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.
RANK: Junior LOCATION: lRogue's Forge MIN-MAX PLAYER GROUP: 2-4 OTHER REQS: N/A
Rumors have begun to circulate around Rogue's Refuge, if you are traveling along a certain road to steer clear of the woods in the area because people have been going missing. Though in this area that happens often but when no one took credit for the disappearance and the various citizens and rogues alike were going missing the rumors have reached the ears of even the Magic Knight Squads. The kingdom has sent out a request for anyone with the ability and power to figure out what is causing this disappearances and solve the problem.
[attr="class","dungenfloor"]FLOOR #1
NUMBER OF ROOMS: 3 WORD COUNT PER ROOM: 1,250 FLOOR DESCRIPTION:
Upon entering the forest you will find that there is very little light seeping through the canopy of the high-reaching trees, no matter how you listen you are unable to hear any sort of animal life but you do get the unsettling feeling that you are being watched as whispers can be heard through the trees, but upon trying to find the sources you'll find nothing, eventually, you will come across an opening where it will seem as if a lot of time has passed as moonlight beams down from above and the remains of those who dared to enter could be seen.
These creatures are sentient plants that when disturbed have a wail that has been known to paralyze and even kill those who hear it though those rumors are more exaggerated they actually use their roots and magic to entangle prey and trap them in the ground to use as nutrients. These irritating weeded roots are blessed with ear-piercing element of sound. They are able to use attack creation and restraining
These creatures are the protectors of the entrance of the Cave system and use earth magic to attack and harm those that would dare to enter the Cave. These sentries are able to use both the elements of earth and common metals. They can use attack creation and hex and curse.
[attr="class","dungenroom"]Room #1
[attr="class","dungenencounters"]ENCOUNTERS:
Monsters: N/A
As you enter the Cursed Forest, it's like being cut off from the outside world, the once open sky blocked by the trees and overgrowth. The air around you seems to become stifling and chilled. Looking behind you the entrance to the woods has seemingly disappeared and only the path in front of you seems guide you further into the woods. Walking along this path you can hear low whispering and noises from things just out of sight no matter how hard you look. Every once in awhile in the distance there seems to be moving lights of blue flames but whenever you try to focus on the source it seemingly disappears the second you it breaks your line of sight.
[attr="class","dungenroom"]Room #2
[attr="class","dungenencounters"]ENCOUNTERS:
x5 Mandrakes per Player
Continuing along the only path you see to have you come to a large opening in the woods. Here you can see the sky and the time of day seems to have completely changed from day to night with moonlight bathing the clearing. Though looking at the moon you might notice that it seems off, its as if the moon has grown in size or was much closer than normal. The whispering you were so use to hearing has disappeared, though it seems that all sound has completely disappeared with the only sound you can hear is the slow beating of a heart. Is it yours or something else’s? Moving through the clearing will trigger the enemies response, the howling of mandrakes known for paralyzing and restricting anyone who hears their wails.
[attr="class","dungenroom"]Room #3
[attr="class","dungenencounters"]ENCOUNTERS:
x3 Earth Golems Per Player.
Successfully making it through the clearing and dispatching the obnoxious Mandrakes has brought you to the entrance to a cave system and something seems to pull you towards it. You can even seem to smell the delicious aroma of your favorite food coming from the cave system. Upon getting closer to the entrance of the cave system it seems like the rocks around it come to life, it would seem that whatever has cursed this forest has deemed you a threat and summoned its golems to stop you from proceeding.
[attr="class","dungenfloor"]FLOOR #2
NUMBER OF ROOMS: 4 WORD COUNT PER ROOM: 2,000 per room / 2,500 Boss Room FLOOR DESCRIPTION:
After defeating the mandragora and earth golems you continue walking down the path, now not only do you hear whispers telling you to turn back before it's too late there are almost ethereal flames that can be seen off in the distance. This time if you attempt to walk off the path you must roll 2d4 if it turns out even you will get turned around and will take intermediate rank damage, however, if it is odd you will find your way back to the path and only take junior rank damage (Ki nor sensory can stop this from happening). Along the way, you will finally come across a strange-looking cave entrance that has almost a protective web canopy surrounding it. Entering the cave you will come across creepy crawlies, but, oddly there's an enticing scent of delicious food in the air as you proceed forward into an unexpected situation.
These overgrown and vicious creatures lie in wait for their prey to stumble into their territory. They use their fangs and legs to deal Int damage to any who get to close and use their webs to entangle and trap prey to be used as a food source for later. These giant spiders are able to use the element cloth and are specialized in restraining, hex and curse as well as sensory.
The Cave hag is a creature that uses Transformation, Sensory and Attack Creation to lure in unsuspecting individuals to kill and butcher for food and to increase its own powers. It will use its Transformation to seem like the beautiful of creatures to whatever your character's preference is. If the transformation is seen through it will use illusions to distract and bewilder its prey and use Attack creations to harm and kill. The elements she can use are Plant and Food.
[attr="class","dungenroom"]Room #1
[attr="class","dungenencounters"]ENCOUNTERS:
Monsters: N/A
Making your way into the Cave system and past the golems that had been defending it you will realize that the smell of your favorite food has grown stronger though you can’t seem to see any signs of the ingredients or utensils that would lead you to thinking that anyone would be cooking here. The cave system is lit by faint bioluminescent algae that line the ceiling of the cave. The paths in front of you are long and winding, twisting on themselves often and frequently, unless you have a Sensory of 25 or more you must roll a 1d3 in the discord server. If you roll a 1 or 3 the WC for this room is increased by 150 words until someone in the party rolls a 2.
[attr="class","dungenroom"]Room #2
[attr="class","dungenencounters"]ENCOUNTERS:
4 Cave Spiders Per Player
Moving deeper into the cave systems and finally finding your way forward the smell of food grows stronger but the air seems to grow colder. The already faint light given off by the algae seems to be even less hardly able to use as a light source, the movement of things in the shadows can be heard. If you have a sensory of 15 or more, or Ki you will sense the Cave Spiders that are in waiting for you to come close enough to them for an ambush. They will deal Int physical damage to the first person to come into their range unless you are able to sense them. They can move along the walls and ceiling freely and will try to trap and ensnare people in webs.
[attr="class","dungenroom"]Room #3
[attr="class","dungenencounters"]ENCOUNTERS:
3+1d4 Monster
Moving past the arachnophobic worst nightmare, you can see in the distance the flickering of light seeming to come off some kind of flame. Once you turn the corner where the light source seems to be you will realize you are in some kind of kitchen like area. There is a variety of cookware and assortment of utensils littering the place, though it seems that no one is here. You notice that there are various bones and meat on the stone counters and looking in the pots you can tell someone has been here recently with the food being prepared. Even though whatever concoction of meal being made clearly isn’t anything you have ever seen it seems exactly like your favorite food. If you hazard a taste it would even taste like it too though it would be highly recommended to not do so. If you do, you will be given a curse that debuffs your movement speed by 2m/s for the remainder of the thread unless cleansed by a Healing Spell.
[attr="class","dungenroom"]Room #4 - Boss Room
[attr="class","dungenencounters"]ENCOUNTERS:
1 Cave Hag
From the kitchen you can hear a sound coming from farther down the tunnel it seems like it came from the dugout expansion on the other side, upon entering you will find the most beautiful person you have ever seen. They will look whatever your characters preference is, this is an transformation and unless you have the needed sensory of 25 or more or Ki the transformation will stand. The mysterious person will turn on you as you enter but seemingly come off as polite and reasonable, though if you are able to see past their transformation you will see that they are actually a twisted and horrid looking cave hag. A beast that lures unsuspecting individuals into their lair to butcher and devour at their leisure thinking that it will prolong their own life and empower their magic. They use Sensory, Transformation and Attack creation Pure aura magic. They will try to get close first while the transformation is active to get a sneak attack on whoever they can get to close first but if that doesn’t work they will use illusions and ranged spells to deal with intruders as needed.
Upon Completion of this Dungeon players will be awarded the Notable Achievement: The Hag's Bane.
Another day, another potentially violent undertaking.
In the past, which wasn’t saying much given his age, he had been out in the region before for the purpose of visiting the refuge. It was a place where all kinds of dark dealings went down, though it was also a place where you had merchants who were willing to buy just about anything. Whether you’d be able to broker a fair price for it was another matter entirely, though getting to ditch all of your wares and contraband in one spot was awfully convenient for those who had been living like he had. Before he became a junior magic knight, Gawain had been nothing more than an orphan who had survived quite some time as a slave on the islands of Skjaergard. Some time after, he had been freed from his captors and trained by the black knight himself, before eventually being left to his own devices once again.
This time however, he was a lot more skilled as a result of rather rigorous training to more or less hone the seemingly endless capacity of his prodigal prowess. As it were, he had been turned from an explosive into a… somewhat more guided explosive. For someone who had spent several years being a slave for barbarians on a remote island being told how he was worth less than the food he ate, to suddenly go to turning fifteen and being handed a four-leaf grimoire was rather life altering. Had it not been for the training he had received, the likeliness of him having already become a criminal before the age of sixteen was damn high. Instead, he had become the only commoner to be accepted into the elitist Silver Eagles squad based purely on his merit and the promise of being one of the great heroes of this country. He had a four-leaf grimoire after all, with which came an almost mythical status.
Especially among commoners, seeing someone with a four-leaf grimoire meant they were being blessed by a hero’s presence, or that of a hero in the making. He himself did not see it like that. To him, earning a four-leaf clover just established what he believed to be true, that he was destined to become one of the, if not the most powerful mage in the entire country. And to that end, he had been delving into various magic dungeons as a means of testing the limits of his own capabilities, fighting powerful opponents and looting various objects of interest in the process. It was why the rogue’s refuge was such an interesting place for him, as it was a place where he could fence all of the stuff he looted that weren’t of any direct personal interest to him.
Obviously, when he received word that there was some kind of spooky forest that more or less caused people to disappear, his interests were obviously piqued. Whether or not it was the kind of thing that would earn him any actually useful tools or trinkets, if it ended up helping the poorer people of the north by taking care of a threats to their safety, that by itself would be worth it. However, if he could somehow manage to get a bit of training out of it and some interesting things to take with him, that would just make things all the better. Wearing a dark grey Gi with a black undershirt along with a pair of black boots, the boy had traded in his usual loafers due to the obvious reasons that were ‘heading into a forest’. Anyone who would bring out a good pair of loafers into a forest honestly deserved being plagued by leeches and soggy feet.
Standing right at the precipice of the forest, looking in from the outside, even someone with a not overly well-developed sensory skill could feel the mana radiating off of this place. It was a magical, unnatural place after all. And places such as those were dangerous. Just how dangerous would remain to be seen, though figuring that out was exactly what made places such as these fun and interesting to him. With a bit of a smirk on his face, he made sure he had all of his stuff with him while preparing to venture on inside.
Post by Melaena Blake on Jan 31, 2024 14:56:23 GMT -5
Melaena had been a magic knight for a few months now but in the time she had been a knight so far all she had done were basic things such as patrolling the capital and helping people whose cats were stuck in trees. None of which really helped to increase her fame or pushed her closer to the goal of becoming captain of the Golden Dawn. However, it seemed that things were starting to look up for the young Blake as instead of going on her normal patrol today she was instead being sent to the Rouge's Refuge as it seemed as of late people were disappearing in a forest around the area never to be seen again. As such magic knights were being sent to look into that matter and Melaena was one such of those knights. That being said the water mage wasn't being sent alone to try and solve the issue from what she was told she was to tag along with a higher-ranked Silver Eagles mage.
The Blake didn't really mind that she was being sent to tag along with another magic knight. After all, it made the most logical sense as not only was it her first assignment outside of the capital the extent of how dangerous the problem was also unknown. It didn't take long for Melaena to get ready to out after all she didn't really have much in terms of items other than her magic knight mantle which she opted to leave behind when heading to a place known as a refuge for rogues. She wasn't overly worried about leaving it behind as even without the mana she gained from it she was confident that she'd be alright with the natural amount of mana she had which was higher than most others around her skill range.
With all her preparation done Melaena wouldn't waste much time seeking out Elenor and asking her to open a portal to the rogue refuge or at least as close as she could. Upon arriving at her destination Melaena would spend the next few minutes speaking to people to find out the exact location of the forest. After finally managing to get the location it didn't take her long to reach the place in question finding another person already there. "I assume you're the other magic knight that was sent?" While waiting for a response she would glance over the man for a moment and it was clear he was more powerful than she was. It also seemed that at least based on how he was dressed he wasn't of noble birth not that it mattered to the water mage. Melaena's own outfit in question was her signature white blouse that covered her purple crop top and a pair of black pants and boots.
“You assumed correctly! I am Gawain, representing the Silver Eagles!”
Striking a pose as he introduced himself, the boy did not waste a whole lot of time with any further pleasantries. Imagining that the woman would introduce herself to him in due time, he was just feeling excited to get this whole show on the road. Up until now, every magic dungeon he had ventured into had been hidden underground or inside of some building somewhere. That meant that if this was in fact a magic dungeon, it would be the first he got to explore that was actually just out and above ground like this. It made him wonder what kind of creatures they would encounter, as a forest could house all sorts of dangerous beasties. Taking the lead, the young magic knight began moving onward to where he assumed the actual ‘dungeon’ part was going to start kicking off.
Floor 1 | Room 1
“If you get scared, just know that you’re here with the future captain of the Silver Eagles. Anything comes our way, I’ll crush it into a fine paste or cut it into a million pieces!”
Punching his fist into his cupped hand in front of his chest, he did not even so much as look at the woman, keeping his gaze fixated on the path ahead. Then all of a sudden, the sky changed color, along with the rest of the atmosphere around the two of them. What he thought was a sudden nightfall was instead a sudden overgrowth of trees blocking out the sun and most other forms of natural light, leaving just enough for the two of them to make out their surroundings properly. Looking back past the woman, it seemed that the way in had also disappeared, showing nothing but brambles, vines, roots and branches where it had once just been clear. At this point, there was no doubt about it that this was in fact a magic dungeon as nothing about this was even remotely natural to begin with.
But that just made all of this a lot more exciting. If this all turned out to be some lone mage casting illusions or some monster that just ate a bunch of drunks, this would have all been over in a heartbeat. No, what he wanted was something that might be challenging, something that would either pique at his intellect to figure out a way back to normalcy, or something that would be challenging to fight. For the boy, every situation he got dumped into was a learning experience of some kind, an experience that would push him to become stronger, to become better. That was quite frankly all that mattered to him at this point. For with the defeat he had suffered on Skjaergard, getting stronger was perhaps the only way for him to well and truly recover from all the things that he had seen there that day. The things he had been through on that day.
Even when he spoke to the woman, the fifteen year old teen spoke in a tone that was a lot more upbeat than he actually was, though that was something he had more or less taken on as a persona. Not so much as a means of pretending he was somebody else, but to make sure people would see him for what he was now, rather than just seeing him as someone with a big mouth that could not deliver on his promises. Because the fact of the matter was, he could very much deliver on the vast majority of the promises he made, he was simply that strong and capable. But given his age, a lot of people he had worked with ended up seeing him as some kind of overpowered kid that wielded more power than he should realistically be able to handle. The fact that his magic was invisible to the eyes of many just made his feats of strength that much more impressive and scary to the populace.
For him, that did not matter a whole lot, as part of the reason why he had joined with the Silver Eagles was to get a level of respect for being in one of the most elite squads there was. Even when he kept track of the progress of gold stars, the fact that every single one the squad currently owned was his reinforced the belief that he was meant to become Captain some day. And once he was Captain, he was sure the people wouldn’t be afraid of his power anymore. In the end, getting through this dungeon and cleaning out any threats that might spill out into the populace was just another step towards reaching that particular goal of his.
Post by Seron Volari-Blake on Feb 11, 2024 15:15:04 GMT -5
[attr="class","wayb"]
[attr="class","hovbg"]
[attr="class","hovinf"]words #1,026 | total words #1,026
[attr="class","mainb"]
[attr="class","maintex"]Another day. More work to be done.
With one issue done and taken care of, came another, the main issue presented to him as it were. And why he'd been called in to repay a favor to that friend of his in the first place. Frankly speaking he wasn't too concerned, the dungeons he'd delved into years before had not been friendly by any stretch of the imagination. But they had not been even close to the worst or most harrowing of his experiences as a Magic Knight either, certainly not when these things could not be done alone. Individually attempting something of this magnitude was simply out of the question, no matter how much some small youthful part of him insisted that he could manage just fine, that inner voice had led him into trouble in the past. So he wasn't about to listen to it. His pride might remain from his years as a teen, but it would not stay that way if he ended up dead half-way through this place.
Better to play it cautious this time.
With that said, travelling there hadn't taken as long as he'd expected either. While he would usually see such time saved as good fortune, it left little but a slowly growing sense of unease within the pit of his stomach. Good things were repaid in kind, usually but something else. A counterbalance. Few good deeds ever went unpunished as far as he'd experienced, he had just been luckier for longer then most with Liana, but even that had come to an end. While travelling around the Forsake Region from where he had been prior hadn't taken all that long, stepping even near and then eventually into the place known as the Rouge's Refuge set every nerve he had on high alert. He'd been here a few times before, never as a Magic Knight thankfully, but each time he always knew to keep his guard up. A hand kept near his Grimoire at all times, even hidden under his cloak though it was, just as most of his features were.
It was safer that way.
Quickened steps led him through the town and while he'd known the descriptions of the Dungeon seemed strange, he was even more perplexed by just what it seemed to be as he approached it. A forest yes, but this seemed far stranger than the norm. Still as he came near, the other notable strangeness was the fact that there appeared to be only one other just outside of the looming overgrowth. Young of course, but she did not seem to be overly powerful based upon what he could sense, would the two of them be enough? Or had they both been sent to their deaths? Only one way to figure that out, he supposed. "I presume you're here for this as well, is it just the two of us?" He kept his tone neutral and polite, curious of the answer, or at least he would have been had he not heard a voice in the distance. One oddly familiar. A silent gesture made to follow, no use waiting out here to see if his hunch was correct.
Floor 1 | Room 1
As it turns out, he'd been completely right. On both accounts. The once darkened skies above seem to disappear, where once he had witnessed the occasional star glinting high above as he traveled to the correct destination, now there was nothing but overgrowth. A large forest without a doubt, but a far more malicious and magical one then the many he had spent much time in across his lifetime. Vines and trees sealing of just where they had entered but moments before, a frosty touch to his breath as he exhales slowly. "Well, no going back now." A quiet murmur, more for himself, as the mage pulls down the hood of his cloak to let dark locks spill out. Mostly tied back into a high ponytail, given he knew they'd been moving around a lot for quite some time. Still, he was right to be concerned about this potentially being a lot for just two people, and it seemed, the other who had tagged along. One he had met before.
"Everywhere I end up, Gawain, you seem to be. Seeking danger again?" A harmless enough question really, considering all that had happened previously. Even if the outcome at the end of it all had been a mostly positive one, charging headfirst into a dungeon was another matter entirely. Still, he had no hold over the boy and if he wished to risk life and limb by delving into such places, then he would not be the one to stop him. Better to focus on keeping himself alive and getting through this, before he began needlessly worrying about others he had little connection with. A silvery gaze flickering left to right as he stepped a touch further into the room, no matter what he heard, whenever he looked? There was nothing. They were being watched, he could feel that much with every moment they spent in this place. But to what extent, in what amount of detail and how far could such observation spread? Questions that would likely be left unanswered for quite a while yet.
Such sounds aside, there was something else, beyond the room they stood within in, flickering blue flames. There one moment and vanishing even from his periphery the second he dared to not wholly focus on the sight of such a flickering blaze. Was a mana beast creating such a spectacle, or was it something far more mundane in origin? A potential light source further in perhaps? It seemed unlikely, but he sincerely doubted that they were the first to venue in here. Maybe those that had come before them had left something behind. Only one way to figure that out, no matter how much the voices around them seemed to want to cause a general nuisance and distraction. They had no way of going back now even if any of them might want to, so there was only one thing that they could do.
Post by Kingsley Farebrother on Apr 2, 2024 15:53:46 GMT -5
It was bad enough failing to capture the bandit in Kikka, but now Kingsley could add sleeping in to his list of failures. The young mage had tossed and turned all night, thoughts of the thief's wind magic blowing through his mind like a hurricane through a broken window. It wasn't until nearly dawn that he had settled to sleep. The drafty room in the Purple Orcas HQ didn't help to ease his troubles, but he was thankful for it nevertheless compared to the meager shack his mother owned out in the boonies. Only when he had awoken did Kingsley realize his mistake - rather than opening his eyes with the crowing of the roosters at morn, he had awoken around noon as Kikka's pigeons pecked at the bedside window, hungry for food. Pulling his pillow over his face to quell his incoming scream, Kingsley allowed himself one moment of frustration before bounding out of bed and hurriedly changing out of his bedclothes.
Tightening his Magic Knight mantle, Kingsley darted down the castle's halls, eyes scanning every chamber and alcove for one of his teammates, any that possessed the ability to transport him to the Forsaken Realm. He had only gone to the outskirts of the Kingdom once in his youth, and the land seemed to mirror the name given to it by the Kingdom of Clover. Wide swaths of unoccupied land, peppered with villages of Clover's poorest, squashed between various landmarks hiding vicious Mana Beasts and Wild Mana Regions. The citizens would be lucky to see a Magic Knight once a month, and even luckier to see one that actually cared about their wellbeing over their own paycheck. Kingsley continued this line of sympathetic thoughts until he found what he was looking for: a more senior Orca who specialized in Golem Creation Magic. Instinctively bowing, Kingsley spoke with such urgency that his words began to jumble together. "Please sir, can you give me a ride out to the Rogue's Refuge? I've missed my chance to travel by broom and I'd owe you a huge favor!"
The older knight looked up from his book, grunting in acknowledgement. "Don't mention it. We all drop the ball here and there. Just don't make a habit out of it if you want to ever get past Junior Knight." The older Knight pulled his salt-and-pepper hair back into a knot, leaving his reading material on a nearby table. Kingsley made himself upright, following his senior towards the castle entrance and out onto the cobbled roads of Kikka. The Knight's grimoire rose aloft, flipping open to a diagram of a horse-drawn chariot. The air grew frigid as the older Knight conjured a matching vehicle out of ice, a pair of winged horses at the end of the reins. Kingsley's eyes grew wide as he took in the sight, wondering if he should study under his fellow Orca and have a sweet ride of his own.
The older man stepped aboard and looked over his shoulder at the brunet, as if inviting him to follow. Unsure of his footing, Kingsley slowly took a step onto the chariot, making sure to grab ahold of it as he steadied the remainder of his weight atop it. "Hold on tight, kiddo." The senior called out, gripping the chariot's reins tightly before extending his arms, cracking them sharply against the icy pegasi attached to them. The winged horses roared into action, their frozen hooves clicking against the pavement as they began to pick up speed, before leaping up into the air, wings outstretched.
Before long, the castle town of Kikka became a distant memory, and the skies of the Common Realm outstretched before them. The older knight was careful not to go too high, as the already icy chariot would only grow colder as they ascended further and further. Taking advantage of the long ride, Kingsley reached into his small pouch and unfurled the mission directive that had been given to him the day before. The Forests of Rogue's Refuge are infested with monsters. Support your fellow Mages and remove the source of the infestation. The young knight wondered if all missives were this brief, but before he could ask the senior Orca transporting him, the older man called out. Now since it's my day off, don't expect any more help today. I'll kill some time in the nearby village of Aries Garse. Come find me when you want a ride back to Kikka, kiddo."
Hearing the older man call him 'kiddo' brought blood rushing to Kingsley's cheeks, although the sensation of blushing was brief, as the blood rushed back to the rest of his body still touching the chilly chariot's surface. The chariot began to slow, and Kingsley looked overboard to see what awaited him on the ground. Grassy, windswept hills gave way to mire and muck, as a dark foreboding forest loomed over the horizon, before completely dominating the terrain below. The winged horses began their descent, and Kingsley felt his nose instinctively twitch from the smell of bog that wafted up.
The thick canopy of dark trees gave no openings for the chariot, so the older knight settled for the edge of the forest, where a lone path dared to break through the treeline and into the woods. Given his late arrival, Kingsley reckoned that the other mages had entered without him, leaving him to play catch up in this cursed woodland. Hopefully they hadn't gone too far, stranded in an unwinnable battle without him. Leaping out of the chariot's open faced rear, the young knight saluted his superior officer, smiling as the salt and pepper haired man saluted back. Kingsley turned his back to the retreating senior Orca, and gave the forest his full attention. With his paltry sensory abilities, Kingsley could feel the faintest sensation of danger radiating from the woods, a deep ominous feeling like being knocked out of one's boat in the middle of the ocean. And within it, a faint twinkling of hope, three stars in the darkness glinting against the sea of evil they found themselves in. Taking a big step over the threshold, Kingsley felt every hair stand on end as the looming darkness swallowed him.
Floor 1 | Room 1
Three mages were up ahead on the path, two young men and a younger woman. One wore the robes of the Silver Eagles, a fellow Magic Knight. The other, simple robes of brown and black, not bearing the symbols of any Magic Knight Squad. Picking up the pace a little, Kingsley was thankful for his reserves of stamina. The girl wore the distinct yellow mantle of the Golden Dawn, further accentuated against the purple she wore underneath it. Though he wasn't overly quick, the dash to his compatriots would make lesser mages pant and double over. As he got closer, Kingsley immediately sensed a new form of tension, this one entirely mundane. The glances shared by his companions gave him the strong impression that they knew one another, and he was the stranger in this party. "Apologies for my tardiness, fellas. I came as quickly as I could. The name's Kingsley Farebrother, Junior Knight, Grade 5, of the Purple Orcas." He bent forward, solidifying the apology and hoping to put his best foot forward. This was his first team assignment and he wanted it go proceed flawlessly. Or as flawlessly as possible discounting his lateness.
Wandering through this peculiar type of forest, one which he had certainly never experienced before in his life, he tried to listen to his surroundings while doing his best to scope the place out to the best of his abilities. He did not like it when things took him off-guard, so he would always try to keep it up. It was why he had been training his body and mind to the point where he could keep up his extrasensory skills at all times without really expending any thought or effort towards it. So as they wandered about, it turned out that another member of an altogether different magic squad had been sent in to aid them in this endeavor. Wondering whether the higher-ups had underestimated him after sending him in without any other knights aside from Malaena, or if they overestimated the danger level posed by this particular dungeon, it also made him wonder if they had even been aware of Seron being here.
He wasn’t a magic knight after all, so he was always wondering whether or not people knew of such individuals popping into dungeons beforehand, or if they only figured that out once a detailed report was written up after the fact. Regardless, with the addition of this member of the Purple Orcas, Gawain felt like they might have been a bit overstaffed, though he would roll with it regardless. These new magic knights also needed to be presented with their own proving grounds, so it made sense why they would be sent in alongside someone such as himself. He had proven his merit a long time ago, though he would keep proving himself worthy as many times as it took. Still, he would like to know about it ahead of time so he had some time to prepare and adjust to any potential newcomers and latecomers. But, again, he would roll with the punches and keep pressing onward as if nothing had happened.
“A pleasure to meet you Kingsley, and I imagine you’re right Seron. Wherever there is danger, there is usually a strong foe to beat up!”
What he said was, obviously, quite an understatement. There was a reason why whenever a magic dungeon such as this popped up from the works, civilians tended to either get lost, get injured, or get killed. It fell upon the shoulders of the magic knights to handle and moderate the threat level, while civilians with decent magical prowess and rogues alike often wandered into them for the spoils, for the loot. And while he could understand the need for a bit of loot, that wasn’t exactly why he himself had come here. Whenever these kinds of places appeared, he wished to be there on the forefront, fighting whatever these places had to offer in order to see what kind of foes it had to provide him with. He wanted to test himself against him, see how his tactics and magic would hold up against him while making sure his level of stamina was appropriate or if he needed to adjust and evolve somewhere.
And as dangerous as it was to forcefully evolve in the middle of combat, it was very much the best and fastest way of getting things done. He had learned that a while ago, back when he first got his grimoire shortly after his birthday. For this very reason, he would continue to seek out danger. Both as a means of improving the amount of golden stars his squad had to tally up towards the Star Festival, as well as to make himself look better. Because as a commoner among nobles in perhaps one of the most snobby squads on the planet, one had to look after oneself incredibly well and establish a level of dominance sooner rather than later. And he had done just that, and would keep doing just that until there was nothing left to prove to anyone. But as the group was speaking among one another, Gawain noticed something among the trees, primarily by the foot of the trees.
They were small vegetable looking things, but there was more to them, as they seemed to move ever so slightly. Holding up his hand as if alerting the group to stop moving immediately, he looked around with a few fast glances, finding that they had wandered right into an area where these strange plants were all around them. This was problematic, though there was no telling right now whether or not these things were actually hostile. But that was when he noticed something else, something that proved to him that they were all potentially in danger. For he saw clothing along the ground. Clothing that had been torn apart with roots sticking out of them as though holding them tightly. Within these clothing, there were bones. Mostly stripped of what flesh had been attached to it, it was fairly simple for the boy to assume that these were just some of the people that had wandered in and never made their way back out. Whether they had been criminals from the rogue hideouts in the area or innocent civilians, it didn’t matter. These people had deserved better.
Gesturing at the party to keep quiet for the time being while pointing two fingers towards his own eyes before then pointing his fingers towards the ground by the trees, he made sure that everyone who understood him would look towards the tree roots to see the dead bodies. Knowing better than to believe that if they just kept moving on without making any sound, that this potential threat would just leave them be, Gawain took it upon himself to focus instead of getting rid of this threat for the sake of both themselves as a team and any others that might make their way into this place by mistake or otherwise. Pointing his fingers towards a cluster of these strange root vegetable creatures, a blade of pressurized air shot forth, invisible to the untrained eye. To most, it would just seem like two of the vegetable things were just torn in half all of a sudden, though those with a skill at seeing mana saw the blade of mana tearing through them like a hot knife sliding through butter.
As soon as they died, a deafening wail could be heard from all sides as those that had not yet registered new prey entering into the area sprung into action. Seeing the majority of their bodies as they came up from the ground, a quick head count told him that there were roughly thirteen of these creatures up and about, though maybe that was not the right analogy. As it were, these things were landlocked to the point where they could not move their bodies from where they were. However, the long and slender roots they shot out of the grounds as whip-like appendages could reach them all quite easily it seemed. For all intents and purposes, their positioning around this clearing had all of the characteristics of a kill-box. But not a single one of the people that had come in here with him were going to die here today, that much he vowed. For as the roots came up like lashing tentacles, Gawain pointed his finger around, firing bullets of compressed air with pin-point accuracy.
Puncturing decent holes into various of these creatures, a fair amount of the writhing tentacled limbs were falling lifelessly to the grounds, though plenty of them remained active as they began lashing out. With his bullets finding and ending three of the creatures, one of the nearby vegetables threw its limbs at the boy like a whip, trying to wrap around his arm. Noticing this in time, the boy grabbed hold of the appendage at the same time as it wrapped around his forearm. Finding themselves in a test of strength, Gawain could feel that these things were quite strong physically, but nowhere near strong enough. Winning the tug of war with one hard pull, the entire creature became uprooted as it got propelled towards the ashen-haired boy with the speed of a broom in flight. Then, as it got close, Gawain punched his arm straight through it. Turning to the others with his arm still inside of the root creature, its green liquid covering much of his clothing at this point, he tried to get an accurate assessment as to what the situation was.
“Make sure not to get wrapped up by their limbs, try to shoot them down from a distance if at all possible.”
Name of Spell: Slice Elemental Type: Air Pressure Rank & Spell Type: Intermediate | Attack Creation | Sensory (Homing) Range & Speed: 40m | 25 m/s Mana Cost: 20 | 10 Stats Effected: - Applicable Perks: Overpowered | Quick Shot Description: Extending and pushing his right index and middle finger together before flicking them upward in order to activate the spell, a crescent blade of wind roughly five centimeters thick and three meters long is fired into the desired direction, following directly up on this motion. The attack itself is non-lethal, unless direct contact to one's vitals is established, as well as causing painful cuts and bruises on people and breaking most unreinforced walls, dealing Intermediate rank damage. In addition, the accuracy and chance to hit can be further improved by utilizing Homing rules, including following the target in adherence to those same rules. The crescent blade follows the target that was initially pointed at until it hits, runs out of space or hits another object. To those without at least 20 sensory, this spell will be invisible, appearing as a wispy green crescent blade to others.
Name of Spell: Puncture Elemental Type: Air Pressure Rank & Spell Type: Intermediate | Attack Creation | Sensory (Homing) Range & Speed: 40m | 25 m/s Mana Cost: 20 | 10 Stats Effected: - Applicable Perks: Overpowered | Quick Shot Description: Putting his index and middle finger together, Gawain will point his right hand at his target, using the tips of his fingers as a vocal point from which it is fired. This a sphere roughly ten centimeters wide for the purpose of puncturing the target. The attack itself is non-lethal, unless direct contact with one's vitals is established, as well as causing painful cuts and bruises on people and breaking most unreinforced walls, dealing Intermediate rank damage. In addition, the accuracy and chance to hit can be further improved by utilizing Homing rules, including following the target in adherence to those same rules. The bullet follows the target that was initially pointed at until it hits, runs out of space or hits another object. To those without at least 20 sensory, this spell will be invisible, appearing as a wispy green ball to others.
Post by Kingsley Farebrother on Apr 14, 2024 14:47:32 GMT -5
Kingsley Farebrother
He who fears not the blade he wields has no right to wield that blade.
Listening to the two other men banter back and forth was almost humorous enough to elicit a chuckle from Kingsley, who quickly stifled it into an exhale through his nostrils. It wasn't appropriate to laugh in such a serious situation, but the liveliness of the others was refreshing nonetheless. The Purple Orcas Headquarters had been terribly quiet as of late, and a change of pace was just what Kingsley needed. The song of the forest, twisted by the energies of the dungeon, underpinned the voices of his fellow mages. Where one would expect the warbling of songbirds lain over the rustling of the canopy, this cursed forest rang out with the hollow cries of ravens interrupted by the occasional lurching of knotted tree branches. Kingsley had never been to such a wicked place, as the capital held no forests beyond the occasional park, and the hamlet he spent the remainder of his time as an adolescent in was all rolling fields and hills, with little to no trees.
Shaking the looming sense of dread, Kingsley looked back to the white haired mage, who seemed steadfast in his stance. 'Gawain' as he introduced himself, was younger than the Purple Orca, but his Silver Eagle mantle held the wear and tear of someone who had seen their share of service. His turquoise eyes were alert, scanning the treeline for danger. Though the forest definitely held those hazards within, for the moment, they were safe. The same could not be said for those unfortunate civilians who had wandered within. Dungeons rarely were reported as such to the Magic Knights until at least a single life had been lost, and this wicked glade had claimed many in the few weeks since it appeared. The thought of his own parents never returning sent a shiver down Kingsley's spine. Just how many 'missing' citizens every year were the victims of dungeons that the Magic Knights have never found? If these dungeons popped up in the Noble Realm, or even the Common Realm, they'd be cleared within days of being discovered. But out here, in the Forsaken Realm, the Magic Knights were spread thin and peoples' lives slip through the cracks.
Kingsley had taken advantage of the Magic Knights' resources since his admission to the Purple Orcas, and had done a bit of reading on the Mana Beasts and other monsters that the Magic Knights had encountered in the past. Forest dungeons like these would be infested with wicked wildlife, peculiar plants, and corrupted elementals - and like most dungeons, at its heart lay the most powerful monster of them all. If anyone knew what exactly slept at the center of this evil place, they didn't live to tell the tale, given the brief briefing Kingsley received at the Purple Orcas Headquarters. The examples provided from past reports of Magic Knight dungeon runs did not paint a pretty picture either - slumbering giants, howling phantoms, and bloodthirsty dragons often generated the gross phenomena of dungeons with their powerful auras, either creating or attracting the subservient monsters that lurked within.
The thought of fighting immense monsters like those reported by Magic Knights of the past did little to encourage Kingsley, but seeing his new Silver Eagle teammate did bolster his attitude a bit. The other knight seemed muscular beneath his plainclothes, and kept his grimoire at his hip. Kingsley looked at the grimoire hard, trying to ascertain the nature of Gawain's magic from its design - or at least the amount of design that was visible at such an angle. Whatever magic Gawain could wield, it was definitely strong. Even someone with a meager mana sensing ability like Kingsley could tell that. Mana washed off Gawain like waves lapping at a shore, deep and strong, silent but ineffable; merely hinting at the depths contained within.
Civilians had said similar things about Kingsley in the past after receiving his four-leaf grimoire - and now he felt to this fellow knight as they had to him. Something nigh unreachable, but a worthy goal for any aspirant mage. Could the Silver Eagles have a four-leaf grimoire user of their own? Kingsley knew he wasn't the only one in the nation blessed with the four-leaf, but the amount varied from generation to generation. Some history books even mention 'droughts' of the four-leaf, when no one, even the nobility, held such power. Perhaps in time, Kingsley could approach such a mage as an equal, but at his current level he felt like a burden almost, as if he were a child needing a hand to hold to pass through this treacherous wood. Feeling embarrassment at the self-deprecation of his innermost monologue, the brunet mage grit his teeth and steeled himself. This place would not be safe from danger until the dungeon was cleared, and it was his job to assist, not sit on the sidelines like a civilian. If someone like Gawain had been assigned, it must be just as much a learning experience for the less experienced as well as a necessity for the health of the Kingdom of Clover. Besides, if the older mages had imparted anything onto Kingsley, it was that Magic Knights did their best growth in the field. In those riding by the seat of your pants moments, a mage could draw forth an inner reserve of strength that no training session at home could muster. For someone like himself, Kingsley knew that such experiences had the best chance of expanding his grimoire, which at the moment held but two spells fit for a Magic Knight.
Gawain continued on the worn trod that constituted the 'path' of this stretch of forest, though it seemed like it was tenuous at best and that the undergrowth might consume it once more at any moment, leaving them stranded in a sea of verdant shrubbery and weeds. The Junior Knight followed him, watching his footfalls for traps or items that might alert the monsters lurking within. The solemn calmness of the forest's periphery had to be a ploy by the dungeon master's minions to lure in villagers, those unsuspecting citizens seeking a shortcut home from a long day's work, or travelling merchants looking to bring in freshly made wares from their local artisans. Without the proper training or magical ability to defend themselves, those citizens never stood a chance against the forest's denizens.
Floor 1 | Room 2
In an instant, the energy in the air changed, as if the party had crossed some invisible threshold. The previously unnerving honking of ravens disappeared, replaced by an even more unsettling silence. The midday sun extinguished to reveal a sinister crescent moon in the sky. Gawain approached the treeline, his stance changing as he notices something out of Kingsley's line of sight. The senior knight raises his hand, bringing the adventuring party to a halt in suspense. Following the ashen haired boy's glances, Kingsley noticed the remains of some poor travelers littering the forest floor. Silencing his gasp of surprise, the Purple Orca returned his eyes to Gawain, who made several more gestures with his fingers, pointing out the clusters of people-shaped vegetables that stuck out of the ground along the trees. In an instant, one of the vegetables split open, as if a transparent blade run it through, before its neighbor suffered the same fate, bisected by an unknown force.
Kingsley felt the mana roll off Gawain like a thick yet controlled fog, his stance clearly displaying his part in culling the two monsters. KREEEEEEEEEEEE It seems that these gangrenous vegetables didn't appreciate the assault on their kin, and they made it known by screaming with inhuman vocal chords, before flinging their whiplike appendages towards Gawain. More and more of the creatures emerged from the soil, circling the adventuring mages with equal parts rage and hunger. Watching his teammate with rapturous interest, Kingsley counted the tentacles falling to the floor, as more imperceptible energy left Gawain's body and pierced the plant aggressors. The plants recoiled as three more of their posse fell, one brave monster managing to land a tether around Gawain's arm. The plant was like the dog that caught the carriage, unaware of how to proceed now that it had gotten this far. Kingsley watched his teammate pull the vegetable from its post, before dealing a devastating blow to its torso. The senior knight called out with a warning to Kingsley, who noticed the creatures' ire had now been turned to himself.
"Got it! Just leave a piece of the action for me. Spider's Silken Snare!" Kingsley's grimoire snapped to attention at the call to action, floating up and flipping pages eagerly to facilitate the spell. Kingsley raised both hands, open palmed towards the monsters as two rings of rosy runes came into existence. A small smile found its way to the mage's face as he recognized the ease in which the monsters could be dispatched. Twin ribbons of silk emerged from his spell runes, binding the mandrake's limbs to its potato-like body. Looking closely at the bindings, Kingsley noticed the green 'blood' of the mandrakes beginning to stain the underside of the ribbons, their razor sharp interiors slicing into the two demonic potatoes like a serrated kitchen knife. While not enough to dispatch the two, it was a good start.
Kingsley gripped both of the vegetable's restraints by the silken cord that served as the spell's leash, and dug his heels into the mud, knees bent in an attempt at gaining leverage against the mandrake. Hearing the soil give way, the mandrake began to lurch from its perch from the brunet's heaving. "I'm done with you gross onions!" The Purple Orca called out as he twisted his body around, pulling the mandrakes from their position and hurling them towards one of their siblings. The two vegetables popped like spoiled tomatoes against their comrade, spilling emerald goop on its now cracked tuberous torso. Releasing his control over the restraint spell, Kingsley rushed forward to the injured mandrake, swiftly stomping on it before it had a chance to retort. The creature squelched under his boots, staining the leather with green ichor.
Glancing back down at the ground, Kingsley saw there were still quite a few mandrakes remaining, their wicked faces now contorted into rage at watching the mages mow down nine of their number. Sensing their ill intent, Kingsley reached out with both hands, one aimed at Gawain, and the other gestured at his own feet, calling out his grimoire once more. "Spider's Silken Suit!" Another circle of magic text appeared on the ground beneath him, sending twelve ribbons of silk around Kingsley's body, forming his silk gambeson in anticipation for the mandrake's attacks. The rosy armor could take a few hits from these creatures, and every bit would help. This dungeon surely had more challenges waiting, and it wouldn't do to fall to a few plants. A similar circle appeared beneath his companion, as the dozen or so ribbons tied themselves to the Silver Eagle, granting him the defensive gambeson.
The creeping tendril of a mandrake reached Kingsley, attempting to slither around his torso. As the creature tightened its grip, the gambeson seemed to activate, repelling the tendril with magical force. The mandrake recoiled, its vine arm bruised like a tender peach from the magical armor; it brought its arm back to its infantile face, inspecting the wound with alien awareness. Soon, the monster opened its disgusting maw, sharply inhaling before releasing another high pitched screech. Unlike the first screech, which seemed to be more of a war cry for its fellow mandrakes to attack the mages, this scream was imbued with sound magic, creating a bubble-like shockwave that traveled towards the brunet man. The gambeson absorbed the majority of the blast, but it would not sustain many more, its magical reserves draining from the back-to-back assault.
Kingsley swore under his breath, and looked over to Gawain, who had just easily killed six of the monsters. The brunet mage had managed to eliminate three, but only through great effort. Whereas his ashen haired ally had merely flicked his fingers to destroy 5, before punching the final one. One of the remaining mandrakes sent tendrils beneath the earth, its vegetable glare fixed firmly on Gawain. Recognizing the attempt, Kingsley called out to his ally before the mandrake could complete its sneak attack. "Gawain, behind you!" Kingsley just hoped that his warning and spell would be enough.
POW 08
DUR 14
STA 15
SEN 12
CON 12
WORD COUNT: 2065
TOTAL WC: 3345
ITEMS IN USE: Magic Knight Mantle
BATTLE NOTES: Kingsley took down three Mandrakes, defended himself from a couple attacks, and warned Gawain about an incoming strike from beneath the ground.
Description: Speaking the spell's name, the user holds their hand towards the target. A 1m radius circle of pink runes appears, centered in their palm; from this runic circle a 0.5m wide, 3m length white-and-floral-patterned ribbon of silk emerges, slithering towards the target at 10m/s. Once the ribbon makes contact, it begins winding around the target's body, before pulling taut, binding the arms against the torso. Once it has tightened around the target, the ribbon will tie itself, leaving a remainder of 0.5m outstretched towards the caster so they may drag/lead the target using the restraint. After the knot completes, the ribbon also begins to sprout small spikes inwards, damaging the target equal to 1/2 Junior damage with minor cuts to the skin. The restraint interrupts the connection between the enemy and their grimoire, cutting Mana Regeneration by 5. Should the grimoire be targeted specifically, the target's spell usage per post is reduced by 50%. Additional restraints can be created per the ammo rules.
Description: After speaking the name of the spell, a rotating circle of pink runes appears at the user's feet. Twelve pink ribbons of silk emerge from the runes, weaving through one another in basket-like patterns as they wrap around the user. As the circle of runes disappear, the silk forms into a pink 3-layer padded gambeson, a form of cloth armor. By pointing at an ally up to 25 meters away, the spell can instead be cast on them, manifesting the circle of runes under their feet instead of the caster's. The armor can take up to Intermediate damage before failing. If an enemy makes a physical attack that isn't powerful enough to destroy the armor, the silk reverberates with a portion of the original of force, dealing Junior damage and slowing the attacker by 5m/s. Additional suits may be created per the rules on ammo.
Even though he likely shouldn’t be enjoying this kind of thing as much as he did, there was always something about getting to cut loose and just squash and kill a bunch of evil creatures that just made him happy. With the amount of these root creatures he had killed up until now, he did not imagine the remainder of them to be all that problematic. So with his Ki remaining active, he watched as the new arrival used his own magic in order to lash out at what attackers that remained. Interestingly enough, it was a type of magic he had never seen before. Judging by the sound of it, the guy called his magic by the name of ‘spider silk’, meaning it was likely some sort of a cloth magic variation based around the silken substance it created. Given that it was his first time seeing it, he decided to pay some attention to it and its uses.
“By all means, don’t let me get in the way. Go on, kill some things.”
Responding to the knight’s request to not hog all of the fun by killing everything by himself, what little remained seemed like it would be the kind of thing he could hand off to someone else. Normally, he’d prefer to get rid of as many threats as possible so the other mages that were with him would not end up getting overwhelmed. After all, he had managed to build up somewhat of a reputation for tagging along with lower ranking knights so that they might be shown the ropes and have someone to fall back on in case the dungeon proved to be more… troublesome than initially expected. But quite frankly, he didn’t mind all of that. He just liked being in places where he was needed, got to beat the everliving shit out of some truly evil freaks of magic-afflicted nature and earn some golden stars in the process.
Right now, he knew that he had earned a considerable amount of them already, unlike his good for nothing squad mates that seemed more interested in chumming it up with the nobles rather than getting some callouses on their hands from hard work. Continuing to watch the mage fight as he thought to himself how this was yet another member of the Purple Orcas he was helping through some dungeon, he saw how his cloth spell seemingly cut up the mandrakes that came into contact with it. It seemed like a formidable enough spell for a place such as this one, which was good. Knowing that someone could hold their ground without him having to actively babysit them was not the worst thing in the world, as it almost made them feel like partners rather than the aforementioned babysitter and child.
When one of the only mandrakes that remained alive lashed out at Gawain for seemingly just standing there like a statue in the middle of the ongoing fight, the heightened pace of his reflexes and the speed of his limbs would have easily allowed him to respond with violence. Instead however, he saw how this Kingsley fellow was conjuring up a spell that was intended to aid him. As such, Gawain just smirked as he would allow this outcome, knowing full well the density of his mana skin and how it would keep him mostly unharmed even if the attack came from. So as the cloth wrapped around him and ensured his safety with a protective padding, the boy grabbed hold of the tendril that had lashed against his protected arm. With a violent tug, he uprooted the mandrake, spinning it in the air by its tendril before smashing it to bits against the side of a nearby tree. With a loud splat, the creature’s life was ended, allowing the team to move along.
FLOOR 1 | ROOM 3
With the mandrakes taken care of and the other mages staying behind to ensure no one would get to stumble in and get themselves into any further danger, both Gawain and Kingsley pressed further into the seemingly cursed forest. With a good amount of bodies now accounted for, the ashen haired boy was not in a position where he deluded himself into thinking they would actually find anyone else to be alive in here. Even with the magic dungeon being classified as being quite low on the threat spectrum, the creatures found here were incredibly hungry and violent so far. That, and there did not seem to be a clear point of entry as this whole forest seemed to be under the curse, meaning people could enter from any side and accidentally find themselves within the clutches of this place. As such, it was only right that some of them remained behind.
But Gawain had never been the kind to stay behind and redirect any potential influx of people back to safety. He had made a reputation of getting into the thick of things and beating its ugly head in with his own two hands, if not just altogether destroying them with his magic. In spite of his age and the fact that he had only had his grimoire for less than a year, the boy had been training very hard by throwing himself at all sorts of threats that came in the way of missions and dungeons alike: including the kind that was honestly for those of a higher rank than he had been. But through sheer determination and hard work, the kid had managed to make something out of himself in a squad that normally did not just accept any oddball. This fact was particularly true when it came to those who were not of noble blood, proving that the current captain of the Silver Eagles had seen his potential.
And that was the way in which Gawain’s ideal world worked. Picking and choosing members based off of their merit and their determination, rather than going by their last name and the density of their wealth. It was to that extent that he had already rounded up well over eighty golden stars by himself for the sake of his squad, as well as to show proof of just how determined he was as a knight. And though his ideal world was still a ways off, he honestly felt like it was something that could be achieved before long. All it took was for him to keep going and set the example that was needed.
“You use your magic well. It’s a type I’ve never seen before, and honestly I hadn’t imagined it would be the type that would handle offense well. But it seems versatile enough as far as spells go.”
Sharing his uneducated view on the matter of Kingsley’s magic, the silver eagle didn’t imagine he’d be able to tell the guy anything that he hadn’t already heard a bunch of times before. After all, it was his magic, so anything Gawain said was just along the lines of ‘been there, done that’. But him praising Kingsley’s magic uses and the diversity of his spells was not just him making idle chat for the sake of it. No, he knew well enough that for some people, entering into magic dungeons such as these could be a rather hectic and harrowing experience. Up until this point, this dungeon would have been his fifth or sixth so far. And among those, he had seen some rather terrifying stuff, though the amount of civilian casualties and bodies they had encountered after just being inside of this place for a few minutes had already exceeded that of the majority of the others.
But even as he was running his mouth, his senses did not lose their edge. Being the youngest ki master in the kingdom and likely beyond, Gawain had a certain space around his being within which he managed to register most movement, making it extremely difficult to just get the drop on him. So when the party of two came upon what could only be described as a cavern, the earthen golems that rose from the ground in order to bar their entry were registered quickly enough. In one of the most nonchalant manners imaginable, as he was talking to Kingsley, he held out a finger in the destination where some of the golems were coming up from the ground. Releasing various bullets that quickly riddled four of them with bullets, reducing them to mere rock and soil. Seeing as how the Purple Orca had requested earlier that he also wished to do some of the heavy lifting, Gawain would not be the kind of spoilsport that would take it all upon his own shoulders.
So while he would watch closely and keep his ‘trigger-finger’ ready, he waited to see how Kingsley would decide to handle the two golems that remained. Angrily closing the distance between the cavern and the two mages, whoever had summoned them into being was likely not amused that the mandrakes had been killed and that the majority of their golems had been smashed before they could even try to land a hit. And in spite of not seeing anyone, Gawain could feel it. Like some kind of watchful and angry presence casting their gaze upon them as they proceeded onward, likely from somewhere within the cavern. But guesstimating would only do them so much good, as they would figure out what the deal here was soon enough.
Name of Spell: Perforate Elemental Type: Air Pressure Rank & Spell Type: Senior | Attack Creation | Sensory (Homing) Range & Speed: 80m | 45 m/s Mana Cost: 30 | 15 Stats Effected: - Applicable Perks: Overpowered | Quick Shot Description: Putting his index and middle finger together while pointing his thumb up, Gawain will point his right hand at his target, using the tips of his index and middle fingers as a vocal point from which it is fired. This spike is roughly two meters wide with the purpose of puncturing the target. The attack itself is lethal on direct hits, capable of leaving deep cuts and lacerations, broken bones and breaking most structures, dealing Senior rank damage. For every 30 Control, an additional shot can be fired. In addition, the accuracy and chance to hit can be further improved by utilizing Homing rules, including following the target in adherence to those same rules. The bullet follows the target that was initially pointed at until it hits, runs out of space or hits another object. To those without at least 30 sensory, this spell will be invisible, appearing as a wispy green ball to others.
No mana lost due to regeneration overcoming expenditure
Post by Kingsley Farebrother on Apr 17, 2024 14:19:55 GMT -5
Kingsley Farebrother
He who fears not the blade he wields has no right to wield that blade.
Never seeming to lose his composure, Gawain barely reacted to Kingsley's warning about the attacking mandrake. The silk gambeson fit on him snugly, though its coral coloration clashed garishly against the silver haired man's brown and black plainclothes. Kingsley's mouth was slightly agape as the other Knight allowed himself to be grappled, before twirling the mandrake's arm like a lasso overhead. The mandrake could do naught but cry as Gawain swiftly slammed his arm to the side, hurling the horrible horticulture homunculus into the trunk of nearby hawthorn tree. Kingsley's look of wonder quickly turned into one of triumph, counting the squashed corpses one by one to ensure they didn't miss any.
"Okay, that was pretty cool." The young knight admitted. Glancing over both of them, it seemed as though they had escaped from this encounter relatively unscathed, in no small part due to the senior knight's efficiency in mowing down these monsters. Though this particular glade seemed no less sinister, Kingsley did feel a sense of relief washing over him knowing that the citizens' whose corpses littered the forest floor beneath them could now rest easy. They would have to reach out to the Church of Clover after this was all said and done to ensure they got a proper burial. Irritable spirits were a common source of Dungeons just as much as hungry Mana Beasts and cursed objects. The defensive magic Kingsley had conjured would only sustain one more hit, so he hoped the next battle would have fewer enemies rather than many little ones.
Floor 1 | Room 3
The path ahead beckoned the two Knights onward, the depths of the forest still shrouding further danger within. Suddenly Kingsley felt like an insignificant mouse staring into the gaping maw of a hungry lion, the sharp branches looming down like sharp teeth. What they had faced thus far was merely the beginning of the dungeon's strength, the tip of the iceberg so to speak. Still, they had a job to do, and when he heard Gawain's boots against the trod, the Purple Orca did not hesitate to follow suit. The air felt heavy with the silence of the woodlands, and Kingsley felt his baited breath finally escape when Gawain started to engage in small talk. Hearing the other boy compliment him, the brunet boy instinctively put a hand behind his head and stifled a short laugh.
"Thanks. Truth be told, I've only a handful of spells in my grimoire, so until I develop more, I've realized I need to take what I have to its absolute limits." As the topic turned a bit more serious, Kingsley opened his eyes, adopting a stoic visage. "But I know that by throwing myself headfirst into battle like this, I'll be able to progress much faster." The junior Knight had only acquired 4 gold stars for his squad thus far, but that was just the beginning. Once the squad got more intel about that burglary ring in Kikka, he planned on storming their hideout. Such a thing would be quite dangerous, so he'd need to evolve as a warrior before the Captain would approve such a mission. "Most people underestimate Cloth against fancier elements, but when used correctly, it can be as strong as steel." In his time reading through the Purple Orcas' archives, the brunet mage had learned of a few Cloth mages from ages past. One such mage was a master of golem magic, creating massive cotton sheep to wail on her opponents. Though he had no experience with that particular school of spells, Kingsley knew that his own brand of Cloth could reach similar heights if he just kept up with his training.
"You seem on the up and up, Gawain, just how many - " The Purple Orca cut himself off mid sentence as the ground began to incline ahead of them, and the yawning portal of a shadowy cave stood before them. Had the terrain changed beneath their feet, or did they just not notice the cavern? Gawain silently extended a finger, blasting more invisible bursts of his magic towards four stone humanoids that dug themselves out of the soil. Just as quickly as they had made themselves known, the golems disassembled into their constituent stones, leaving a pile of brown and grey rubble where they stood. The remaining two lumbered towards the Magic Knights, their cold eyes illuminated by a sickly yellow glow. With how heavy they are, Kingsley wouldn't be able to pull the same trick as he had on the mandrakes, but his mind continued to race nonetheless with possibilities for dispatching them.
Glancing at the wide stance the golems took, feet as far as their broad shoulders, an idea begun to germinate in the young tailor's head. He held his left hand aloft, open palm outstretched to the golem. "Spider's Silken Snare!" The rose colored grimoire responded, escaping from its position on his belt and flipping to the spell's corresponding page. The familiar circle of runic markings appeared, releasing two bolts of silk towards the first golem. It swung its heavy arm up and outward, knocking the first ribbon away and onto a nearby stalactite above the second golem's head, which it wrapped itself around tightly. The second ribbon took full advantage of the opening, wrapping around the golem's body, binding its arms to the sides of its roughly hewn torso. Kingsley felt a smirk reach his face as he began to execute his plan, getting a small running start and then dropping his body weight to the ground, sliding against the cave floor.
Reaching upwards, he grabbed the meter long leash that the restraining spell created before sliding underneath the creature's stone body, between two massive granite thighs. Standing up from his baseball slide, the brunet acted quickly, grabbing the leash from the failed restraint that was now tied to the ceiling's hanging spike. Looping the leashes together, his muscle memory tied a knot he had done many times before, linking the golem to the cave structure. Though the creature did not recoil in pain, Kingsley knew his razor sharp restraint was doing some work to defeat the creature. What he would need to do is seal the deal. As the first golem struggled against its bindings, the second golem adopted a combat stance, ready to strike now that Kingsley was within reach.
Waving his arms in the air, the Purple Orca took a deep breath and began to taunt the creature. "Hey stupid, would you say a sack of bricks is as dumb as you, or smarter?" The golem's stoic face seemed to radiate hate, and it began to glow with yellow light, using Earth Magic to augment itself for the attack. Its stony arm expanded like a fertilized vine, false muscles swelling as its arm transformed into a large hammer. Tucking its shoulder in like a professional athlete, the golem's feet lifted and it began to run towards the junior Knight, intending on tackling him with its massive hammer arm. Kingsley waited until the absolute last moment before tucking and rolling out of the way, hoping his timing was right.
The tackling golem ran into the knotted leashes, its reaction time too slow to register its target had moved out of the way. The silk cord acted like a clothesline, tripping the twelve foot tall stone automaton. It clattered to the floor with a loud reverberation that carried down the cavern and into the darkness. Before he could bask in his victory for long, the first golem began to glow with the telltale sign of Earth Magic, stone spikes puncturing its silk restraints, leaving them as tattered scraps on the cave floor. The creature approached Kingsley, the sound of its feet against the granite floor like the pounding of a drum in anticipation. The young tailor felt the cold hand of living stone grab him by his Magic Knight mantle, lifting him up off the ground.
"I may have overestimated my ability to handle these guys..." Kingsley said, as the monster pulled its shoulder back and flung him against the cave wall. The gambeson absorbed most of the blow, but Kingsley still felt the wind escape his lungs from the attack.
POW 08
DUR 14
STA 15
SEN 12
CON 12
WORD COUNT: 1365
TOTAL WC: 4710
CURRENT ROOM WC: 1108/1250
ITEMS IN USE: Magic Knight Mantle
BATTLE NOTES: Kingsley attempts to pull a sneaky maneuver on the heavy golems. They are not amused and fling him into the cave wall.
Description: Speaking the spell's name, the user holds their hand towards the target. A 1m radius circle of pink runes appears, centered in their palm; from this runic circle a 0.5m wide, 3m length white-and-floral-patterned ribbon of silk emerges, slithering towards the target at 10m/s. Once the ribbon makes contact, it begins winding around the target's body, before pulling taut, binding the arms against the torso. Once it has tightened around the target, the ribbon will tie itself, leaving a remainder of 0.5m outstretched towards the caster so they may drag/lead the target using the restraint. After the knot completes, the ribbon also begins to sprout small spikes inwards, damaging the target equal to 1/2 Junior damage with minor cuts to the skin. The restraint interrupts the connection between the enemy and their grimoire, cutting Mana Regeneration by 5. Should the grimoire be targeted specifically, the target's spell usage per post is reduced by 50%. Additional restraints can be created per the ammo rules.
Description: After speaking the name of the spell, a rotating circle of pink runes appears at the user's feet. Twelve pink ribbons of silk emerge from the runes, weaving through one another in basket-like patterns as they wrap around the user. As the circle of runes disappear, the silk forms into a pink 3-layer padded gambeson, a form of cloth armor. By pointing at an ally up to 25 meters away, the spell can instead be cast on them, manifesting the circle of runes under their feet instead of the caster's. The armor can take up to Intermediate damage before failing. If an enemy makes a physical attack that isn't powerful enough to destroy the armor, the silk reverberates with a portion of the original of force, dealing Junior damage and slowing the attacker by 5m/s. Additional suits may be created per the rules on ammo.
Even though he had agreed to not be overprotective and give the new guy a chance, there was something about watching his plan not work out the way he wanted to that tickled his funny bone. Had Kingsley not been protected by his own cloth spell, Gawain would have stepped in sooner, though he was a firm believer in letting people suffer their way through mistakes so that they might grow as a person. Because if he knew one thing, it was that one’s grimoire had a tendency of crapping out new spells whenever someone’s life was in danger or when someone experienced feelings of great inadequacy. It had worked out that way for him after all, and it was likely why his grimoire had more or less stopped doing anything since his life was honestly never really in any danger anymore. In fact, it felt as though he had stopped growing altogether for some reason. And that feeling sucked.
“I’m just gonna go on ahead and tap in if you don’t mind. These guys seem to be in a somewhat different weight category.”
Gradually stepping in after he watched the golem pick the purple orca up and toss him into the wall like an angry kid that was done playing with their ragdoll, Gawain stuck his whole arm through the golem’s torso from behind. Twitching for a moment as it began to crumble down to nothing, the other golem witnessed how his compatriot had a hand sticking out of his chest and prepared to come to its aid. However, when it looked down at its torso and Gawain’s hand, all it saw was an extended finger pointing towards its head mere moments before said head exploded.
“It’s a good thing you had that protective spell going for you, or they would have wrung you out and then hang you out to dry. They might not look like much, but golems like these tend to be controlled by someone from a safe distance, so they don’t really have any real thoughts like you and I. So next time, I’d try aiming my insults at the person that’s controlling them behind the scenes for maximum impact.”
Talking as he walked around the two degrading golems, he looked around Kingsley to see if he was alright. And by that he meant making sure there weren’t any bones sticking out of his body and there wasn’t any kind of heavy bleeding. In places such as these, especially lower classed dungeons that seemed so rife with death and violence, up and coming magic knights couldn’t be too careful when facing down unknown variables and threats. Giving the Orca some pointers on what he himself had come to learn about golem users through experience, it felt odd to give people who were older than him such advice. As time went on, a lot of people throughout the country started knowing him by name and reputation, also knowing that he was the youngest Grand mage in the country and was quite close to becoming vice captain of his squad in spite of being a commoner.
But most people never stopped to think about what that was like for him. Truth be told, it was the kind of thing he would never show to the world at large, but he often had feelings of inadequacy himself. Some stemming from the fact that he was struggling with prejudice towards his age and background within his squad, some came from feeling like he was the only one within said squad that gave a shit about exceeding the other squads in terms of reputation, and some of it came from him simply not knowing what to do with himself whenever he wasn’t fighting or killing things. But no one needed to know that, as he did not need nor want the pity. Instead, he just bravely kept wearing his mask as he would try to help Kingsley to his feet and prepare the two of them for the caverns ahead. Continuing the conversation so as to not make things weird, Gawain commented on something the Orca had said before.
“When you said you only had ‘a handful of spells’, did you mean you only have the two at your disposal?”
Not trying to sound like a little asshole, he was just inquiring for the sake of their mission here. Because if his spells were currently revolving around protecting himself and others while also restricting movement, having to rely on him to cut targets to ribbons might be a dumb choice. So the more he knew about what the guy could do, the better it would be for the both of them.
FLOOR 2 | ROOM 1
Guiding them into the caverns once he was certain that Kingsley could continue, he felt a certain kind of angst coming over him. Throughout his life, he had never been inside of a cave before, and now that he found himself inside of one, part of him felt as though the walls were closing in around him. It was something to do with being inside of a place that went deep into the soil, knowing that whatever threat loomed inside might have means of bringing the ceiling down on top of him. And as strong as he was when it came to wielding his magic or running really, really fast, there was only so much someone could do when several hundreds of tons of rock and soil were coming down on top of them. That, and having to also drag someone else along with him made it feel like it was an entirely impossible feat altogether.
On the outside though, his face remained stoic with a slight hint of a smirk as though he was still feeling the same way he did before. And even as his mind kept running through the scenarios that might lead to their demise, there was one thing that stood about all of it, this being the fact that whatever or whoever was down here needed to get in and out as well. So if they were to collapse the pathway leading down to them, that meant that they would remain trapped down there and would eventually starve. And in a way, that too would lead to this threat being buried forever and the area effectively becoming un-cursed, if that was even a word. Believing that the need to survive would beat out the urge to defeat an opponent in an act of mutually assured destruction, Gawain felt his mood change for the better, allowing him to slightly pick up his pace.
When the place suddenly started branching off into various other potential pathways, the boy felt the need to take a break for a bit. The deeper they went, the more difficult it was to really orient himself as well as he would like to. And to be perfectly fair, he believed the same went for Kingsley, as he didn’t seem like the type to go braving into caverns during his downtime. Turning around to see what they were dealing with, his eyes widened for a bit as it seemed as though the path back also had a trick in store for them. For when he looked towards the way back, he saw that there were other winding paths down the way they came, meaning simply backtracking wasn’t even a possibility at this point. For a moment, the ashen haired boy believed all of this might have been some sort of illusions that they had stepped into. But the more he looked around, the more certain he seemed to be of the fact that this was very much real life.
“Ugh, I hate mazes. But the one thing I hate more than a maze is an underground cavern maze. So… welcome to my version of hell.”
In part joking and in part being quite serious, Gawain decided to rely on his extrasensory capabilities. Because somewhere in these caverns, there had to be more enemies waiting for the two of them to walk by so they might get attacked. And while such a thing was troublesome, in this case, it could actually help them ahead so that they might push onward and out of this predicament. For a solid thirty seconds, the boy just stood there as if immobilized, focusing entirely on his surroundings. Trying to sense his way through solid rock and hardened earth, up until he registered the faintest of twitches. Narrowing his focus on it, he felt the twitching again, painting a picture in his mind of some kind of creature awaiting them further up ahead. Opening his eyes, the Silver Eagle seemed reaffirmed in their direction, choosing the left most path and venturing into it.
With the twitching image now locked in his mind, he no longer needed to close his eyes and stay still to keep his focus on it. No, he had it now, he knew where he needed to go if they were to make their way to whatever it was that was waiting to ambush them further up ahead. Turning to Kingsley again, the boy didn’t think the other mage would have issues relying on him after he had proven his capabilities in the forest above. Still, it was worth looking into something while they were making their way down, further and further into the bowels.
“Unless quite literally all of my senses are being tricked by a very powerful illusion, I’m one hundred percent confident that this is the way to go….. you wouldn’t happen to be well versed in illusions would you?”
Name of Spell: Puncture Elemental Type: Air Pressure Rank & Spell Type: Intermediate | Attack Creation | Sensory (Homing) Range & Speed: 40m | 25 m/s Mana Cost: 20 | 10 Stats Effected: - Applicable Perks: Overpowered | Quick Shot Description: Putting his index and middle finger together, Gawain will point his right hand at his target, using the tips of his fingers as a vocal point from which it is fired. This a sphere roughly ten centimeters wide for the purpose of puncturing the target. The attack itself is non-lethal, unless direct contact with one's vitals is established, as well as causing painful cuts and bruises on people and breaking most unreinforced walls, dealing Intermediate rank damage. In addition, the accuracy and chance to hit can be further improved by utilizing Homing rules, including following the target in adherence to those same rules. The bullet follows the target that was initially pointed at until it hits, runs out of space or hits another object. To those without at least 20 sensory, this spell will be invisible, appearing as a wispy green ball to others.
No mana lost due to recovery overcoming expenditure
Post by Kingsley Farebrother on May 2, 2024 19:30:37 GMT -5
Kingsley Farebrother
He who fears not the blade he wields has no right to wield that blade.
Watching his teammate easily snatch victory from the stone golems, Kingsley felt a deep appreciation for Gawain. After severely underestimating the rock guardians, he had earned a humbling smackdown, narrowly avoiding a set of broken ribs or worse by virtue of his defensive spell still holding. Whereas the Silver Eagle Knight working alongside him merely pointed an accusatory finger at the two monsters, destroying them cleanly with the invisible power of his magic attribute. His manner of spellcasting was discrete too, so Kingsley was still guessing at to what element exactly these transparent attacks were made of. His own magic was the opposite, blunt and upfront about its quality, but versatile enough to get the job done. Or at least, that's the sort of thing he'd tell himself to avoid spiraling into a self deprecation session in the middle of the mission.
Floor 2 | Room 1
Standing back up and brushing himself off, Kingsley took a moment to further inspect the cavern, though much was obscured to him due to the all encompassing darkness that occupied the tunnel. The smell of freshly turned soil and stagnant water slithered through the air, giving Kingsley a small bout of nausea. He hoped internally that the nausea was truly a product of the environment, and not an oncoming concussion from the blow he sustained by way of the Golem's physical strength.
Gawain began to proceed towards the tunnel, and the Purple Orca kept the pace, not wanting to seem like anymore of a burden in a fight than he already was. It had stung when the Silver Eagle Knight had asked him about the total number of spells in his grimoire, and Kingsley was not eager to show his vulnerable side quite yet, especially to someone so seasoned. The scathing question eventually got the better of him, and he found himself gritting his teeth at every corner they rounded within the grotto, anticipating a fight.
With his entire nervous system stuck on 'fight or flight', Kingsley kept his arms at the ready for any potential threat, his eyes flickering from rock to rock in the dimly lit cavern. The passageway had a good incline to it, forcing the two mages to adopt a particular stance as they journeyed to keep from succumbing to gravity and sliding down the path. Kingsley found it hard to believe this could be the home of any living creature, and his mind began to play tricks on him in the darkness, creating stalking phantasms where none existed. But each time he reached out with his sensory abilities, he realized it was just a stalagmite or patch of moss fooling him.
The path ahead forked, and Gawain halted his descent, eyes narrowed as he looked past the other knight standing behind him and took in what he saw. Fearful that they were being snuck up on, Kingsley looked over his shoulder as well, realizing that there was no clear trail back to where they were previously. After his eyes adjusted to the gloom of the cavern, Kingsley had just assumed it to be a single path down into the earth; the sprawl of tunnels before and ahead of him said otherwise.
"A maze? And not even the normal kind where you can crawl up the walls and just jump your way to victory. How advantageous for the ruler of this Dungeon." Kingsley had become nonplussed by the constant barrages of surprises in this dungeon, from the killer vegetables to the stone guardians outside the cave. The creature at the heart of this dungeon had quite a setup compared to the wayward bandits you'd usually fight around Kikka. Maybe you'd encounter a hideout or two, but they were hovels compared to this borderline supervillain base, just a place for a ne'er do well to rest his boots.
The Purple Orca watched his teammate place a hand firmly on the stone wall, his eyes closed in concentration; Kingsley chose to hold his next words for fear of interrupting vital intelligence gathering from Gawain. When the Silver Eagle Knight withdrew his hand and opened his eyes, he seemed determined, pointing in a direction and directing Kingsley to follow. It was the question about illusory magic that threw Kingsley off center, making him doubt his new friend had actually discerned anything from his extrasensory scanning. Clearing his throat, Kingsley shook his head and responded. "Sadly no. I'm still working on branching into new territory with my magic." Realizing that wasn't a very clear explanation, he continued. "With only Restraint and Defense spells, I guess that makes me the Support and you the Attacker."
When Gawain's pace picked back up from the small break, Kingsley followed, his boots scuffing the dirt with every step. They definitely seemed to be getting deeper, as the ceiling above became splattered with the roots of the trees above them, their hungry tendrils having long ago pierced the ceiling of the cave in search of moisture and nutrients. The looming darkness that had lingered over the mages since the entrance seemed to waver a bit in this area, and Kingsley found himself struck with curiosity. His hand found its way to the twisting roots that littered the grotto, and at his touch, a peculiar light blossomed along the vascular organs of the tree.
Taking a moment to halt his pace, Kingsley inspected the roots further, realizing that what he thought were smaller follicles for water absorption were really the spindles of a lichen, existing in symbiotic harmony with the tree. "Look at these! Have you ever seen anything like it?" He called softly to Gawain, his eyes alit with wonder at the spectacle. The Purple Orca had never seen such a thing, and was surprised that such beauty could thrive in such a wicked place as this Dungeon. Touching more of the bioluminescent moss, he found that by placing his entire hand against it, it could produce enough light for him to see the fine details of the cave walls around him. The brunet mage hoped that the addition of light would at least put a dent into their current quandary.
POW 08
DUR 14
STA 15
SEN 12
CON12
WORD COUNT: 1018
TOTAL WC: 5728
CURRENT ROOM WC: 876/2000
ITEMS IN USE: Magic Knight Mantle
BATTLE NOTES: Kingsley and Gawain get lost in a cave.
Description: Speaking the spell's name, the user holds their hand towards the target. A 1m radius circle of pink runes appears, centered in their palm; from this runic circle a 0.5m wide, 3m length white-and-floral-patterned ribbon of silk emerges, slithering towards the target at 10m/s. Once the ribbon makes contact, it begins winding around the target's body, before pulling taut, binding the arms against the torso. Once it has tightened around the target, the ribbon will tie itself, leaving a remainder of 0.5m outstretched towards the caster so they may drag/lead the target using the restraint. After the knot completes, the ribbon also begins to sprout small spikes inwards, damaging the target equal to 1/2 Junior damage with minor cuts to the skin. The restraint interrupts the connection between the enemy and their grimoire, cutting Mana Regeneration by 5. Should the grimoire be targeted specifically, the target's spell usage per post is reduced by 50%. Additional restraints can be created per the ammo rules.
Description: After speaking the name of the spell, a rotating circle of pink runes appears at the user's feet. Twelve pink ribbons of silk emerge from the runes, weaving through one another in basket-like patterns as they wrap around the user. As the circle of runes disappear, the silk forms into a pink 3-layer padded gambeson, a form of cloth armor. By pointing at an ally up to 25 meters away, the spell can instead be cast on them, manifesting the circle of runes under their feet instead of the caster's. The armor can take up to Intermediate damage before failing. If an enemy makes a physical attack that isn't powerful enough to destroy the armor, the silk reverberates with a portion of the original of force, dealing Junior damage and slowing the attacker by 5m/s. Additional suits may be created per the rules on ammo.
Even though he had more or less figured out the way to go already, or so he hoped, it seemed that the Purple Orca had plans situated around looking into their surroundings for a bit more. Figuring he would indulge them, he placed both of his hands behind his head and just tagged along in case more golems popped up. At this point in time, he had come to determine that the level given to this particular dungeon being relatively low made a lot of sense, though he felt like it could have been elevated ever so slightly due to the incredibly violent nature of the creatures that had been dwelling inside of it. When asked about a certain type of lichen, the boy couldn’t exactly say that he had. Where he was from, that was to say where he had spent a good majority of the years he could actually remember vividly, there was never much of it.
For on Skjaergard, the salt in the water that got sprayed across the country whenever there was another violent storm made the soil very inhospitable towards most forms of plant growth, or life in general. There was a good reason why the majority of the island was covered in the most inhospitable swamp on the known planet, and why the place was connected strongly to death and decay.
“Hmmm… I honestly can’t say that I have. One thing I do know is that, since most of these dungeons are a form of self-contained biome, most of what grows inside of it is entirely unique to the outside world. Highly saturated with mana, bloodshed, perfect humidity and heat, the kinds of things that make it incapable of growing anywhere else. For some herbalists and alchemists, I imagine places like these to be a treasure trove…. If they can get out alive that is.”
With that said, he figured it was about time for him to take point again, getting the two of them to backtrack for a bit and make their way into the direction he believed they should have taken before. There was nothing wrong with a bit of sightseeing, especially since all of the people who had entered into this place had more or less been accounted for already as ‘deceased’. But at the end of the day, they did have a job to do here in order to pacify this dungeon for the time being, and make it so more people wouldn’t end up dying inside of it. People were however innately stupid and hard to convince, so if more of them wanted to venture in here and die after ample warning being given, it was inevitably on them, not him.
FLOOR 2 | ROOM 2
As he had hoped, the path he had chosen seemed to be the proper one, leading them away from the promise of further winding corridors and pathways reminiscent of a maze, and into a different cavern system altogether. The bioluminescent algae that were growing along the ceiling were growing a lot less densely in this region, limiting the amount of vision either of the two mages had to work with. Due to the nature of his magic, he could not exactly create a source of light through it to aid them, though his other senses were sharp enough for at least himself to get through this area unscathed. This meant that as long as he was being followed around, neither of them should really be getting hurt or caught off guard. For at the end of the day, even if his vision was limited by the growing darkness, his use of Ki was the one thing that allowed him ‘sight’ through his other senses.
In that sense, the boy could quickly adjust himself to the underwhelming amount of light, though it still bothered him not to be able to see as clearly as before. Just because someone had the means to overcome some kind of a handicap such as a lack of sight did not mean it was in any way enjoyable to lose out on what one normally took for granted.
Moving on with a steadfast pace, the boy wanted to get to the core of this whole mess and deal with it as swiftly as possible. Imagining the same should have gone for Kingsley as well, the fact that this dungeon was quite frankly classified as being far beneath his own level of skill, Gawain considered giving the Purple Orca the first shot at dealing with whatever creature they might encounter at that point. But given what he had told him about how his magic currently revolved around restraining and protecting, putting him up against a foe such as that would likely be considered more of a punishment than it being a kind gesture. And remembering quite vividly what had happened with the golems outside, doing that much seemed like it would quite honestly be a bad idea. So when it came down to it, he would be the one that struck the decisive blow so they could both head on out and return to their squad with good news.
“You know, you’re not the first Purple Orca I’ve entered into dungeons such as these with. There was this guy, I’m not sure if you’ve heard of him, but I believe his name was Amon. He was an older guy, not that high up in the ranks either, which I always thought weird for someone his age. Is that someone you’re familiar with?”
Quite honestly wondering what had happened to the guy as they had entered into the tomb of the sword hero together, as well as another place he currently failed to remember properly, he had never seen or heard from him again. Finding it odd that someone who seemed so keen on getting stronger in his old age just dropping from the face of the planet, he had at times wondered if maybe the man had died and nobody told him. That was what old people did after all. But as he thought about what might have happened to that guy, something clicked in his mind as he was snapped back to reality. Dashing aside so incredibly fast most would have figured him to have used some kind of spell, Gawain evaded suddenly getting lunged at by a rather massive spider. The funny part about the pace at which he quickly moved roughly two meters to the side was that it happened so fast, he almost left a full-fledged afterimage.
So while the spider might have assumed that it landed the attack, the fact that it struck nothing before hitting the ground must have been incredibly confusing. Then, as its many eyes looked around, it saw that one of its thin, long legs with sharp tips likely used to penetrate foes that got struck in this way, was no longer attached to its body. Having torn it off the moment he stepped to the side, the pain of losing a limb struck the creature at roughly the same time as the realization of not having struck a target. When it looked around in a panic, it first turned to Kingsley, but found this to be a different target altogether. Turning around to find and locate the boy, its sight suddenly turned to red. Wondering if it ever even felt the pain of dying, Gawain looked on as the creature collapsed and died. After he had ripped off the creature’s sharp leg appendage, the fact that it seemed to have lost him allowed him to use that same appendage and ram it into its head from below like a lance.
Rubbing his hands together as if saying “and that’s that” in a non-verbal manner, his Ki had already picked up on more of the spiders coming down, as well as some remaining along the ceiling. Going off of those that were alive, there were a total of seven of them, with five being along the ground and acting as a strike force while the others remained along the ceiling. They remained within the gaps between the bioluminescent moss, which while hiding their presence also made for some rather niche spots. Knowing for a fact that he’d be able to take them out in no time at all, he saw how thick strands of white came down from the ceiling. They were creating some kind of a web, though this was a web that was magically backed by mana, which would make it more difficult to cut and was likely aimed to box in any prey so the others could fight. After all, even a spider could get caught in their webs if they hit the wrong one. This likely meant that these threads weren’t going to be sticky, just tough.
“Hey would you look at that, those spiders use the same magic you do! Isn’t that some silly coincidence?”
Looking at Kingsley with a rather dumb face as he personally felt like this whole situation was rather funny in and of itself, he wondered what the Purple Orca thought about having to fight creatures that possessed a similar magic type and spell use. The chances of Gawain running into a creature that could do what he did were slim to none, so spotting such a thing as this in a dungeon was just funny to him, as well as incredibly interesting. As the spiders came charging at them, he would momentarily wait to see what Kingsley would do, all while formulating a plan of his own on the side. Just in case.
Post by Kingsley Farebrother on May 16, 2024 11:56:42 GMT -5
Kingsley Farebrother
He who fears not the blade he wields has no right to wield that blade.
Though the brunet was easily captivated by the glimmering flora that adorned the cavern walls, his companion seemed disinterested in such a mundane wonder. Kingsley had much to learn if sights like this were commonplace enough for the Magic Knights of Gawain's level and above to just walk past them without even stopping. This Dungeon was a weak one, easily cleared by someone with Gawain's skills; the Purple Orca's mind wandered to the possible things that might spring forth in a more dangerous one. At his entrance exam for the Magic Knights, Kingsley had watched a certain mage use Plant Magic to conjure forth towering golems of carnivorous flora, and fired beams of mana from the center of sun-shaped blossoms. This Dungeon had proven firsthand that nature could compete in that category as well, with the swarm of mandrakes that occupied the earlier area of the Dungeon.
The citizens that had wandered into the dungeon seemed to all perish at the sentient vegetables' hands (or whatever root like structure passed for hands among them), proving their effectiveness as guardians, at least for untrained explorers. Though it remained to be seen if the aggressive plants were created by the Dungeon's master or spontaneously generated from the unique mana that permeated the area, the pair had easily dispatched them, and they were followed up with a small battalion of stoneware warriors. Contrary to the mandrakes, the golems had felt very intentional, and according to Gawain, were directly controlled by a magic user further inside. Their immense strength and durability made them a much stronger foe, though against Gawain all of the creatures in this Dungeon may as well be squabbling children.
It was a truly humbling experience, having his back blown out by that stone simulacrum for his arrogance in imagining he could take down two of them with only wit, quick maneuvering, and a Junior rank spell. Meanwhile the younger of the two of them needed only to point and shoot, his translucent magic penetrating the monsters like a sharp knife through rice paper. Kingsley's own magic would need months of training to even scratch the surface of what Gawain was seemingly capable of; the brunet had a distinct feeling that the silver haired boy was also holding back, perhaps for his teammate's sake, perhaps not. Some within the Magic Knights reached such heights with their magical power that they grew ravenous for 'true' battles, only releasing their full potential when they felt the possibility of death was looming against an equally powerful foe.
The Purple Orca Knight shuddered to think of what sort of horrible monster would be required to lure out Gawain's full power, brushing away the thought before it gave him more anxiety than he could handle. Removing his hands from the luminescent moss, he continued to follow Gawain down the winding paths of the grotto maze. The air grew thick with moisture, and Kingsley grimaced at the pungent odor that was carried by the humidity. Whatever lived down here enjoyed a festering existence amongst the cave fungus and stagnant water, he thought to himself. "I'm so glad I skipped lunch for this. I think I'd puke if my belly were full right now." Kingsley did not do well with malodorous things, his easily upset stomach turning even in the presence of pickled vegetables. As a child, he had a rough time adjusting to the food of the Common Realm, as the people there often relied on substances like vinegar to extend the shelf life of the produce they grew or purchased; up until that point he had lived in the Noble Realm, and while he hadn't eaten like a noble, the abundance of food in the capital meant that procedures like pickling weren't necessary to prevent starvation.
Hoping to take his mind off the foul stench that occupied the cavern, Kingsley began to conjure memories of his favorite scents; the freshly pulled linens of the tailor shop, sweet meats charbroiled in the open air markets of Kikka, the sweet citrons grown outside the village of his youth, and the flower shop next door to the now-empty Farebrother tailor shop in the capital city. The last memory lingered in his mind for a moment, and the young Magic Knight felt a twinge of nostalgia for his childhood home. As a Purple Orca, he would be sent to the capital sooner or later for a mission or event; maybe it would provide a good enough excuse to scope out the old family shop, see if anyone else had repurposed the space.
Gawain was a man on a mission, and continued further along the path with determination, leaving Kingsley to scramble and make up for lost time catching up to him. He knew that Gawain could probably finish this mission without him, but he was assigned to this Dungeon and he wasn't leaving until he knew the job was done. This would be a good notch on his belt, and provide the Purple Orcas with a few more stars. Squads like the Silver Eagles had so many talented mages like Gawain and didn't need any help gaining stars, but the Purple Orcas had experienced a bit of a lull lately, with some of their mages reporting back having failed their missions, or died in service. It would do to allow that to continue, so Kingsley would need to forgo his hesitations and stop comparing himself unjustly to others. It would take time and effort to reach the heights of his compatriots, and if that's what it took, then he was going to be patient. His mother had always told him that the easy path was easy for a reason - it often wasn't the right path.
And even if he didn't become as powerful as Gawain, being a respectable warrior for the good of the Clover Kingdom still beat out becoming a worthless drunkard like his father, gambling in drug dens and associating with criminals. A small part of his heart still held out hope that his father could change, but that was the lonely child inside him, desperate for a whole family once more. It was up to his father to make that effort, not Kingsley nor his mother. Sometimes in the dead of the night, while tossing and turning in his assigned bed at the Purple Orca headquarters, Kingsley dreamed of his missing father. Sometimes the dreams were good, and the Farebrother household was restored to its former glory in the capital of Clover. Other times they were nightmares, and the Farebrother patriarch became a criminal to survive, harassing the citizens of the Common Realm until his own son brought him to justice.
FLOOR 2 | ROOM 2
As the pair continued onward, the cavern terrain shifted, and Kingsley could swear he felt a tingle on the back of his neck. Chalking it up to having successfully escaped the illusory maze, he let out a sigh of relief. Enemies could be fought face-to-face, but an illusory trap was nebulous and sometimes inescapable. The new area lacked the glowing lichen and moss of the maze, and Kingsley found his vision limited to a few feet in front of him, at best. Magical senses needed development, just like any muscle, so this would be a good exercise for the Purple Orca; Gawain on the other hand continued to move steadfast, undeterred by the dwindling source of light in the cave. The brunet swore he heard a twinge of grumbling under the silver haired boy's breath, and stifled a giggle of his own. Maybe Gawain wasn't so stoic after all, oozing a hint of frustration in the face of being handicapped by the Dungeon Lord's design.
Kingsley kept his eyes on the ground, uneasy at the thought of another trap hitting them. Gawain might be able to charge headfirst into danger, sure of his ability to survive, but the brunet wasn't. If they were ambushed, he would need to rely on Gawain's superior sensory abilities to prepare them for any more nasty surprises the Dungeon had in store. Now more aware of the differences in strength between the two of them, Kingsley was prepared to take a more backseat role in their dynamic. Gawain's voice broke the silence, reminiscing on one of Kingsley's squad mates. The description brought few to mind, but the older gentleman who helped Kingsley out with transportation earlier in the day had gone by another name. "Can't say that I have met Amon. Our Headquarters feels like a revolving door sometimes, with mages flying out so frequently. The Vice Captain did mention some members retiring a few weeks ago, but it was more of a passing statement than an official briefing. I think I've interacted with other squads more than my own, truth be told."
The other members of the Purple Orca squad were always out and about, performing their own duties; Kingsley had yet to actually complete a mission with someone wearing the same colors as him. At the rate he was completing them, it was possible he'd get a rank up and be teaching the next wave of recruits before he trained more with his seniors in the squad. The thought was interrupted by the shifting of the air as Gawain seemed to be standing in two places at once. Then Kingsley blinked, and the first Gawain disappeared, replaced by a monstrous spider who had lunged at where he used to be standing. The creature's hungry eyes darted around, before noticing Gawain's new position, as well as the second 'meal' standing just a few feet ahead. The silence was interrupted by a spurt of greenish fluids, the creature realizing that not only did it fail to catch its meal, but that missing meal had also severed one of its segmented leg, crippling the creature. The cut was fairly close to the creature's thorax, and more and more green fluid spilled out; Gawain took advantage of his newfound 'weapon' and pressed the sharpened appendage back into the creature's body, piercing its head and forever dimming the crimson glow of its eight bulging eyes.
"Wow, how did you do that?" Kingsley had barely finished his sentence when another spider hissed, revealing its location further into the chamber. Though the light was quite dim, Kingsley could make out its glowing eyes, and the glinting of its chitinous carapace. More hissing followed it, revealing a swarm of the creatures, many along the ground with a scant few scuttling along the walls and ceiling, leaving trails of white as they moved. Gawain pointed to the silky excretions of the eight foot tall monsters, pointing out the coincidence of a cloth mage fighting a swarm of cloth monsters. The irony wasn't lost on Kingsley, but his eyes narrowed now realizing what the spiders were up to.
They weren't as wild and untamed as the mandrakes, but lacked the artificiality of the stone golems. These felt more like pets, or beasts specifically cultivated to waylay intruders seeking to penetrate the Dungeon boss's innermost chambers. Those on the walls and ceiling had solidified obstacles of web work, preventing further passage into the grotto without slaying the creatures and either burning or slicing away at their handiwork. The two spiders on the ground began to approach the pair, and Kingsley knew this was his moment. Though he wouldn't be able to blast them into oblivion like Gawain, he could at least provide his teammate with a moment of reprieve and an easy target once he was ready to fire off more of those transparent blasts of magic.
"I'll set em up, do you have any spells that can affect a wide area?" The chamber was large enough that the spiders on the floor were spread out a fair distance, meaning a single line or projectile spell wouldn't hit them all. Sensing his intentions, Kingsley's coral tinted grimoire removed itself from his hip clasp, flipping to the page of his tried and true restraining spell. "Spider's Snare!" He called out, pointing both hands open palmed at the closest spiders. His spell would buy them some time, but the creatures seemed strong enough to break free, even if the bindings were as strong as their own silk webbing. Twin circles of pink runes formed at his hands, rotating slowly as bolts of ribbon emerged, attempting to lock down the arachnid attackers. The spiders, not used to being on the other end of the silk restraint, found themselves bound in pink ribbons. The spell left a meter long leash for each of the monsters, something Kingsley hoped would come in handy for Gawain's next move.
Watching him use their own tricks against them, one of the ceiling spiders saw an opening in Kingsley's stance and took advantage of it, aiming its spinneret at the Purple Orca and spurting a bolt of its gossamer silk at his position. Though he had bound two of their number, he found himself likewise bound, the spider's gooey secretions gluing his feet to the stone floor. It seemed like the creatures could create more than one type of web, the ones adorning the wall more like barricades than sticky nets. Knowing he wouldn't be able to dodge thanks to this restraint, Kingsley called on his reserves of mana once more, needing something to keep the creatures from penetrating his flesh with their mandibles. "Spider's Suit!" His grimoire responded accordingly, flipping to his defensive spell and conjuring the corresponding runic circle at his feet. Pink ribbons granted him a suitable piece of armor, and he braced himself for the spiders' upcoming assault.
POW 08
DUR 14
STA 15
SEN 12
CON12
WORD COUNT: 2263
TOTAL WC: 7991
CURRENT ROOM WC: 1149/1951
ITEMS IN USE: Magic Knight Mantle
BATTLE NOTES: Kingsley and Gawain escape the maze and encounter icky spiders. Kingsley binds two spiders, then gets glued to the floor. To prevent any nasty bites, he gives himself some armor.
Description: Speaking the spell's name, the user holds their hand towards the target. A 1m radius circle of pink runes appears, centered in their palm; from this runic circle a 0.5m wide, 3m length white-and-floral-patterned ribbon of silk emerges, slithering towards the target at 10m/s. Once the ribbon makes contact, it begins winding around the target's body, before pulling taut, binding the arms against the torso. Once it has tightened around the target, the ribbon will tie itself, leaving a remainder of 0.5m outstretched towards the caster so they may drag/lead the target using the restraint. After the knot completes, the ribbon also begins to sprout small spikes inwards, damaging the target equal to 1/2 Junior damage with minor cuts to the skin. The restraint interrupts the connection between the enemy and their grimoire, cutting Mana Regeneration by 5. Should the grimoire be targeted specifically, the target's spell usage per post is reduced by 50%. Additional restraints can be created per the ammo rules.
Description: After speaking the name of the spell, a rotating circle of pink runes appears at the user's feet. Twelve pink ribbons of silk emerge from the runes, weaving through one another in basket-like patterns as they wrap around the user. As the circle of runes disappear, the silk forms into a pink 3-layer padded gambeson, a form of cloth armor. By pointing at an ally up to 25 meters away, the spell can instead be cast on them, manifesting the circle of runes under their feet instead of the caster's. The armor can take up to Intermediate damage before failing. If an enemy makes a physical attack that isn't powerful enough to destroy the armor, the silk reverberates with a portion of the original of force, dealing Junior damage and slowing the attacker by 5m/s. Additional suits may be created per the rules on ammo.
The way the spiders had placed themselves along the room made them relatively annoying to deal with, with the ones along the floor being spread out a good bit of distance, while those along the ceiling were arguably close enough to take out with a well placed shot. Aiming his hand up at the ceiling, he released his spell in a way that struck two of the spiders in the same area, causing them to suddenly become cut in half and drop down all the way from above. Coming down with a loud splat, liquid was sent out in a small area around them as their long limbs kept twitching for a bit. Someone once told him that a spider made those weird moves because their blood stopped moving around, though that just sounded weird to him. Regardless, he didn’t care enough about the inner workings of arachnid anatomy, he just needed to know how to kill them.
With the other spiders along the ground advancing, the long pieces of string gave Gawain an idea. Reaching for the one he assumed was magically backed and not sticky, he grabbed it with his right hand before tugging at it with every bit of strength he had. Being enough to dislodge the rocks it was attached to, another of the spiders was pulled down to the floor at gradually building speeds. But the ashen-haired boy did not care a whole lot about that one, as it was likely going to be just fine when it landed on all eight of its legs. No, he had other things to worry about.
One of the spiders was aiming directly at the Purple Orca, but it was nowhere near fast enough to bypass the boy. Moving alongside the creature until he could reach it, a quick single-handed tug at a mandible allowed Gawain to pull the head off of the creature in one fell swoop, causing its body to take exactly three more steps before it collapsed on the ground. Using the head to beat that of a nearby spider into mush, his body was gradually being covered more and more in the gross blood that apparently was normal to these things. But he wouldn’t stop. Seemingly abandoning Kingsley completely by dashing in a direction opposite to where the spiders were, he kept it up until he could get the remainder in a single file, which included the spider he had pulled from the ceiling that was still struggling to get its bearings. Extending his fist and opening it into his chosen direction, his most powerful spell raged forward.
Invisible to the naked eye, it was aimed in such a way that it wouldn’t reach Kingsley by a meter or two, give or take. It was calculated in such a way as to intercept the spiders as they were rushing towards the guy as they had deemed Gawain too dangerous to outright engage. But while the attack was invisible, its presence could be felt. And when it hit you, there was a good chance that even the sensation of feeling the attack in and of itself never came. The attack was fast, replaced pure destructive force with nothing but penetrative force spread over a grid-like pattern area. When it hit the first spider, it barely registered what happened, but as the second spider was hit, the first fell apart into a pile of cubical spider bits and chunks. And just like that, the sheer speed of the attack took one after the other until finally coming to a stop at the far wall, in which it left the indentation of a grid roughly twelve meters wide.
As all of the spiders slid apart one by one and fell to the ground like gross, fleshy building blocks, what danger had been posed by the spiders had been rendered null and void. Turning to Kingsley while wiping some of the blood off his face and out of his hair, he pointed over yonder, believing that this was the way to go. The Spider webbing that was hanging loosely from the ceiling as much of it had been cut was mostly working into a rather specific direction. And if he knew one thing about dungeons, it was that much of the life within it was bent to the will of whoever or whatever lorded over it. A lord of the biome, an apex predator of sorts.
“Yuck, I’m gonna have to take a proper bath to get all of this ick off of me…. Might as well burn the clothes at this point. That said, it seems like there’s a light over there, might be worth checking out. Might also end up being a trap.”
FLOOR 2 | ROOM 3
Taking off towards the light at a regular walking pace, he looked around to see how the place had gotten ravaged due to the attacking spiders getting put in their place. Normally, Gawain restricted his magic quite a bit when dealing with animals, as he did not enjoy the thought of prancing in something else’s territory and making a mess of things. Hell, he was the kind of person that would knock an animal out if he believed there was more to them than just blind hunger and base instinct. But when it came to these sub-domains that existed within a magic dungeon as their own type of biome, that was different. No one really knew the origin and nature of a magic dungeon, just that there seemed to be no logic or reason to them, and that the things encountered within seemed to never truly stay dead for long. A dungeon could disappear for a time, only to resurface later and become a problem for the locals once again.
He had even heard some tall tales about how someone had apparently managed to destroy an entire dungeon, completely without repair. That one had never managed to come back, which went to show that if enough force of magic was used to offset the mana within the place that kept repairing it and its denizens, that they could in fact be destroyed for good, never to return. But for some reason, the people in charge had decided not to do this sort of thing, instead resigning to just sending people in from time to time to clean the place out, make sure the place would remain safe for some time and then when it came back around, to send people right back in. The way Gawain saw it, places like these made for great proving grounds as they allowed knights of all sorts of ranks to contend within them and see if they were really everything they thought themselves to be.
In Gawain’s case, he just liked exploring new places, fighting strong opponents and learning new things, as well as bringing in the stars for his squad. But honestly, that last bit was starting to fizzle out a bit. After speaking to some of the other members of his squad, he had started to feel like the need to have a great reputation within the country was one that was not shared by his own people. So in a sense, it felt like he was trying to carry the weight of a world that did not want to be carried, and that honestly stung a bit. So as it were, the only thing that really mattered to him now was simple. He wanted to be the best. He wanted to be the strongest mage that existed, doing so by constantly learning, growing, adapting and overcoming any and all obstacles in his way, preferably without any sort of help. Only by becoming a one-man army could he truly say that he meant something. That he mattered.
But there was no reason why he could not make an effort at taking other people along with him for the ride. In truth, he had been doing this for quite a while now, and not always with the right and proper outcome. He had been forced to abandon a dungeon once or twice due to people being brought along that couldn’t even wipe their own butts. Kingsley however, he showed promise and a willingness to learn, even though he had been getting the ragdoll treatment for a while in here. And while the optics of it were funny, there was only so much a person could take before they were beaten down or killed. And clearly he wouldn’t allow that to happen, which was why he had decided to jump the gun by destroying every single one of the impetuous spiders that seemed to believe they could kill Gawain’s current ally. Boy had they been wrong.
Having followed the light all the way to its source, the two mages had managed to find themselves inside of some sort of kitchen-esque area. Wondering what someone might be cooking here when the place was filled with nothing but golems, spiders and predatory plants, he did have to admit that the place smelled rather good. While he couldn’t place it completely, he could sniff out some hints of steak, as well as the odd scent of Takoyaki. Both had some very specific scents to them, and given how the latter was a foreign recipe he had only tasted once in his life during a gala co-hosted by his own squad, it seemed odd that someone here had been preparing it. And that was when he noticed it sitting on the table. A plate that had a cooked steak on one side of it, and six Takoyaki laying opposite to it, the steaming heat coming off of it taking to the air and spreading their scent across the room.
Under any other circumstances, Gawain would not have had to think twice about eating it. But the fact that they were in a dungeon that had so far been riddled with hidden threats as opposed to being more up front and personal like some of the others he had been to. Had this food been in one of those, chances were he’d have taken the plunge and eaten it. But not in this place, not a chance.
Name of Spell: Cleave Elemental Type: Air Pressure Rank & Spell Type: Grand | Attack Creation | Sensory (Homing) Range & Speed: 150m | 85 m/s Mana Cost: 50 | 25 Stats Effected: +12 Power Applicable Perks: Overpowered | Quick Shot | Battle Knight | Apex Predator Description: Extending and pushing his right index, ring and middle finger together before flicking them upward in order to activate the spell, a crescent blade of highly compressed air roughly five centimeters thick and twelve meters long is fired into the desired direction, following directly up on this motion. The attack itself is lethal, capable of leaving deep cuts and lacerations and ripping through structures and obstacles in its path, dealing Grand rank damage. For every 50 Control, an additional shot can be fired. In addition, the accuracy and chance to hit can be further improved by utilizing Homing rules, including following the target in adherence to those same rules. The crescent blade follows the target that was initially pointed at until it hits, runs out of space or hits another object. To those without at least 50 sensory, this spell will be invisible, appearing as a wispy green crescent blade to others.
Name of Spell: Grid Elemental Type: Air Pressure Rank & Spell Type: Grand | Attack Creation | Sensory (Homing) Range & Speed: 150m | 85 m/s Mana Cost: 50 | 25 Stats Effected: +12 Power Applicable Perks: Overpowered | Quick Shot | Battle Knight | Apex Predator Description: By pointing his right fist at a chosen target or direction while simultaneously forming the half-dragon seal with his left hand, a grid-shaped pattern of air pressure magic will rapidly form right in front of his right fist. When he opens up his fist, the grid will launch forward instantly, slicing through buildings and obstacles in its path and leaving it in the shape of cubic bits and pieces of roughly equal size, leaving deep lacerations and cuts and being potentially lethal on a direct hit. For every 50 Control, an additional shot can be fired. In addition, the accuracy and chance to hit can be further improved by utilizing Homing rules, including following the target in adherence to those same rules. The square-shaped grid is roughly 12 meters wide, being invisible to those without at least 50 Sensory, appearing as a wispy green grid to others.
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