Turn 37:
Turn 36
Eximius Res, the Rusty Ring (Hawk132)
[I keep biting off more than I can chew, huh? ._.' Got lucky this time]
"It is. Well done, kid."
Eximius pats Prias on the back in his Illusionary form, before gesturing at the Essence.
"To the victors go the spoils." He says with a clear mirth in his voice.
Name: Eximius Res
Species : Ego Ring -stage 3-
Appearance : A ring made out of a dark grey, near black material and set with a small multi-colored jewel. There doesn't seem to be anything particularly special about it, aside from ancient runes engraved on the outside and inside, along with silver-gold decorative patterns. The same runes can be faintly seen on his wielder's ring finger, as if tattooed onto the skin.
Max HP: 25
Max MP: 21
STR 2
CON 2
POW 1
RES 1
INT -1
IND -1
Traits:
Bonded Weapon - Eximius is an ancient magical artifact and gains all the advantages and disadvantages of being such. His very existence is also bonded to his wielder. Aside from his form as a ring, he can also morph into his wielder's preferred melee weapon. They live and die together, unless the wielder expires due to natural causes - in which case Eximius will sooner or later happen upon another wielder due to the powers of fate. If Eximius and his wielder fall, Eximius himself will be found by a new wielder in a few centuries - fate itself twisting the facts to make Eximius continue existing.
>Passive: Since Eximius and his wielder are technically one entity, they supplement each other's stats during rolls. The wielder can use Eximius' skills as if his own, using his own mana to fuel them.
Of Ambition - Eximius intensifies the wielder's inner desires, driving him or her to pursue their ambitions, whether they be things as simple as protecting/slaughtering the weak or something more involved, like gaining control over a kingdom and such.
Of Vigilance - Eximius (and by extension, his wielder) is able to detect powerful beings, along with those who have murderous intent towards the wielder.
Regenerating - Along with lessening fatigue and improving his user's pain threshold, Eximius now grants them supernaturally fast regeneration.
Inventory <Bag> - Eximius has a special dimension inside of him in which items can be stored by simply touching them. They will not degrade due to time and wear and will be kept in the exact same state they were when put inside the space. It is currently the size of a large pouch.
Slaying - After making contact with a foe, Eximius adjusts his material structure to one said foe is weak to, should it have such a weakness.
Of Protection - Eximius' wielder enjoys heightened protection as his body grows unnaturally tougher.
Of Erudition - Eximius increases his wielders mental capabilities, mainly comprehension - allowing them to learn faster.
Hawk-eyed - Eximius' wielder gain superhuman perception, allowing them to see further with clarity and notice minute details that might be otherwise overlooked.
Skills:
Limiter Release - Eximius can temporarily disable his wielder's physical limiters, inflicting slight amounts of damage but increasing their abilities overall. (This is preferably a STR skill)
Mana Wave - For those out of reach of melee, Eximius can emit a sharp wave created with pure mana when swung.
Blink - Eximius' wielder can increase his speed to inhuman levels for a moment, appearing as if he had teleported.
Illusion - Eximius can create an illusionary person to confuse, distract and divert the attention of others. It can appear anywhere, even appearing in the exact same position the wielder is standing in. It takes the appearance of his wielder, though it can also take the appearance which the wielder always sees - a humanoid shadowy silhouette wreathed by faint silver-gold flames, complete with a pair of white glowing eyes. When the wielder is the only person who is supposed to see the illusion, it takes no mana to use.
Mana Burn - Eximius can coat himself with silver-gold flames that burn away both mana-based projectiles and the mana stored by people or objects. Can be used simultaneously with Mana Wave to disable magic at range.
Regeneration Overdrive - With a burst of mana and a dash of his own lifeforce, Eximius amplifies the already quickened healing of his wielder, repairing internal damage and closing wounds within seconds.
Mana Shield - Eximius can protect his wielder with a simple, but effective shield made out of hardened mana.
Sever - Eximius is able to momentarily become impossibly sharp, allowing him to cut through most man-made material./Crush - Eximius can momentarily multiply his weight, allowing him to crush through plate armor with ease or act as a two-man demolition team together with his wielder. ((Both are essentially the same skill, but one can only be used when in a bladed form while the other in a blunt one.))
Name: Eximius Res
Species : Ego Ring -stage 3-
Appearance : A ring made out of a dark grey, near black material and set with a small multi-colored jewel. There doesn't seem to be anything particularly special about it, aside from ancient runes engraved on the outside and inside, along with silver-gold decorative patterns. The same runes can be faintly seen on his wielder's ring finger, as if tattooed onto the skin.
Max HP: 25
Max MP: 21
STR 2
CON 2
POW 1
RES 1
INT -1
IND -1
Traits:
Bonded Weapon - Eximius is an ancient magical artifact and gains all the advantages and disadvantages of being such. His very existence is also bonded to his wielder. Aside from his form as a ring, he can also morph into his wielder's preferred melee weapon. They live and die together, unless the wielder expires due to natural causes - in which case Eximius will sooner or later happen upon another wielder due to the powers of fate. If Eximius and his wielder fall, Eximius himself will be found by a new wielder in a few centuries - fate itself twisting the facts to make Eximius continue existing.
>Passive: Since Eximius and his wielder are technically one entity, they supplement each other's stats during rolls.
Of Ambition - Eximius intensifies the wielder's inner desires, driving him or her to pursue their ambitions, whether they be things as simple as protecting/slaughtering the weak or something more involved, like gaining control over a kingdom and such.
Of Vigilance - Eximius (and by extension, his wielder) is able to detect powerful beings, along with those who have murderous intent towards the wielder.
Regenerating - Along with lessening fatigue and improving his user's pain threshold, Eximius now grants them supernaturally fast regeneration.
Inventory <Bag> - Eximius has a special dimension inside of him in which items can be stored by simply touching them. They will not degrade due to time and wear and will be kept in the exact same state they were when put inside the space. It is currently the size of a large pouch.
Slaying - After making contact with a foe, Eximius adjusts his material structure to one said foe is weak to, should it have such a weakness.
Of Protection - Eximius' wielder enjoys heightened protection as his body grows unnaturally tougher.
Of Erudition - Eximius increases his wielders mental capabilities, mainly comprehension - allowing them to learn faster.
Hawk-eyed - Eximius' wielder gain superhuman perception, allowing them to see further with clarity and notice minute details that might be otherwise overlooked.[/b]
Skills:
Limiter Release - Eximius can temporarily disable his wielder's physical limiters, inflicting slight amounts of damage but increasing their abilities overall. (This is preferably a STR skill)
Mana Wave - For those out of reach of melee, Eximius can emit a sharp wave created with pure mana when swung.
Blink - Eximius' wielder can increase his speed to inhuman levels for a moment, appearing as if he had teleported.
Illusion - Eximius can create an illusionary person to confuse, distract and divert the attention of others. It can appear anywhere, even appearing in the exact same position the wielder is standing in. It takes the appearance of his wielder, though it can also take the appearance which the wielder always sees - a humanoid shadowy silhouette wreathed by faint silver-gold flames, complete with a pair of white glowing eyes. When the wielder is the only person who is supposed to see the illusion, it takes no mana to use.
Mana Burn - Eximius can coat himself with silver-gold flames that burn away both mana-based projectiles and the mana stored by people or objects. Can be used simultaneously with Mana Wave to disable magic at range.
Regeneration Overdrive - With a burst of mana and a dash of his own lifeforce, Eximius amplifies the already quickened healing of his wielder, repairing internal damage and closing wounds within seconds.
Mana Shield - Eximius can protect his wielder with a simple, but effective shield made out of hardened mana.
Sever / Crush -
> Sever: Eximius is able to momentarily become impossibly sharp, allowing him to cut through most man-made material.
> Crush:Eximius can momentarily multiply his weight, allowing him to crush through plate armor with ease or act as a two-man demolition team together with his wielder.
Plot: [4]
Filled with more Essence than you had ever seen, you lost your senses and connection to reality-
[Self-Adaptative Program Active...]
[Insufficient ICHOR reserves...]
[Partial ARMA-class restoration achieved...]
-You snapped back. Odd, it felt like something had awakened inside of you for a moment, but then it was gone. Something important and long forgotten, trying to break through the abyss of oblivion...
"Finally awake?" said Prias, the flames of the campfire flickering in his dark olive eyes. It was already nighttime, and the surroundings were completely different from before.
"You stopped responding after you instructed me to harvest the Hearteater's essence. I won't lie I was a bit worried, but somehow, I knew you were okay. I found this red jewel in place of a corpse, this will be our prize! Oh and as you can see, I walked until I reached one of the hunting shacks."Your host's emotions were clearer than before, it seems your bond had strengthened thanks to your transformation. His mind was clear, his heart fulfilled. Revenge had been served, and in silence he gave a thought for each of the names he avenged.
"It made me realize. I want to change the world, I want to save this land. As long as the deadland remains the way it is, my village will never be safe. We won't be able to build a better future."[For better or worse, Prias earned a new ambition: Save Nepkeros?]
Night Encounter: [2]
The night passed uneventfully at first, until the air changed. Cold and dry, chilling to the bone.
[Of Vigilance and Hawk-Eyed]:
[Moderate-Easy] 8: [7]
Outcome: [2] -Critical Failure-
[Chilling Grasp]
(Pow 2 vs Res 1): [4]+4 (Ambush 4) vs [10]
[Counterattack: Mana Wave]
-4MP(Pow 1 vs Res 1): [9] vs [1]
[Critical Hit]
Damage: [8]+4=[12]
All of a sudden, the air turned freezing and an invisible hand seemed to have grasped Prias. The magic attack was ineffective, as Prias broke free from its hold. Sensing the location of the caster, Prias leapt out and executed a [Mana Wave] slash in the darkness. A bone chilling scream rang out as the attack struck true, forcing your assaillant to reveal themselves.
A grotesque, floating skeletal head, vaguely humanoid but too deformed to belong to any known species. The cold air surrounding it is visible to the naked eye.[Note: Anything you said with Prias during that night? Feel free to retroactively converse with him.]
Nearby Monsters:-Chilling Skull (Stage 2)
Badly Wounded> -12
HP: 25/25
MP: 17/21
Essence: 10/50
Attributes:
STR 2
CON 2
POW 1
RES 1
INT -1
IND -1
Status:
-Short sword Form
Location:
-Safara (Eastern Village of Nepkeros)
> In a hunting shack
Host: Prias, Human Villager of Safara
HP: 13/13
MP: 10/10
Status:
-Very Tired
-Bonded
-[Of Vigilance]
-[Of Protection]
-|Of Erudition]
Gear:
-Leather armor set
Inventory:
-Two dark green potions (apply to use)
Attributes:
Str 0 (2)+1
Con 1 (2)+1
Pow 0 (1)
Res 0 (1)
Int -1
Ind 1
Notes:
-Semi-Locked Potential (True and acknowledged)
-Ancient Combat Techniques (Bonus to combat)
-Strong bones (Less chances of breaking bones)
-Seasoned Hunter (Bonus to hunting related actions)
-Resolution to return to them
-Ambition: Save Nepkeros?
Skills:
-Accelerated Flow: at the cost of stamina and/or HP, the user can move at incredible speeds for extended periods of time.
Notes:
-Investigated Prias "restraints"
-Known Villagers:
Veras: the village's mage
Sandra, Septor, Iseis: Prias's close friends
Eten, Luaros: villagers on townwatch
Azarian, the Imbued Thoughtling (Dustan Hache)
start the journey eastward.
let us see what lies on the road ahead, and try to sieve some information about the eastern lands from the memories. something about teal forests and azure skies? it sounds fascinating!
[The Journey Eastward...]
[Memory Recovery]
[Easy-Moderate] 7: [3]
Outcome: [2] -Critical Failure-
No additional information could be retrieved from the memories, and the lingering mind quickly disappeared without a body...
You went Eastward, looking to know more about these Humans you had always yearned for...
Luck1: [2]
Travel1: [2]
The first days of your journey were absolutely horrendous. The last steps out of the Nepkerite Deadland were expectedly riddled with danger. You fled for your life more times than you could count, chased by violent and wretched creatures. It is quite the miracle you actually managed to escape alive.
Luck2: [4]
Travel2: [4]
The sign of change appeared in the shape of a distant mountain range, obscuring the horizon and delimiting the end of the deadland. Luckily, you found a passage in the mountain, one that was most definitely not natural. The nearby ruins at the passage's entrance hinted at the presence of a town in the past.
You managed to defeat some zombified creatures, earning you
4 Lesser EssenceLuck3: [5]
Travel3: [1]
Further inside the passage, you came across a massive amount of slain creatures of all kind, extending for several hundred of meters. Amazingly enough, some Essence still lingered, earning you
8 Lesser Essence.
The cause of this carnage quickly revealed itself to you. Further ahead, the passage was blocked off by a great wall of stone and its massive closed steel gate. You could vaguely discern humanoid shapes standing or walking atop that wall and its watchtowers, but the distance was far too great for any of your skills to reach.
Judging from the signs of explosions and impacts on the ground, you were at the edge of some kind of danger zone.
Nearby Monsters:-No monster, but some figures at the top of the wall? [Danger!]
HP: 17/17
MP: 17/17
Essence: 17/20
Attributes:
STR 0
CON -1
POW 1 (+1)
RES 1 (+1)
INT 1
IND 0
Status:
-Fine
Location:
-Nepkeros-Empsiphion Mountainous Passage
> Great Gate and Wall (nearby)
The Newborn Elemental Spirit of Ice - (TricMagic)
Return to physical Form and bury in the snow, using the cracked ice to blend in. Rest.
[Nature Spirit Turned Off]
Returning to physical form, you then burrowed in the snow to hide and recover.
Rest: [4]
[No longer Tired]
[You are Well Rested]The surroundings were safe, and there was nothing much left to do here.
Nearby Monsters:-None
HP: 10/10
MP: 10/10
Essence: 1/2
STR -1
CON -1
POW 0
RES 0
INT 1
IND 1
Status:
-[Well Rested]
Location:
-Iron Ridge
> Frozen Summits
>> Frost Trees Grove
Squelchy, the Apex Omnislime (Coolrune206)
Squelchy blurbles appreciatively then returns to his slimes and leads them further out into the open field in search of food.
[Searching for Food]
[Moderate-Easy] 9: [1] -Critical Failure-
Your group progressed further into the open fields, and everyone set out to find sustenance. The ground suddenly started to shake and rumble, and from the south came stomping a whole herd of massive monsters.
Tall as a giraffe, yet as muscular as an ox, these monsters were going to trample you in a few seconds if nothing was done. Their fur is silvery, and two spiraling blue horns grow on their skull.Nearby Monsters:-a whole herd of Jin Kilan
-Friendly Slimes
HP: 21/25MP: 21/21Essence: 6/50Attributes:STR 3CON 3POW 0RES 0INT -1IND -1Status: -
A voice?-Mind cleared
Location:-Savarde Jungle - North-East Area - Near the border
The Savarde Jungle. A massive tropical jungle bordered by the Esmerande Sea to the West, and the Iron Ridge to the East. It covers a great part of the South-Western part of the Continent.
> Fragrant Area
Companions: Slime Community
Numbers: Around 40 individuals
Morale: Good
Status:
-
Companion: Gloup Blop (Inkblack Coroblob)
HP: 15/15MP: 12/12Essence: 5/10Status:
-
Companion: Swift Zed the Mad Tornado (Leaping Slime)
HP: 15/15MP: 12/12Essence: 5/10Status:
-
Companion: Tacloo (Spinebomb Slime)
HP: 15/15MP: 12/12Essence: 5/10Status:
-
Companion: Balabalababa (Pungent Filth Eater)
HP: 15/15MP: 12/12Essence: 5/10Status:
-
Skee, the Insect Parasite (Legendary Marksdorf)
Skee simply waits for the one on one phase to begin, resting with his pack in the time inbetween the two phases.
Resting: [3]
You went to rest a bit among the members of your pack. You managed to recover some energy, but it was quickly cut short as the tournament resumed.
You are Rested[Tournament]
Luck: [2]
Tough luck for a start, you slated to face Napash the Rock, the Greater Leader known for his incredibly hard fur, said to be impervious to attacks. He is twice taller and bulkier than you, and his silver fur has a sharp glint.
The battle ground is a roughly flat area, with some small boulders and young trees growing around. There is no obstacle to hide behind. A large ring of stone delimits the area.
The imposing Makralian just stares at you from above, and take a stance. The battle is about to start.
Nearby Monsters:-
Napash the Rock, Makralian Greater Leader-Nearly a thousand of Adult Makralians
-The 8 Greater Leaders
-The 39 Lesser Leaders
-The 24 last contestants
HP: 17/17
MP: 17/17
Essence: 10/20
Attributes:
STR 0
CON -1
POW 0
RES -1
INT 3
IND 1
Status:
-Fine
-Rested
[Biobond]: +1 to most actions
Inventory:
-Banera's Bladed Tail (Wielded)
Location:
-North Savarde Jungle - Heading for the Reunion spot
Host: Adult Makralian (Shnapa)
HP: 15/15
MP: 12/12
Essence: -/10(Not awakened)
Status:
-Fine
Attributes:
STR 1
CON 1
POW -1
RES 0
INT 1
IND 1
Known Skills:
-Rallying Call
-Vicious Bite
-Fur Hardening
-??
Go'Von, the Strangler Ooze (Puppyguard)
Go'Von
This is a worst case scenario! Turn invisible and dash away in a random direction!
[Invisibility] [Being invisible will drain your stamina]
[Dash Away!]
Go'Von Invisi-Dash: [15]+5
Beast Tracking: [6]
You dashed away at high speed, quickly managing to lose the beast tracking you. You turned your invibility off once you were sure danger was gone, and it seems you managed not to spend too much energy fleeing. [Very Slightly Tired]
Hunting, running... This is a harsh life, but you will break through. You are still in the vicinity of that massive hole.
Nearby Beings:-None for now
HP: 20/20
MP: 14/14
Essence: 0/20
Attributes:
STR 1
CON 2
POW 0
RES 1
INT -2
IND 0
Status:
-Fine
-Full Stomach
-Very Slightly Tired
Location:
-Baldars Plains, Savage Country of Marandars
> near a Baldars Monster Pit
Squacks the Carrion Bird - (Devastator)
Oh, so the wyverns attack multiple targets. Is that special to them, or does every outnumbered creature do that? The last turn had a special -1 for multiattack. That must be for being outnumbered more than 2:1. In which case, I need to push it, as I'll be the fifth attacker.
Go press the attack. This already failed horribly, but might as well. That third one is almost dead, anyway, and the healthy ones should try to finish that one off.
It was not the moment to back down! You decided to attack the most weakened wyvern, leaving the healthier oen to the other birds.
[Carrion Birds Attack]
(Str 1 vs Con 1): [1-3] vs [1-3] and [2,7-2,7-2] vs [9-2] (No successful attack)
[Counterattack: Wyvern Fire Breath]
(Pow 0 vs Res 1): [9]-2 vs [6,2-2,6-2]
Damage: ([2]x0.5)+1=[2]
Effect: Burnt
You went to face the critically wounded wyvern, but both of your injuries were so serious your bodies respectfully refused to move.
The three birds failed to damage the other wyvern, the latter retaliating with a low intensity breath of fire covering a wide arc. The three birds didn't suffer immediate dangerous injuries, but their feathers caught fire!
[Wyvern: Tail Sweep]
(Str 2 vs Con 0): [1]-3 (Bad Wound, Multiattack) vs [10,6-2,5-2] (Bad Wound)
[Counterattack: Beak and Talons]
(Str 1 vs Con 1): [7,3-2,11-2] vs [4-2] (2 successful attacks)
Critical: [6,2]
Damage: [6,8]
> Wyvern1 -5 and -7 (Scales Mitigation)
The wyvern slipped a disc Exhaustion and injuries slowed the wyvern, and taking advantage of that momentary weakness, the birds tore it apart, finishing it for good.
Flames: [1]
All of a sudden, fire inexplicably engulfed the three Carrion Birds, killing two of them in a very painful way. Only one Carrion Bird other than you remains, Kra.
[Carrion Birds Attack]
(Str 1 vs Con 1): [7-3,10-2] vs [1-3] (2 successful attacks)
[Critical Hit]
Damage: [8,8]
> Wyvern -14HP
The wyvern suffered from cardiac arrest to finish this fight The two of you managed to bring down the last wyvern in one final and vicious melee. Finally, victory was attained, but at what cost? All but two survivors, and you were about to collapse from your wounds.
Kra noticed the Essence, and instinctively knew what it entailled. Her face was half-burnt, and her feathers bloodied.
"I'm claiming half of it."10 Lesser Essence (5 to Kra)
With 5 Essence, you can transformNearby Monsters:-About five Carrion Birds (Friendly) (only one alive)
>
Kra, jagged Carrion Bird (-5)
> 2 Burnt to death (-11)
> 2 Dead
-Three Dead Wyverns
HP: 1/10
MP: 10/10
Essence: 0/2
STR 1
CON 0
POW -1
RES 1
INT -1
IND 0
Status:
-Had a hearty meal
-Critically Wounded!
Location:
-Anvarde Hills (east to Savarde jungle)
Terrence the Bone Baron - (ironsnake345)
In that case...
Group up! Quick!
form a back to back triangle with Vel and Artomal so the soldiers have trouble flanking us. Bone broadsword in my two right hands, detach upper left arm and hand armbone rapier (oh man, remember that?) over to Vel so he's not unarmed, and fend off the zombies as they encroach!
Use this!
Also try and attack the one that stole Vel's sword, we're gonna want that back.
Vel caught your Terrence's Hand Armbone Rapier.
"Thank you comrade!""Oooh fighting back to back like true comrades in arms? It does make you feel alive."[The Undead Swordsmen Trio: Begone ye fool being!]
(Str 1,1,0 vs Con 0): (9+2,12+1,1+2)+2 (Weapons 2,1 Camaraderie 2) vs (10,3,8,1,6,8) (Terrence and Vel attacks successful)
Critical: (9,1)+1
Damage: ([2,3]x2)+2=[6,8]
[Animated Soldiers Counterattack]
(Str 0 vs Con 0): [6,6] vs [3+2]+2 (Rapier 2 Camaraderie 2) (Defense successful)
The battle started in gusto, as you smashed an animated soldier with each swing of your broadsword. Likewise, Vel had great success with your Armbone Rapier, crushing the soldiers weakpoints with precision. Artomal on the other hand, fumbled a bit, but still managed to avoid being ganged up by several soldiers.
Sword Recovery (Terrence): [3] (Partial Success)
Sword Recovery (Vel): [2] (Failure)
You barely managed to get a grip on the stolen sword, but not quite enough! Vel was too far to get his sword.
Sword Recovery (Terrence): [6] (Overshoot)
You successfully managed to retrieve the arming sword, and threw it to Vel! But the momentum and slight mistep caused you to stumble backward and get separated from your comrades!
(...)
The situation is striking all of you as odd. Not only are these undead soldiers incredibly weak, they don't seem to be releasing any Essence...
[Perception (Magic)]
[Moderate-Hard] 13: [19,8,13] (Terrence, Vel, Artomal)
Outcome: [1,6,5] (Success, Partial Success, Overshoot)
Of course! you thought. These corpses were controlled by a necromancer of some such, hiding nearby! Your comrades reached the same conclusion, and you all shouted "Necromancy!".
Artomal shouted a bit too loudly... and was probably heard by said necromancer, judging from the movements of the animated soldiers who decided to swarm the poor Artomal.
Nearby Monsters:-Animated Soldiers Corpses (Many)
> Smashed a good amount
-Necromancer?
HP: 15/15
MP: 12/12
Essence: 8/10
STR 1
CON 1
POW 0
RES -1
INT 1
IND -1
Status:
-Okay
Inventory:
-Bone Broadsword [Wielded]
Location:
-Deadland of Easenval
> Fog
Companion: Vel
HP: 13/15
MP: 12/12
Essence: 9/10
STR 1
CON 0
POW 0
RES 0
INT -1
IND 1
Status:
-Okay
Inventory:
-Rusty Arming Sword [Retrieved and Wielded]
-Terrence's Hand Armbone Rapier
Some Traits:
-Armoured Undead
Companion: Artomal[/color]
HP: 15/15
MP: 12/12
Essence: 2/10
STR 0
CON 0
POW 0
RES 1
INT -1
IND 1
Status:
-Okay
Inventory:
-Spectral Rapier
Some Traits:
-Spectral Undead