing her hair free from its loose bun. Reaching up with a gloved hand, June pulled a spare hair tie from a pocket and refastened her hair into a tight ponytail. Just as she finished securing her silvery blue locks, the wind kicked up, carrying more dust with it this time.
June held up an arm to shield her face and squinted as dusty winds battered her and shook the trees violently. The Magic Knight dropped to one knee to stay low to the ground and try to minimize her exposure to the intense breeze. Her eyes watered from the dust and she began to cough when suddenly the wind died down. The noble woman pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket and summoned just enough water to wet it before dabbing at her eyes gingerly. She squeezed the moisture from the cloth before stowing it away in the pocket of her white coat.
Grumbling about the dirt on her coat, the noblewoman took a few moments to dust herself off before she looked up and noticed the Ancient Tower of Quinteps leaning over her. The large, stone tower cast a long shadow and the dirt piled around it suggested that the tower had emerged from underground.
"Well, I've never seen anything like that before," June muttered to herself. "Who would come out here for a junior level dungeon?"
Despite gathering gossip about the dungeon beforehand, the noblewoman had been skeptical about the tower's existence. Wouldn't a dungeon that appeared in the Fringe be more dangerous than the practice dungeons that could be found within Clover?
Post by Siobhan Zippel on Dec 28, 2020 17:21:45 GMT -5
The winds were strong that day, enough to cause one particular figure pause as she traveled. It was a simple affair to shove a few hat pins through the base of her hat and into a small top-knot she pulled some of the blonde hair on the crown of her head into. It was worth the two minutes of discomfort if only to keep the iconic bit of national garb resting firmly in place. Siobhan Zippel of the Forest of Witches, itinerant artist that she was, had heard rumors of the jutting dungeon a fortnight ago across the expanse of Clover and made her way to the region by foot and by flight.
The relative proximity to her homeland was an added boon, given she'd been halfway across the country before beginning her little trek. She'd purposefully made strides to distance herself from the forest back then, so getting closer to it was a new experience for her. No one had really told her what that particular expanse of the Forsaken Region would be like either. She'd thought, naively perhaps, that it would echo her verdant birthplace.
Siobhan was woefully wrong.
The dust stung at her eyes when she made her way through the sandstorms whipping about the area in the last leg of her trip, muttering curses under her breath. The whole point was to see the surroundings, to gain some vital inspiration about a new section of the world to her. She could hardly squint through the sand to approach!
Fortunately, it finally seemed to die down when she made her way through a last horrendous gale. Shaking the detritus from her green frock and hair, the witch took a moment to blink tears from her eyes as the grit and grime of the road streamed out of them. No one had warned her to take goggles or glasses of any sort. She'd need to visit the merchant she'd heard the tales about The Ancient Tower of Quinteps from again sometime in the future, if only to....thank the man for his "help" sometime.
Sighing as she wiped and blinked the discomfort from her face, the blue-eyed witch finally had a moment to stop and appreciate the jutting architecture of the tower. She tilted her head to the side from her vantage point, whistling softly. It was an antithesis to the first dungeon she'd visited, the haunted well a pit into the earth while this appeared to be stabbing into the sky. The Wedding Well had, in the words of the man who'd guided her through it, absorbed the emotions and fears of the humans living nearby to sustain itself somehow. She wondered if all mana zones functioned in a similar way, or if they varied wildly. Her own homeland was technically a mana zone in some regards, though any roving mana beasts were of little threat to an entire community of witches.
What did the tower have to feed on this far away from civilization? If it regenerated in the same manner as any other dungeon, which the man had assured her was the norm, perhaps the allure of the unknown brought people this far out? After seeing the gloriously gloomy architecture that lay within the confines of the well, Siobhan sought more visual examples. What sort of inspiration, as dangerous as it was wondrous, hid inside the Ancient Tower? Finding out was a compulsive itch that the witch simply couldn't resist trying to scratch.
Stepping forward as she shed the last bit of dust from her hair with a quick sweep of her arm through the blonde locks, the witch paused briefly as, from a different angle, another person came into view. A summary glance gave her a baseline of information. Female, almost her height (a refreshing change compared to how many people towered over her, even back in the forest), and...that garment. The corner of Siobhan's eyebrow matched the corner of her mouth, a slight tilt upwards in wry resignation.
She'd only encountered them in passing and absorbed stories from commoners, but Magic Knights functioned as the Clover Kingdom's peace keepers and shepherds. Of course she'd run into one at a dungeon in the Forsaken Region. She hadn't expected a lone one though. The relative norm was a dungeon diving group, wasn't it?
Of course, a voice in her head chimed, she hadn't come here with anyone else either. She'd picked up a few tips and pointers from Bengal but hadn't accounted for help this time around.
Oh pox and murrain on all of it. She could swallow her pride for a bit, if only for the chance to make it through.
"Excuse me? Miss?" The witch called, holding up a hand cautiously as she crunched through the leaves and twigs of the arid landscape around them. The greenery didn't appear to start thriving until the proximity of the tower was much shorter. "You're a Magic Knight, right?" The witch stopped a few paces short of the blue-haired knight, adjusting the strap of her side bag briefly. "Don't suppose you could use a spot of company going in there? I'm no expert at them, but I have been through a dungeon before with a bit of help." She brushed an errant mass of hair out of her face, smearing a bit of blue paint from her hand along her cheek in the process.
As if Siobhan wouldn't stop to make a small painting study of the mountainous lake she'd spotted that morning before entering the hellish dust storms!
Siobhan has: 5 m/s of movement 1/2 Junior Strength Senior Mana Skin and Health 0 Pow 15 Durability 0 Sen 20 Stamina 28 Con 70 Mana Pool 2 Spells per post Casting Limit 20 Mana Regen IC | 25 OoC from Quick Charger Learning Experience Dungeon Perk
Post by June Silva on Dec 29, 2020 21:50:24 GMT -5
The blonde woman's words drew June's attention away from her soiled outfit for a moment. The noblewoman blinked at the other short woman's question before glancing down at her Silver Eagles mantel. Of course that garment had been spared the stains that were adorning the rest of her outfit.
"You are correct on both accounts. I am indeed a Magic Knight and am here for the dungeon. Who might you be?" The noblewoman's silvery brows rose as she asked her question.
The woman standing before her wasn't someone that June recognized on sight, though that didn't necessarily mean much. The Silva wasn't all that interested in the "who's who" of Clover. Aside from knowing of the heads of other noble families and Magic Knight Captains, few other individuals mattered to her enough to be remembered. Not even the leaders of other noble families or Knight squads held her interest. In typical Silva fashion, June assumed that most people were not worthwhile until proven otherwise.
However, there were a few things that the Silver Eagle could determine already from their brief interaction. This woman didn't seem to realize she was a Silva. Most denizens of Clover would have known she was a noble instantly and reacted accordingly, whether that reaction be positive or negative. Beyond that, the blonde didn't seem to be entirely familiar with Magic Knights as a whole.
The kinds of people who would be unaware of her family and the Magic Knights in general likely hailed from somewhere within the Forsaken Region if not a far off nation. A wanderer, most likely, June concluded while she awaited the blonde woman's reply. A wanderer that went into dungeons with the help of more powerful people, it seemed. Had she run into Bengal before? It was possible. Either way, the blonde woman presented an excuse for June to go into the dungeon. The Magic Knight would have the benefit of assessing this person's potential and having made good on what she'd told Autumn she was up to. Perfect.
While in thought, her brows had knit slightly and a light frown crossed her delicate features. The thoughtful expression faded, replaced with a slight smile, once the Silva finished pondering the other woman's origins.
Post by Siobhan Zippel on Jan 3, 2021 20:42:06 GMT -5
"You can call me Siobhan," the witch's eyes met the knights with an even gaze, "wandering painter and dungeoneer novice."
She briefly wondered if this Magic Knight was the sort to whip commoners if they crossed them, but felt better than to press her luck. The myriad stories of the common folk tended to paint them as the noble vanguard of the nation, yet in practice few of the people she'd run into between the Forsaken and Common regions could spare too many kind words about all of them. The silver-blue of the knight's hair was rather lovely, upon closer inspection. Her posture, even in a casual conversation like this introduction, was leagues better than the common folk that the blonde had mingled with regularly during her travels. Even her clothes, though plain and made for function, were of a finer weave than most peasants could afford. A noble perhaps? Hadn't they said the Magic Knights were chock full of them as she wove her way through hamlets and villages during her travels?
She spared a moment to think of her last dungeon encounter and the man who'd walked her through it. Bengal, the White Tiger, had a fearsome reputation she'd managed to hear of even before meeting him; he'd proven more useful than any other man Siobhan had met. He'd kept her alive during the dungeon, given her critic of her form, and even chided her to visit the noble region sometime in lieu of believing everything she heard.
Siobhan could stomach a man's help when her life was on the line, but she'd hardly made any effort to approach the nobility since then. Even if it was holding back some of the finances she needed to travel not to take work from them, the witch had other priorities.
"Shall we head in?" The blonde turned towards the tower, tilting her head in a curious bob. "It feels less ominous than the first one I encountered. Though I suppose a mysterious spire in the middle of nowhere has a certain mystique compared to a haunted well with a dead bride at the bottom of it." Siobhan's tone betrayed little more emotion than a passing amusement and curiosity.
WC: 368 TWC: 1290 F1/R1: 600/600 (740 total between June and Siobhan)
Siobhan has: 5 m/s of movement 1/2 Junior Strength Senior Mana Skin and Health 0 Pow 15 Durability 0 Sen 20 Stamina 28 Con 70 Mana Pool 2 Spells per post Casting Limit 20 Mana Regen IC | 25 OoC from Quick Charger Learning Experience Dungeon Perk
June nodded once at the simple introduction. It was informative without being full of pointless drivel. The blonde woman seemed to be focused on business, which suited the Magic Knight just fine. She needed an excuse to go traipsing through a low level dungeon, not another commoner friend.
"I am June of House Silva. You may address me by my given name during this venture."
The short woman turned towards the dungeon's entrance and approached it with slow steps that managed not to convey wariness so much as leisurely confidence. "Do watch your step. While there are no dead brides here, I'm certain this tower has its own surprises."
She paused, noting the vines that obscured the doorway. The passage was barely visible, save for the subtle arch of a doorway beneath the foliage. Without hesitation, June drew her sword and slashed at the flora a few times before stepping over it. The petite Magic Knight sheathed the Bastard before planting her palms on the wooden door and giving it a shove. The wood was damp and splintering, creaking as it swung open slowly.
Squinting into the darkness, the Silva waited a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dim lighting. A relatively empty rooms with not much but vines and soil to decorate it revealed itself. She poked at the loamy dirt with the edge of her boot, finding it to be fare too soft and squishy for her liking. June pulled her foot back, but the mud rose to encapsulate her foot.
With only a few moments to act, the woman quickly sliced the strings that laced up her boots and pulled her foot free, hopping backwards. The boot continued to sink into the ground until it disappeared.
"It seems we will have to be clever about making our way across the first floor. The whole thing is likely a trap," the knight stated, a frown tugging at the corners of her mouth.
The short noblewoman set her free hand on her grimoire and summoned River Step. Cool water surrounded her feet and pooled beneath her until she stood atop a miniature, self-contained river.
"Unless you intend to swing from vine to vine, you should step on Siobhan," June added.
Once Siobhan stepped aboard (or didn't), the magic river snaked its way across the room, keeping its passengers afloat with a safe distance between the bottoms of the feet and the treacherous floor. When they reached the other side, June prodded the bottom of the stair case with the tip of her sword.
"This seems solid enough."
For good measure, she commanded River Step to carry them to the top of the steps before setting them down.
Name of Spell: River Step Elemental Type: Water Rank & Spell Type: Senior, Supplementary Construct & Healing Range & Speed:25m/s, 5 passengers max, 80m range Mana Cost: 30|15 Stats Effected:Mana Applicable Perks:Healing Specialist Description: A stream of water, not unlike a miniature river, surrounds June and up to four other people’s feet and carries them. Any passengers on this stream of water have all wounds up to [Senior] healed after remaining on the construct for a full post. The max damage healed drops by one rank per person healed. June’s allies regenerate [15 Mana] per post while on the construct.
Post by Siobhan Zippel on Jan 7, 2021 16:13:06 GMT -5
Siobhan was a foreigner to Clover, but even she had heard of house Silva. It put the other woman into a neat little package for her at least, though she suppressed a wry cackle when the woman returned her name. What else would she refer to the blue-haired Knight by other than her name? Born and raised in the Forest of Witches, Siobhan only recognized the authority of a single sovereign, the Queen Mother herself. She had no illusions she stood on equal power with most of the people she tended to encounter around dungeons though, so she could at least play nice...or what constituted such for the blonde.
June took the lead into the first room with Siobhan clipping behind her in her boots. The witch's blue eyes scanned the room with mild disinterest as they entered, though the temperature was balmier at least now that they were out of the dust storms that surrounded the tower. The knight's foot made cautious contact with the silt on the ground, and the green clad witch watched with curiosity as the earth seized the boot so securely. Dungeons were fascinating creatures, weren't they? Of course, before she could see exactly what the floor had in store for any trespassers, her dungeon delving partner conjured a river of water to stand within that raised her above the muck below.
Magic Knights, especially nobles of Clover, were reputed to be powerful mages. Siobhan's eyes scanned the platform of water briefly as June suggested she ride it and she hopped on. "Thank you, June." The witch strode into the water, fortunate if only for her traveling boots not soaking through from the fine leather make of them.
The next room greeted them as the River settled them down, only to meet multiple sets of eyes. Were they fungus infested snails, or mushrooms that attempted to look like snails? Siobhan's head tilted to the side as the ten beasts, blinking at the rush of them. She'd let the Knight serve as workhorse in the first room, so the witch supposed she could at least start contributing something.
She drew her grimoire from her bag, the golden filigree offset by riotous splashes of color across the rainbow on the cover. Her mana opened it wordlessly as spouts of paint erupted: first, predominantly green, yellow and grey; next, from the other side of the page, black and white.
The deluge of paint coalesced into four shapes rapidly. all were pantomimes of feminine form, though two were rough, large terrestrial ones that even at a distance showed the characteristic ridges and valleys of a paintbrush stroke in their muted green existence. The other pair were smaller than the land bound ones, their limb array less human as well. Their bodies were more polished in any event, though entirely shades of black, white, and grey.
"Go." Siobhan mumbled to her conjured paintings with a small tilt of her head.
The beasts moved closer, their stalks whirling in the air, yet the foursome of Golems, especially the flying Grisailles, were faster. The Grisailles, modeled after illustrations of water and wind spirits, swam through the air with their feathered tails and wing-fins with ease before slicing two of the beasts clean down the middle with a synchronized strike. She'd been working on her control of her Golems since her first dungeon run, and it was getting easier with each passing cast.
The Venedas were slower, though not by much, and less graceful in their execution. Each one merely clubbed the beasts to death with heavy-handed blows from their arms. It didn't hurt that the Venedas were over nine feet tall when employed for combat purposes either, to be fair.
Four of the mana beasts dead before them, the Grisailles lazily flying circles above them, the remaining six had their choices above them. There were the humans in the doorway, or the four golems one had conjured to slaughter nearly half their number. Whatever would they choose?
WC: 665 TWC: 2355 F2/R1: 665/800
Combat: Siobhan conjures 2 Grisailles and 2 Venedas that each destroy a snail-shroom and offer distraction for the remaining 6 beasts; Siobhan spends 30 mana for Cast+Upkeep on the 2 Spells, but recovers 20 mana from Quick Charger.
Siobhan has: 5 m/s of movement 1/2 Junior Strength Senior Mana Skin and Health 0 Pow 15 Durability 0 Sen 20 Stamina 28 Con 70 Mana Pool 2 Spells per post Casting Limit 20 Mana Regen IC | 25 OoC from Quick Charger Learning Experience Dungeon Perk
The river that had carried the pair of women past the first room of the dungeon and to the second floor shifted, bending and flowing away from the painter's feet to deposit her on the ground.
The odd creatures that confronted them earned a single raised brow from the noble woman while she studied them quietly for a moment. The blonde woman accompanying her was quick to jump into action, creating several paint golems to attack the group of mushroom-snail hybrids. They were likely weak creatures given how easily four of them had been dispatched. Nevertheless, it was good to know that the strange woman accompanying her wasn't completely helpless. She was better off than most commoners in terms of power. The unique element Siobhan wielded also drew the noblewoman's interest. What else could she do?
June pondered how to get rid of the remaining pests for a brief moment. The creatures seemed to be preoccupied by the paint golems. While she could have watched the show and waited until Siobhan finished up on her own, the noblewoman wanted to confirm the relative strength of the enemies for herself. River Step snaked forward, carrying the blue-and-silver-haired woman with it. Quickly, the Magic Knight drew her sword and slashed at a few of the mushroom monsters. Her sword cut two of the creatures cleanly in two, causing them to grunt and turn to face her.
Roots materialized, attempting to grab the Magic Knight, but the river she stood on was able to outmaneuver them all with ease. With a few stabs and slashes, dispatched three more. The final two monsters lashed out at June with pink lianas that were oddly fleshy in appearance. River Step shifted, keeping the noblewoman out of harm's way long enough for her to bisect the remaining creatures.
A cloud of spores rose up from their fading bodies, causing June to direct her transport spell to move her away from the area while covering her nose with one arm. Once she lowered her arm, the noblewoman took note of a foul odor. It rivaled the stink that emanated from Krampus. In response, she fetched her handkerchief once more and used it to dull the worst of the smell. Bones and partially decayed corpses of small animals of varying kinds littered the room and were stuck to the walls. It wathe s disgusting, but not shocking to the noblewoman.
The sight reminded her a bit of the Ryuutei's composting system but smellier. The worst of the scent seemed to leak from a dark hole in the wall that June hadn't noticed earlier.
"I suspect the next room is through that entrance," June announced. Even behind the cloth she held to her face, the Silva's disgust was clear.
Post by Siobhan Zippel on Jan 14, 2021 0:31:57 GMT -5
Siobhan's head tilted to the side as she watched June work. Despite the misgivings about their function in society, she had to give the Magic Knight a kernel of credit for her efficiency with that blade. The usage of a transportation spell in conjunction with the slashes was effective and quick, and it even spared her girls being destroyed.
Bengal had encouraged her to get less attached to her Golems during her first dungeon dive, but she still felt a small pang of regret every time one of them was destroyed, even if it was necessary. Though she supposed there was a bit of beauty in their transience in keeping her alive and well at least. She motioned to one of her Grisailles, the black and white marionette swooping down to hover a few feet from the ground with practiced ease. It wouldn't be quite as quick as June's spells, but watching the ground attempt to seize her again made the witch less than enthused at the prospect of walking on the soil and silt.
Kneeling on the small of the Golem's back, Siobhan hummed briefly as she rose in the air upon it. The Venedas were larger than the Grisailles by far when employed for combat but couldn't fly about like their predatory sisters. Siobhan steadied herself briefly while gliding to June and the exit.
Her nose wrinkled in mild annoyance at the wafting aromas. She'd smelled worse from cauldrons back home occasionally, but it was saying something that the dungeon could produce a fragrance to rival the most vile witch's brew. "Splendid." She said flatly, sarcasm coloring her demeanor as she drifted into the next room, a pull of the mana tether to her Golems and mental command bringing the rest gliding and trudging along.
The next room broke open to a blasted sky in the distance over a lake, mushrooms and trees overgrowing the area. Siobhan whistled softly in appreciation for the sight: smell be damned, this dungeon's aesthetic was something to marvel at. She'd never even seen trees of fungi like the ones growing about the lake. Her hand reached into her bag, absentmindedly rifling for a sketchbook and pencil to capture an impression of the room they entered as she urged the Grisaille she was riding to rise into the air.
"It's stunning, in a way." She mused to the Magic Knight as her pencil darted about the page. "I've only begun to go through these, but dungeons never cease to amaze me a little with their detail work."
The witch's doodling came to a halt at the sound of a rustle and a swarm of mana beasts, reptilian in appearance, moving swiftly through the vegetation. Even as they began to close the distance she could tell they were faster then her, or even her Golems. Fortunately, the witch was just as comfortable in the air as she was on the ground and the creatures were rather terrestrial.
There were ten of them, moving like a pack of hunters. She paused for a moment, pencil in hand, before spinning it idly and issuing her commands to the Venedas and lone Grisaille not carrying her. The two larger golems flopped forward, landing hard on the two nearest members of the Pack. Yet the girls had done their job, earning slashes and bites from the frenzy. The Grisaille slipped in with an owl's grace and ease, the whip snap of her tail connecting with one of the injured beasts and separating it's head from it's body before circling back into the sky while the beasts tore into the Venedas on the ground. It gave her the answers she needed at least as she tested them.
"I'm not much for traditional attack magic I fear." the witch called to her Knight companion. "These things are sturdier than the ones in the first room, and their numbers are annoyingly high."
Siobhan watched them begin shrieking as they got mouthfuls of paint and covered in it in lieu of any meat or blood. "Not particularly bright either." She could descend from the sky and use her second Grisaille to finish one off, sure, but it also placed her dangerously close to those fast moving mouths and talons. Without any sort of guaranteed recovery magic or the resources to summon her own shield while manipulating her Golems, she passed on the idea swiftly.
WC: 732 TWC: 3040 F2/R1: Cleared from combined numbers last post F2/R2: 732/800
Combat: Siobhan enters the next room with June and her 4 Golems, spawning the Falkhasaurs; already rising in the air to sketch the scene, she manages to avoid their attack on 1 of her flying Golems and uses her two terrestrial ones to inflict Junior damage on 2 of the dinos, finishing an injured one off from a whip-lash from her other flying Golem's tail as the pack is distracted by trying to rip apart the belly flopping giant women. The falkhasaurs wind up covered in paint and with mouths full of it for their effort, but only 1 is killed in Siobhan's first round. 9/10 remain, with one injured. Siobhan spends 10 mana on the Golem's upkeep, but regenerates 20 from Quick charger, putting her back to full mana.
Siobhan has: 5 m/s of movement 1/2 Junior Strength Senior Mana Skin and Health 0 Pow 15 Durability 0 Sen 20 Stamina 28 Con 70 Mana Pool 2 Spells per post Casting Limit 20 Mana Regen IC | 25 OoC from Quick Charger Learning Experience Dungeon Perk
Post by June Silva on Jan 14, 2021 17:35:35 GMT -5
The blonde woman seemed to share June's opinion of the smell of the place. Once they moved to the next room, the entire tower shook. June stowed away the handkerchief after making her way out of the rancid room, to discover a jungle-like environment. The top of the tower had crumbled away, revealing the sky. Exotic looking mushrooms grew to heights that weren't seen anywhere else. The constant drone of cicadas and buzzing of bees hinted at bustling life.
Not unlike Siobhan, the Magic Knight took a few moments to appreciate the scenery.
"On occasions dungeons have rooms that are quite aesthetic," the noblewoman remarked in response to the witch's comment.
The Silva looked over at the blonde woman, a question about her doodling coming to mind. However, that question was lost before it could ever reach Siobhan's ears due to the interruption of furry yet reptilian looking beasts. June's eyes narrowed at the creatures. She'd only seen things like it in the history books she pored over in her youth. They resembled some of the extinct creatures that June favored reading about. It was a shame they needed to be killed.
Any worries about preservation were discarded in favor of the practical problem facing them. Siobhan's paint golems were only able to dispatch two of the creatures before getting ripped apart.
"It's a shame to kill such interesting creatures," June mused before lifting her sword once more.
The river beneath the Magic Knight's feet surged forth, placing her in a position where it was easy for the lizard-like mana beasts to surround her. She crouched and waited for them to pounce. June stood and thrust her blade forward. The bastard sword met some resistance due to June's relatively low strength, but pierced the creature anyway. She continued moving forwards, carried on River Step, before the other creatures could successfully land on her.
With a grunt June pushed the dead beast with one hand while using her sword arm to pull the Bastard free. By the time she loosed her blade, another pair of lizards were running towards her. June beheaded one and then another. Then, she flipped the sword around neatly and drove it into the skull of the next lizard to approach her. There was a crunching sound that accompanied the impact, but hopefully the creature would survive if only by the skin of its teeth.
Two lizards remained, circling June warily. River Step carried her away from the creatures, seeking to avoid being attacked from both sides.
"Can you knock these creatures out with your golems, Siobhan? It would be a shame to kill them all. I'm fairly certain these beasts are considered extinct. I fear I am a bit too rough to keep them alive. Failing that, I'll give you Yul to capture their likenesses."
[469/2,381]
[F2R2 WC Cleared] [F2R3 401/800]
Senior spell maintained for 15 mana, 55 mana recovered w/ perks
Post by Siobhan Zippel on Jan 16, 2021 17:48:16 GMT -5
The witch watched the knight move with passive interest, noting the same spell moving her about with practiced ease while she sliced and diced and smacked the reptilian creatures about with ease. At least June agreed with Siobhan about the aesthetic prowess of dungeons.
It was a little surprising when the magic knight asked her to knock them out in lieu of killing them; an offering to pay for capturing their likeness caused the witch's head to tilt. Nobles had the money of the land, the real money, and though dungeons gave a fair bit of coin Siobhan didn't want to rely solely on them for an income. Some of her sisters resorted to selling potions and other magic items to the citizens of Clover, so what was stopping Siobhan from selling her own work for a bit of coin?
"That's more than agreeable to me." She answered, "And you're right, it is a bit of a shame to end them. Though they'll simply respawn once the dungeon's had a rest from our excursion, right? If I've an understanding of how these things tend to work."
It also didn't hurt that the witch was already beating the knight to the proverbial punch. Her sketches were gestural and loose from the moving creatures, but if she could stun one or preserve a corpse well enough...
Her grimoire sprayed shades of green paint as she conjured two more of her Veneda Golems, the massive feminine forms landing in the remaining crowd of beasts. One of them fell to the two Golems kicking before it's brethren could shred them apart with their claws. Siobhan watched the paint of her Golems splatter as her mental command sent her Grisaille in, tail whip-lashing the one she'd injured before June had dispatched four of the beasts. Two of them down, three left to caw angrily at the women out of reach while their mouths were filled with the unpleasant taste of paint. With their destruction, her mana tether to her Golems was non existent, so cleaning the paint off of the creatures was a bit of a hassle from this distance. Regardless though, the witch drew in her sketch book with practiced ease. It wouldn't be much for her to remove the paint from a corpse later. What she would give for a bit of restraint magic in that moment to hold her subjects still though.
"We can discuss price later." Siobhan answered simply as she drew, "I was planning on making a few studies of them anyway. They're far more intriguing than the beasts from the first room." Preoccupied though she was with her art, the witch could spare a word here or there especially for a would-be patron.
How deep were the noble's pockets? If anything, it would be a chance to find out. Siobhan had seen varying levels of comfort and abject poverty amidst the common folk of the Clover kingdom during her travels. How different were the lives of the lords and ladies of the land?
Her other Grisaille circled the dinosaurs, just beyond reach of their leaping claws and gnashing teeth as Siobhan drew. A small amount of mana here and there allowed her to create dabs of paint along the paper, forming a small palette of colors she could discern along the creature's skin and feathers. It was an old trick to carry forward on a more grand painting later; a study for form and line, capturing anatomy when she could, along with a separate array of colors with arrows to their relative placement.
It also didn't hurt in those moments that Siobhan had a good eye and memory for visual details. She'd painted shambling corpses for a week after going in her first dungeon with Bengal, after all, and hadn't the opportunity then to sketch much at all. His style of dungeon diving had involved her being quick on her feet. The luxury of perching on her Golem while drawing and pulling the strings of her other golems was not feasible back then.
WC: 674 TWC: 3714 F2/R3: WC Met from combined totals
Combat: Siobhan shifts from studying the scenery to studying the dinosaurs; she spends 10 mana to cast her Veneda spell and 5 mana on the upkeep, as well as 5 mana on the upkeep of her Grisailles. She regenerates 20 mana from Quick Charger. She dispatches one of the previously injured dinosaurs as well as another from full health with 3 junior strikes from her Golem attack squad, but loses her Venedas in the process.
Siobhan has: 5 m/s of movement 1/2 Junior Strength Senior Mana Skin and Health 0 Pow 15 Durability 0 Sen 20 Stamina 28 Con 70 Mana Pool 2 Spells per post Casting Limit 20 Mana Regen IC | 25 OoC from Quick Charger Learning Experience Dungeon Perk
Post by June Silva on Jan 18, 2021 18:44:29 GMT -5
June considered the blonde's words for a moment, watching as her paint golems managed to fell two more of the strange furry reptilians.
"You have a point. There are enough intact for decent paintings. I'll dispatch the rest of them."
With that, the short noblewoman sailed in on her magic river and decapitated the last two beasts with quick, precise strikes. The Magic Knight flicked the blood from the Bastard before taking a short break to clean the blade properly. June conjured a small orb of water and ran it along the blade to remove the blood and filth from it. With a quick motion of her wrist, the Magic Knight flung the orb of bloody water away from herself and Siobhan. It splattered against the dirt and ferns leaving a dark wet spot in the soil.
Pleased with the cleanliness of her blade, June took another moment to appreciate the unusual combination of jungle flora and fauna before beginning to search for the next room. While the Silva was scanning the dense tree-line for any sign of an exit, a loud roar sounded and the entire tower began to quake. She twitched, a bit surprised at the sudden noise and motion, but only for a moment.
Once everything settled down, it was eerily quiet. All the buzzing of insects and birdsong had vanished. June spotted a narrow pathway along the river. If not for her transport spell, their only option would have been to climb through the trees. One of the blonde's golems might have been able to carry them through the river, but it was unclear how deep the water ran. In a place like this, June wasn't in favor of taking a risk. Even in a junior level dungeon, caution was warranted. Stupidity could be deadly, after all.
"I believe our path forward has opened up... We can ride over the river, which seems to be the quickest way. You could likely fit on the path beside it though it is narrow if you prefer to walk. This transport spell can easily carry you and one of your golems along with me."
The Magic Knight looked over to see if the civilian was finished with her artwork. Her vested interest in procuring a portrait of one of the strange ancient creatures they had just fought lent June the patience not to try and rush the other short woman.
[401/2,782] F2R3 [401/800]
June kills the remaining 3 enemies with physical attacks (Grand + Senior damage total) Maintains 1 Senior spell for 15 mana Recovers 55 mana with perks
Post by Siobhan Zippel on Jan 23, 2021 0:04:10 GMT -5
The blonde's work went faster than usual; they were in a dungeon after all. Though a few hours would be needed to make a hyper accurate painting, the studies she wrapped up would be all the basis she needed beyond a free afternoon to really dig in.
The knight hardly harried the witch, a pleasantly small surprise. Patience wasn't something that Siobhan had come to expect from the humans of Clover, not compared to her sisters back home. Even if the study had been a short one, it had still taken time from the dungeon that could've been spent going deeper. The only thing that June brought up as Siobhan finished her sketching was the way forward, pointing to the river or the path beside it. Pursing her thin lips with a small hum as she tucked her sketchbook into her side bag, the witch tilted her head to the side as she surveyed the river.
At the offer to ride the river over, the witch paused for a moment. Her Grisaille's were aerial, but while riding them they moved at nearly half their usual speed. The Magic Knight's river was faster than anything Siobhan could conjure by far, so it was only logical to use the most efficient means of transport and not waste her mana. Drifting to the Knight's spell on the back of her Golem, the witch hopped from the flying creature's back with practiced ease and landed a-top the spell. Water gently lapping at her boots before it's mistress would usher them along, Siobhan straightened briefly before dismissing the Grisaille spell, her two golems falling apart into puddles of muddy paint that splashed onto the ground.
"Your spell's the faster route." Siobhan admitted as she settled onto the blue-haired knight's conjured transport. "It's only sensible to ride with you. If we need any support from my girls, it won't take long to cast them."
Siobhan didn't see the point or need to offer thanks for the ride, or for the uninterrupted time that June had offered her to draw and paint with. Social etiquette and decorum weren't foreign concepts to her, but growing up in the Forest meant she had little reason to bow and scrape to the Silva like a citizen of Clover might. It wasn't like a noble of Clover could hold a candle to the elder sisters or the Queen Mother in Siobhan's eyes after all.
"It does make me wonder though. The first dungeon I explored fed off of the stories and fears of the humans dwelling nearby it to my understanding, the mana warping with the collective pressure their tales provided....what does a place this remote and unusual have to feed upon?"
WC: 451 TWC: 4165
Combat: Siobhan dismisses Grisaille and regenerates 20 mana
Siobhan has: 5 m/s of movement 1/2 Junior Strength Senior Mana Skin and Health 0 Pow 15 Durability 0 Sen 20 Stamina 28 Con 70 Mana Pool 2 Spells per post Casting Limit 20 Mana Regen IC | 25 OoC from Quick Charger Learning Experience Dungeon Perk
Post by June Silva on Jan 28, 2021 13:41:46 GMT -5
"Good." June nodded once, finding herself liking the short, blonde woman a bit more.
Siobhan was sensible, relatively quiet, and didn't get in her way. On the contrary, despite not being very powerful, the other short woman managed to contribute toward the effort to clear the dungeon. Despite having waited for the other woman to do a brief study, June's patience didn't extend to the level of indulgence. She had noticed the drop in speed of the blonde's golems when the small woman perched atop them. If anything lurked beneath the surface of the river, dodging would be much more difficult if Siobhan remained on her own golem rather than River Step.
Once both women were on board, the river moved forward, carrying the pair over the river, snaking over the natural water's surface without sinking into it. A dark shadow passed beneath their feet, but remained submerged. The winding river lead towards yet another clearing.
"The past is powerful, remaining alive in both history books and in legends passed around certain circles. I imagine that the legends behind these creatures was simply powerful enough to take shape here."
A set of roars caused the tower to shake again (and interrupting what June had been about to say next), but the transport construct beneath June and Siobhan's feet remained steady. Shortly after, both women would catch sight of more ancient creatures. . A tall reptile with a large head, tiny forelimbs compared to the rest of its body, and a long tail faced off against a flying creature. The terrestrial beast had a strip of fur that coated the backs of its shoulders and extended down its spine, not unlike the lizards that the pair had defeated earlier. The airborne lizard had a massive wingspan, easily greater than the height of both women combined. It's leathery skin stretched from the claw tipped "fingers" at the end of its forelimbs to its hip, granting the creature the ability to coast through the air like a bird of prey. A long tail trailed after it, tipped with a wicked looking spike.
"They don't seem to notice us just yet. This is a good opportunity to capture their likeness, perhaps inspiration for a painting to give visual form to the legends. Anything you capture here would be superior to most available historic texts. Such images are based on bones and fossils. This is perhaps as close as the living shall ever get to the distant past."
The short Magic Knight's eyes were glued on the pair of battling ancients.
"Take your time with this one. I shall be willing to negotiate a rather generous price for a work of quality."
The river beneath their feet faded and June lifted a hand, summoning a large dome of water that surrounded the pair. The water was dense, yet translucent, providing a clear view of the fight happening mere meters from their position.
"They won't be able to break through this spell, though it isn't mobile, so this angle will have to suffice."
Satisfied with her work, June sheathed her bastard sword. "Once you're satisfied with your progress, I'll end one of the creatures so we can leave."
The statement was matter of fact, as though it were obvious she would be able to kill one of those giant beasts on her own.
Description: An orb formed of condensed water particles surrounds June and/or her allies. The orb is large, silver in color and translucent. Svalin has [Grand] health and can heal up to a [Senior] healing spell’s worth of damage after one post, following standard healing rules (this is reduced to [Intermediate] when healing multiple targets). When this shield is placed around an ally, the ally regenerates [20 Mana] per post. Those that attack this shield suffer [Senior] damage from thin streams of ultra-concentrated water attempting to pierce them.
Post by Siobhan Zippel on Jan 29, 2021 19:30:39 GMT -5
Riding the knight's spell, the witch clucked her tongue softly as they entered the boss room, watching the behemoths crash against each other viciously. Neither one seemed concerned with the women, or perhaps it was more accurate to say they didn't test their luck. June's thoughts on her capturing their likeness had already passed Siobhan's mind, as well as the inaccuracies of some historic texts. Her paintings would outdo any half-assed human history, of that the witch was certain.
As someone versed in defensive magics, the witch had to admit the knight's watery dome was impressive. It made sense, given the ease with which June had fought the rest of the dungeon, and finally illuminated why the blue haired Silva had opted for swinging about a sword while riding a transportation spell. The signs pointed to June's magic being supportive in nature rather than offensive. Common ground with a human.....how quaint.
"Full satisfaction with one's work is a recipe for laziness." Siobhan replied matter-of-factly, beginning a fresh sketch and color study as the beasts began to shed more blood. Capturing a moving figure was always harder than a still model, but Siobhan was hardly a neophyte when it came to her art anymore. She worked with a quiet concentration, only breaking the silence in the bubble the women shared to mutter the occasional curse when the beasts threw themselves with too much of a frenzy at one another. It was more difficult than the last she'd created a painting of, yet as she worked another idea blossomed in her mind.
She'd need a massive canvas, even for her own standards, for the idea, but....the terrestrial beast dominating the right third of it, chasing the smaller ones they'd encountered earlier through a jungle scene influenced by the surroundings the dungeon had offered them. Perhaps, in the distance overhead, the silhouette of the flying beast in the sky?
As she drew the pair and formed palette studies, the witch thumb-nailed a few sketches of different compositions featuring them. It would be resplendent, wouldn't it? Perhaps even a true mural sized version could work, through she'd still need to everything down to maintain proportions. The smaller creatures in the first room could swarm a wall easily enough, but the larger ones here? Too large by far.
First minutes, then an hour slipped past as the witch worked. She'd flipped through her sketchbook, filling several pages with drawing and painting studies. Pausing and lowering a brush as she dabbed a last bit of color, she turned to June. Addressing the knight for the first time since entering the chamber, the witch gave a small nod.
"I've gathered more than enough information to make a painting worthy of their memory now. Something truly grand."
There was a shift to her tone, a slight blush to her cheeks as she dreamily packed her art kit away. Left to her own devices to work, a part of Siobhan rarely seen by others could emerge at times. If there was one thing the witch loved unconditionally in this wretched world, it was her art. It made her feel alive in every bone and sinew of her being to be working and thinking about working. Nothing could ever quite compare; flowers faded and died, but a painting could last a lifetime and beyond.
Riding the high of work, the witch barely paid any heed to June's impending victory over the mana beast. She merely followed the blue-haired woman out of their predicament, already pondering where to buy the wood and cloth she'd need for her canvas to be built.
Post by June Silva on Jan 30, 2021 19:41:16 GMT -5
Siobhan's words earned her a laugh of agreement. "I suppose we have something in common, then. I am never satisfied."
The Magic Knight watched the witch sketch from a respectful distance. She was curious, but had no need to breathe down the blonde's neck. Every so often, she would turn and observe the battle of the beasts from afar. It was a truly interesting clash albeit nothing of epic proportions. Her husband-to-be could have easily dispatched both creatures within a few minutes without the use of his mana.
Another thought came to mind while she watched her fellow short woman working. Already, the quality and skill Siobhan possessed was starting to show. Her dedication to the art --willing to enter dangerous dungeons for a quality model or scenery-- was respectable. Perhaps she could commission art of Satori at some point. Having a life-like representation of the man would be quite pleasing to look at.
June blinked when Siobhan announced that she had gathered enough reference material, as though being pulled from some sort of daydream. She nodded and turned back towards the beasts without commenting on the blonde's blush or expression. Any sort of prying into the artist's mind could wait until after they were done with work. With a quick, practiced motion of her hand, the silvery-blue-haired woman called upon River Step once more. She road the magical river with ease, taking advantage of the two beasts' focus on one another rather than either of the mages present.
The Magic Knight easily out-maneuvered the large, raptor-like beast and shoved her sword straight into its gut. She kept moving, disemboweling the ancient beast in the process. The scream that pierced the air was chilling, but June kept moving with quick efficiency to avoid as much of the spray of blood as possible.
Exhausted and mortally wounded, the Juvasaur collapsed and bled out rather quickly. To save time, June bid River Step to collect the small pile of treasure that was revealed before returning to Siobhan's side. Once The short woman stepped onto her transport spell, the Silver Eagle was off, ready to leave the dungeon.
[355/3,693] [Exit]
June killed the Juvasaur w/ 1 physical attack with a senior weapon
