Dungeon Dive
Page 9
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Transfixed by his half-caught glimpse of the seething mass, Aveyad staggered unresistingly backwards from Talia’s shove. His mind was frozen, consumed by imagined horrors. He banged up against the corridor’s opposite wall and his head bobbed forward to the sight of Talia, alone and coughing furiously. Despite this, she braced herself in the doorway to meet the approaching tide. The sight jarred Aveyad to his senses, and training took over.
He waved Velia towards Talia while he himself hurried forward to take up position behind her again. Behind him, the rangers formed into line, bows held to the ready, as they searched for clear lines of fire past the two champions. The firefly spirit flitted to Talia and made brief contact before dancing back. Divine essence gushed into the champion, washing away the poison that raged in her system and mending the damage that it had done.
Velia has cured Talia.
Talia straightened and threw a grateful glance at the divine mote, before she returned her attention to the chamber. Aveyad unhooked his wands and peered over Talia into the room. The hurtling shapes were almost to the door and readily visible now. The creatures were an almost uniform green with stick-like limbs and torsos. They churned forward in a silent green wave, each propelled by four thorn-spiked back legs. Their two front appendages and antenna fluttered angrily while every so often, their iridescent, malformed wings flared out and momentarily lifted them above their fellows. The demons had taken the form of giant mantises.
Creature: Giant mantis.
Type: Beast (disguised minor demon).
Rarity: Common.
Level: 25.
Health: 290 / 290.
Attack: 25-45 (blunt), 40 (poison damage over time).
Defences (physical / psi / spell): 25 / 25 / 25.
Special Effects:
Demonic (+100% divine damage, -100% chaos damage).
At the sight, a renewed quiver shuddered through Aveyad’s body. Gritting his teeth, he ignored it and braced himself to meet the swarm. With Talia holding the door, Aveyad a step behind her, and the rangers in the rear, the party was ready to face the menace. They waited.
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In the instant before the charging mass hit, the walls on either side of the door crumpled into dust, and made the party’s careful positioning redundant as the swarm surged around Talia. In a near-perfect pincer attack, the mantises crashed into the ranger line at the party’s rear. Galian’s face turned ashen at the sight. The elves were caught flat-footed and with bows in hand.
With only a split-second to react, Galian knew there was no time to change weapons. “Retreat! Get your backs against the wall!” he screamed over the battlegroup. He followed his own order and took a backward step to the corridor’s opposite wall. His squad moved in lockstep with him. A giant mantis flared its wings and bulldozed into him. He gripped his ironwood bow with both hands and fended off its snapping jaws and flailing limbs. But while occupied by the first mantis, a second’s razor-thin antennae bit through his cheek and a third’s foreleg crashed into his side.
A giant mantis has hit Galian for 20 damage (piercing). Remaining: 430 / 450 HP.
A giant mantis has hit Galian for 30 damage (piercing). Remaining: 400 / 450 HP.
He staggered backwards, but retained his balance. He shot a glance to the rest of the squad. They were similarly beset. Somehow, despite the onslaught, all of them managed to stay on their feet and fend off the worst blows with their bows.
But the situation was dire. If the champions did not do something soon, they would meet their end here.
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For an instant, nonplussed by the demons’ unusual tactics, Talia was frozen into inaction. The rangers were hard-pressed on all sides and sustaining massive damage. Despite Talia’s precautions, it looked like the party’s very first encounter would end in disaster. Mouth suddenly dry and weak at the knees, Talia resisted the temptation to give in. No. It will not end here.
She shook off her daze and flowed into attack, thrusting Judgement into the nearest mantis. The golden flames licking the blade bit eagerly into the mantis’ unprotected haunches, causing it to shriek in torment.
Talia has hit a mantis for 140 damage (slashing, divine). Remaining: 150 / 290 HP.
At the same time, she began casting heretic’s hate in an effort to pull the mantis’ attention towards her.
But on its own, it would not be enough, she knew. There were too many hostiles, and she would not be able to draw them away fast enough to save the rangers.
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In horror, Aveyad watched the mantises sweep past Talia and into the near-defenceless rangers. Within the first brush of contact, the four were nearly overwhelmed, buried under an avalanche of clawed forelegs and whip-like tendrils. Alok and Galian, on either end of the line, bore the brunt of the attack, though Lera and Elias in the centre were not spared either, as the mantises bounded over the elves at the end to swarm to the two within.
Three giant mantises have hit Lera for a total of 130 damage (piercing). Remaining: 272 / 402 HP.
A giant mantis’ sting has poisoned Lera.
Five giant mantises have hit Alok for a total of 205 damage (piercing). Remaining: 155 / 360 HP.
A giant mantis’ sting has poisoned Alok.
Four giant mantises have hit Galian for a total of 200 damage (piercing). Remaining: 200 / 450 HP.
A giant mantis’ sting has poisoned Galian.
Three giant mantises have hit Elias for a total of 110 piercing damage (piercing). Remaining: 390 / 500 HP.
Despite the weight of numbers that pressed down on them, the hardy rangers avoided being swept beneath. With backs pressed to the wall, they held the mantises at bay. But they would not survive much longer. Not without help. This time, Aveyad did not hesitate. None of the spells at his disposal could stop the swarm—the mantises were too entangled with the rangers for shock wall, his only crowd control spell, to work—but he could see to it that the elves stayed alive long enough for Talia to thin the mantises numbers.
He waved Velia forward to Alok, who looked to be the worst beset, and then cast holy ward, flinging golden strands of essence at the rangers’ feet. The strands settled in a spiral pattern around the rangers and mantises closest to them. The spell’s weaves completed and Aveyad activated the ward with a thought. The spirals blazed to life. Essence seeped into the elves, mending injuries and closing wounds. It seeped into the mantises too, but burned them instead.
Aveyad has cast holy ward (radius 4.3m, buff: regenerating, debuff: scorched, chance to resist: 27%, duration: 43 seconds).
A ranger squad is regenerating (+4.3 HP per second).
Fifteen mantises are scorched (-4.3 HP per second).
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Talia, her focus split, hacked at the horde’s rear, while she pulled together the weaves of heretic’s hate.
Talia has hit a mantis for 120 damage (slashing, divine). Remaining: 0 / 290 HP.
Talia has killed a mantis.
Talia has hit a mantis for 150 damage (slashing, divine). Remaining: 140 / 290 HP.
Talia has hit a mantis for 110 damage (slashing, divine). Remaining: 30 / 290 HP.
Despite the prodigious damage she inflicted, the mantises did not turn. Instead they continued to beat against the rangers with frightening single-mindedness.
She completed the weaves of the spell. Finally, she exhaled in relief, and released the casting. Tendrils of essence reached out and formed a bubble of red miasma that drenched the mantises with feelings of hatred towards her. It enraged them beyond reason, and in a wave, they turned from the rangers to crash down upon her.
Talia has cast heretic’s hate (radius: 2.3m, chance to resist: 23%, duration: 46 seconds, debuff: enraged)
Eight mantises are enraged (compelled to attack the caster).
Eight giant mantises have hit Talia for a total of 0 damage (300 blocked by divine shield). Remaining shield: 150 / 450 HP.
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&nbs
p; Aveyad’s holy ward has healed Alok for 4 HP. Remaining: 159 / 360 HP.
Velia has cured Alok.
Velia has healed Alok for 51 HP. Remaining: 210 / 360 HP.
Aveyad’s holy ward has healed Alok for 4 HP. Remaining: 214 / 360 HP.
A soothing wave of essence burst through Alok, healing damaged organs and scarred tissue. He spared a grateful glance to the divine mote that hovered above him before returning his attention to the mantises. Alok’s back was pressed to the wall and he stood shoulder to shoulder with his fellows, scrambling to fend off the mantises and stay alive long enough for the champions to intervene. Aveyad, it seemed had entered the fray. Now, if only Talia…
At a lessening of the pressure pressing down on him, Alok’s thought broke off. He looked up to see some of the mantises swing towards Talia. Now was his chance. He dropped his ironwood bow and was slashed across the torso by a clawed foreleg. He ignored the blow, trusting to Velia to heal the injury while he unsheathed the twin swords at his hip.
With swords in hands, his confidence surged. He accelerated into attack, and struck at the nearest mantis with a flurry of blows. He chopped down on the creature’s limbs with the sword in his right hand, while he sliced upwards through its descending antennae with the one in his left.
Alok has hit a mantis for 30 damage (piercing). Remaining: 260 / 290 HP.
Alok has hit a mantis for 35 damage (piercing). Remaining: 225 / 290 HP.
The mantis recoiled and hissed in pain. Alok kicked off the wall and stepped forward in attack. Along the line, he felt the others do the same. Elias and Lera with swords, and Galian with axe and blade.
The course of the battle had changed. They might yet live it seemed.
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Aveyad slumped in relief. The tide had turned. Where moments ago, they had been near overwhelmed, now the party pressed into the mantises. Talia, with Judgement dripping holy fire and the rangers, with sword and axe.
There was little need for him to join in the attack, Aveyad decided. Instead he conserved his essence and kept a wary eye on the party members’ health. Velia had cured all the rangers of the mantises’ poison.
After the party had recovered from the creatures’ opening ploy, the battle proceeded smoothly. The mantises were poorly armoured and had relied heavily on their numbers and poison for victory. With both taken out of the equation, the remainder of the battle was easy. In a few more exchanges it was over and the mantis swarm was crushed.
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Ilenmon Dungeon (First Floor)
Floor captain: Sufalyx.
Floor minions: 96% remaining.
Roving bands available: 3.
Invaders: 6 remaining.
Sufalyx perused the battle log, scanning through the individual damage messages. Without observer wards it was his only means of assessing his opponents. So. There was one caster, four archers, one fighter, and a healer. But dungeon parties could only contain six players. One of those seven was a companion then—the healer most likely. Which one was the champion? Either the caster or fighter. Both had been protected by divine shields.
Sufalyx stroked his chin thoughtfully. The information was interesting, and it did much to soothe his ruffled nerves. The party was under-levelled. Except for the fighter, the damage output of the rest was low, too low for journeyman-ranked players. The abilities they had used—apprentice and novice ranked ones—confirmed it.
Additionally, the party was unbalanced. Too many ranged attackers and not enough close-combat fighters. He chuckled. Yes, he thought, the situation is not as dire as I feared. He could still win this. He shook his head at the folly of it all. What possessed Crota to send such a weak party?
Oh, they had handily defeated the first chamber’s occupants, but in the process had revealed much. “So, no more poison,” he muttered. He surveyed the dungeon floor’s design. The next two chambers were too close to the party, but the Pit… yes it was far enough away. Sufalyx closed his eyes and issued the command to transform his minions into something more… suitable.
Creation of new creature mould (S5) has commenced (duration: 2 hours, essence cost: 15%).
Transformation of creatures in Pit Chamber to mould S5 scheduled (starting in: 1 hour, duration: 1 hour, essence cost: 5%). Warning: while in the midst of the change, minions will be frozen and defenceless.
Transformation of roving band 1, 2 and 3 to mould R2 scheduled (starting in: 3 hours, duration: 3 hours, essence cost: 15%).
Free Essence remaining: 40%.
Perhaps there was something he could do about the healer as well. Before the invaders reached the Pit. He glanced at the imps that stood idle nearby. He realised he could make use of them after all, as messengers and observers, if nothing else.
Game Data
Ability: Divine shield
Skill: Divine magic.
Description: Creates a protective bubble around the caster that blocks incoming attacks. It is twice as effective against divine-based attacks. Unlike elemental shields, the divine shield blocks all forms of damage (psi, spell, and physical).
Rank: Apprentice.
Cost: 80 Essence.
Execution time: 5 seconds.
Buff: A maximum of 10 x skill of damage blocked (spell may be applied to self only).
Duration: 10 seconds x skill.
Ability: Eld’s bless
Skill: Conduit.
Description: This ability draws directly from the power of Eld to strengthen the caster’s allies within the area of effect. Warning: This ability does not stack.
Rank: Novice.
Cost: N/A.
Execution time: Instantaneous.
Area of effect: Radius of 0.1m x skill around caster.
Duration: Infinite (activated ability).
Buff: All body attributes (strength, constitution and dexterity) increased by 1 x skill.
Ability: Heretic’s hate
Skill: Divine magic.
Description: Heretic’s hate is a divine aura that assaults the minds of victims and enrages them into unreasoning attacks against the caster.
Rank: Novice.
Cost: 40 Essence.
Execution time: 5 seconds.
Area of effect: Radius of 0.05m x skill around target.
Duration: 1 second x skill.
Debuff: Causes hostile creatures in the area of effect to become enraged. May be resisted.
Ability: Holy fire
Skill: Conduit.
Description: Causes the caster’s hands to be enveloped in holy flames that inflicts divine damage.
Rank: Novice.
Cost: N/A.
Execution time: Instantaneous.
Range: Caster’s touch.
Damage: Inflicts a maximum of 1 x skill of divine damage per second to the target touched.
Duration: Infinite (activated ability).
Ability: Holy ward
Skill: Divine magic.
Description: Places an invisible ward at the targeted area. When triggered by the caster, the ward will heal allies and damage foes within its area of effect. Warning: Only one holy ward may be active at a time.
Rank: Apprentice.
Cost: 80 Essence.
Execution time: 5 seconds.
Area of effect: Radius of 0.1m x skill around target.
Range: Up to the caster’s direct line of sight.
Damage/heal: Inflicts/heals a maximum of 0.1 x skill HP per second.
Duration: 1 second x skill.
Chapter 9
Champions are unique amongst players in the Game. Unlike other mortals, they are advanced players of the Game, with access to a larger pool of skills and abilities. They are also bequeathed with god-given and champion traits that others lack. Yet neither of these is what makes champions extraordinary or truly powerful. It is the conduit skill that distinguishes champions from the rest.
The conduit skill allows champions to cast a restricted set of spells, using not their own essence, but that of th
eir God’s, a near infinite source. Amongst the most feared of the conduit spells are those for summoning aspects. —Mechanics of the Game by Jostfyler Graldvir, Game scholar and champion of Weeran.
The party stood amidst the battle’s aftermath and surveyed their work. Fifteen mantis corpses were scattered in the corridor. After their mortal shells had been slain, the demon spirits disguised within had fled. Without their animating presence, the bodies shrank rapidly, and condensed back to the material from which they had been formed, solidified essence, or essence crystals. Aveyad bent down and picked up one of the crystals. Sapphire blue in colour and no bigger than his finger, the crystal was unremarkable—not counting its ability to store and transmit essence of course. He pocketed the crystal and looked around the corridor. Each mantis corpse had left behind two crystals. A small haul, but a beginning.
He opened the Game interface in his mind, and perused the battle report.
Battle Log (Ilenmon Dungeon Dive, Chamber 1)
The battle has ended.
Combat results
Hostiles encountered: 15 giant mantises.
Hostiles killed: 15 giant mantises.
Party members: 6 remaining.
Floor status: 4% complete.
Primary objective: 30 / 1,000 essence crystals gathered.
He frowned, concerned by what he saw. Talia noticed his furrowed brow and walked over. “What is it?” she asked.
“There are only thirty crystals here,” he said. Talia looked back blankly. “And the battle log reports that four percent of the floor is completed.”