[h3]Asura, Momma Slime[/h3] Momma Slime nodded, her entire body wobbling back and forth after Asura gave her advice. She finished eating Rattleskull up to the chest, then mimicked Asura's more precise shape shifting to dissolve only a part of his remaining arm and wrapped it up in her membrane pocket. Afterward she rolled over to where Asura was doing something near the wall, and for the moment seemed content to watch. When Asura tried to use the as-yet-undeveloped Cling skill, he found he could really only "stick" to a surface at ground level--if he tried to actually climb higher, the force of gravity seemed to simply peel him off. It wasn't just because he couldn't stick well enough either--his weight, his ability to balance, the ability of his pseudopods to adapt to the surface of the wall, all of these things factored into his inability to stay fixed in place, not just the adhesiveness of his goo-body. As he pumped his membrane to lift rocks, and manipulated his other pseudopod to get a grip on the stones, he would now notice that when he thought about having fingers, several small protrusions had appeared on the tip of his pseudopod. As he "curled," as well, he would notice that his pseudopod had grown something of a rough bicep, apparently from his own subconscious thoughts about his former human body. Wait a moment, hadn't the recent upgrade for Limited Shapeshift told him that his mimicry would be more detailed now? Maybe he [i]could[/i] have fingers! [quote=System:Asura] You are out of Stamina. You are experiencing HP Drain. [/quote] [hr] [h3]Mourningstar, Orchid, Ash, Reoth, Crispy's Party, Goblins, Ardur[/h3] "I'll explain as we go. First we need to go out of here." When Orchid started to walk away, the other goblins looked first at her, then at Crispy. The fire touched goblin glanced around at them, then sneered before he quickly moved up ahead of Orchid. "Dat's just wat I was gonna say, Youngling! I gots a plan, once we gets out da cave. Come on, youse lot!" The others now followed obediently, none of them any the wiser that, at a distance, the other monsters were stealthily following them... "First, just let me say I saw how Rattleskull died." Orchid continued. Some of the others gulped audibly. "He got cocky. Thought because he was the biggest goblin here, no one could beat him. Maybe that's true, if he fought them one-on-one. But the monsters ganged up on him. Separated him from the others so they could all jump him." "Yeah, dem ain't no normal mobs." Crispy broke in, raising his voice to get the others to pay attention to him. "Some of 'em can even talk!" "He died because he didn't work with all of us, just did what he wanted to do. And that got him and a lot of others killed for it." "Oi, Youngling, you did dat too! Just ran off in da middle!" Orchid either pointedly ignored Crispy or was too caught up in her tale at this point to slow down, but at the least it seemed she had all of the goblins' attention. "Ain't none of us as strong as Rattleskull. If we try to fight the monsters again, they'll just kill us one-by-one, and they'll have a much easier time at it. That's why we gotta work together. And more importantly, use their own tactic against them. We can work with other monsters too." "Hold on dere youngling--" "Da Mid...I mean, da Boss already did dat!" spoke up Orchid's third minion, the one with the better spear who hadn't yet introduced himself by name. "He tricked dem udda Mobs good, turned uh, turned der shoes on der feet!" Some of the others started to say things as well, but this was the point Orchid was prepared for resistance on. So she spoke up louder, even over Crispy, and plowed through. By this point, they had reached the entrance of the cave, and the goblins covered their eyes against the sunlight until they could adjust. "I've had dreams about these things before. About monsters who work together to fight a bigger monster... But soon, the monsters start fighting each other too. They only worked together because Rattleskull made us try and kill all of them, so they all had to come and fight back. We can't keep fighting. We got to learnt to work together. Because if we don't, we'll just be food." "Youngling, you talkin' too much aga--wait. Dreams?" Crispy's expression suddenly changed. If Orchid was watching, she might notice that he wasn't exactly looking at her with surprise, or anger. It was something more...thoughtful. The way he had been glancing at her before the raid on the cave had begun. He gripped his chin and bit his lip as if he were thinking hard about something. "Hey, I knows! I saw two gobs make a lizzy work for dem one time!" spoke up one of Crispy's minions. "Ya just gotta get sumfin' to tie round dey necks!" "If we works togedda, we can BUILD DA WALL!" "--Wej has the right idea. We could build a wall inside of the cave. It'll take all of us to make sure it'll work, and I need to be there to talk to the other monsters too." Orchid then looked to Crispy. "I don't know where you went, but I need to see whoever leads the cave now. I'm going to talk to them and see about working alongside them... If only until we set up the walls in the cave. And for that to work we need wood. A lot of wood." "Wait, waitaminute." Crispy held up his hands and shook his head, but he was too slow. Orchid pointed out into the forest. A bounty of materials, but also untold dangers. "There's one thing that cave doesn't have, and it's wood. Wood is important to build stuff. Stones are strong, but I can't make spears or shield out of stone. So first, we need to rest and eat. Crispy, I need a few goblins to come with me so we can get food for the gobs. I need you to make a safe place for us to rest. Also... I want to show you all some friends who can help us. Be nice to them. They're smart and strong." "Oi! Okay, all yas!" Crispy shouted now, holding up his hand to get everyone's attention. "Da younglin' right about one ting, we needs stuff! You tree!" he pointed at Bigs, Wej, and the as yet unknown shieldbearer. "Each of yas on one team! Da rest of ya--" he gestured to Jezee the torchbearer, the unnamed male torchbearer, and the two minions of his own, "split up and go wif one a'dem! Look on da ground first where da sticks fall out da trees! Youngling!" As the others scrambled to follow Crispy's orders, the tattooed goblin walked up to Orchid and looked her in the eye. "We gots ta talk." He held up a finger as if to point at her forehead. "When dese dreams started?" Meanwhile, two groups watched them unseen--on the ground, Ash and the others hid among the rocks and shadows. Up above, Ardur and Steve listened in... [hr] [h3]Jason, Danny, Asteria, Mother Rat[/h3] [quote=System:Jason] ((Guy, read my message in the Discord, may need to double check your skill values)) Current Status: Stone-Hardened - Earth elemental Variance. Increase defenses, gain earth affinities. Boss Monster - Linked to Dungeon Core for The Otherworldly Cavern. Mana Burn - MP recovery slowed via natural recovery and item usage. Unspent Skill Points: 0 Current Skills: Physical Damage Resistance I (1.0) Warcry I (1.85) Stone Shot II (2.5) Rock Spire II (2.05) Tremor Sense II (2.375) Soil Manipulation I (1.15) Telepathy II (2.45) Material Analysis I (1.15) Magic Analysis I (1.5) Monster Analysis I (1.4) Mental Resistance I (1.25) Charisma I (1.125) Focus I (1.2) Limited Shapeshift I (1.15) Mind Wave I (1.05) Earth Affinity (0.6) Faster (0.4) Wave Shock (0.1) Swift Swimmer (0.1) Aqua Sphere (0.7) Alert (0.1) Smash (0.5) Cleave (0.3) Blood Drain (0.6) Taboo (0.3) Muffle (0.1) Crafting (0.3) Magic Resistance (0.4) Agriculture (0.2) Plant Analysis (0.2) Acid Spit (0.5) Bounce (0.2) Fire Resistance (0.4) Fortify (0.2) Sensory Resistance (0.2) Mana Orb (0.5) Shield (0.5) Alchemy (0.4) Meditate (0.3) Air Read (0.2) Keen Sight (0.2) Point Strike (0.2) Doze (0.1) Blunt Resistance (0.5) Spell Chant (0.8) Rabid Fit (0.1) Pierce Resistance (0.1) Lesser Cleanse (0.2) Dextrous (0.2) You used Magic Analysis I! You used Monster Analysis I! Skill Synergy grants boosted effectiveness! ---Rain?--- This is a new type of monster to you! This used to be a normal Fanged Lizard you knew as Rain, but she has transformed! Lesserwurm: Related to dragons, but still a cold-blooded reptile, this creature burrows through the earth and fills the enclosed spaces around its prey with poisonous fumes. Its lengthy body is quite fast and deceptively strong, and its ability to shed its skin somehow allows it to heal more quickly. You know Rain is a Reincarnator. Rain has lower MP than you do. She has developed one magical skill but has not yet activated several others. Lesserwurms can use magic but are not particularly talented at it at lower levels. ---Oberon--- This is a new monster to you! This used to be the Pixie you knew as Oberon, but he has transformed! A highly territorial, but otherwise relatively friendly type of creature. Quite similar to Pixies at first glance, they are much more empathetic and even altruistic than other types of Fey. Unless an enemy presents a threat to their homes and families, they often prefer to flee rather than fight, but if something enters their nesting area they are known to swarm much like wasps. They are aligned with the light element and their wings have scales similar to some types of moths. When these scales fall they sometimes glitter, and the Sprite's body is often covered with them. Oberon has higher MP than you do. He has 8 magically oriented skills and spells, and is developing several more. Sprites are very talented with magic, especially that of the Light element. ---Analysis Complete!--- [/quote] Jason's requests were answered this time, though the strain of not only looking at the system, but also speaking a great deal of information to everyone via telepathy while analyzing Rain and Oberon was beginning to make his head hurt. When Oberon cast his Lesser Status Heal spell, the slime would wait for several moments only to realize that it didn't seem like he felt any different. Why had that not worked on the Mana Burn status effect? [quote=System:Jason] You used Magic Analysis I! ---Lesser Status Heal--- A Nature-element spell that boosts the target's natural immune systems. Physically this boost allows the body to fight off weaker toxins, diseases, etc, even if they are caused by magic. Certain magical status effects may not be affected, or only temporarily alleviated, such as a Curse that weakens one's normal abilities. ---Analysis Complete!--- [/quote] Still, despite all this, Jason was determined to try again. He gave it some careful thought and came to the conclusion that the length of his chant might have something to do with using too much of his MP. "Souls of the accursed, may I grant thee peace." The green mage-slime could once again feel his energy beginning to flow, and now that he was intentionally trying to ritualize his magic he could feel the buildup of energy and the changes in directon within that flow. "And as all life doth spring forth from earth, may the power invested in me, as master of this dungeon--" Once more Jason felt his MP surging! "--allow thee to return to it at ease. No more shall ye wander a tormented existence in death..." Now, within the innermost ring, a line bisected the odd magical diagram into two halves for the second time. "...but be born anew in the afterlife..." The diagram began to glow more brightly! "ROCK SPIRE BURIAL RITE--Earth's Mercy!" This time, the earth did as he desired, swallowing up the Skeleblin's remains. Somehow, the air around the "grave" felt fresher now, and everyone nearby would feel a sort of unseen tension rolling off their shoulders. [quote=System:Jason] You have no MP remaining. You are still suffering from Mana Burn. [/quote] When Jason consumed two of Ed's stored Mana Crystals, he received another message telling him that his MP had been fully restored, but the Mana Burn status was still in effect. What would he have to do to get rid of it? After using Telepathy to contact Ed, he now attempted another spell. This time he used Focus, so the power took another thirty seconds than usual to begin flowing, and he was using his higher rank of Telepathy on the core itself. "From now to eternity, I command this domain--" His energy had been gathered and focused, and now began to flow. The air directly in front of him began to ripple like hot asphalt in summer. "--heed my call and accept my claim. May this bond of mind, between master and core--" Twin rings of soft violet light took form, as if Jason were looking through the sigil at the core, a two-dimensional object forming in three-dimensional space. "--open new possibilities, like never before!" The words of the still not-understood language appeared within the rings. "Telepathic Bond--Enhanced Dungeon Link!" Just as a wavy line bisected the diagram, Jason released the spell. [quote=Dungeon:Jason] [color=purple]ONE (1) ALTERNATE BOSS CANDIDATE IS LEAVING THE DUNGEON. FIVE (5) POTENTIAL BOSS CANDIDATES REMAIN BUT DO NOT CURRENTLY MEET ALL REQUIREMENTS. DO YOU WISH TO ABANDON THE SUB-OBJECTIVES AND REGISTER THE QUEST AS COMPLETE? DUNGEON ASSIMILATION IS AT 4%. GHOST_WISP_001 HAS SPAWNED AT H-7. DUNGEON UPDATES COMPLETE. DUNGEON AWARENESS INCREASED TO 0.3. YOU HAVE ALREADY ESTABLISHED A DUNGEON LINK. WITH THE TELEKINESIS SKILL CURRENTLY AT RANK II, YOU MAY ACCESS THE DUNGEON CORE WITHIN A RANGE OF 5 FEET. THE DUNGEON WILL NOW SEND CONTINUAL UPDATES AT THIS RANGE. DUNGEON AWARENESS INCREASED TO 0.4. [/color] [/quote] [quote=System:Jason] You have no MP remaining. You are still suffering from Mana Burn. You have no Stamina remaining. You are experiencing HP Drain. Skill Gain: Spell Chant I! Magic is the unison of Nature, Spirit, and Will. Language is the expression of Will. Using personalized language as an aid in manipulating one's energy is the first step to conceptualization and understanding of what Magic truly is. Using a previously existing Spell Skill as the Base, you may enact one (1) alteration of the spell's typical qualities. You possess the skill Focus, which allows a spell to increase either its power or range in return for increased MP cost of 50% of its initial value and delayed casting time of 30 seconds. Spell Chants will also delay casting time by a default of 10 seconds, as any chant shorter than this will be ineffective. Skill Synergy between this skill and Focus will allow you to alter Power/Range + One (1) other spell quality, which may include Power or Range a second time. The more complex the chant, the greater the alteration, but also the greater the increase to MP cost; by default the spell's cost is increased by a further 50% of its initial value. [/quote] As Jason headed for the mouth of his cave to observe the others who were leaving, he would now see a distant figure approaching as the others moved away. It was another Skeleblin, though the bones of this one looked much older. It soon came close enough that there was no doubt it could see Jason, and possibly some of the others who were leaving...but it never screeched any kind of battle cry, and it didn't suddenly rush towards them. It just continued its slow, mechanical walk towards the cave... [center][h2]***[/h2][/center] [quote=System:Danny] You used Monster Analysis II! ---Ed--- This is a Dire Rat you have come to know as Ed. Dire Rats are quite large and strong for rodents, with sharp senses. They are predator scavengers, and because their teeth constantly grow they forage and gnaw constantly. Their forepaws are somewhat capable of gripping and manipulating, but they aren’t very skilled. Rats often hunt in packs, composed of family units, but the mothers will often drive off the fathers as they will behave aggressively towards the young. You know Ed is a Reincarnator. Ed is ready to Transform, and has been developing skills that are unusual for Dire Rats. ---Analysis Complete!--- [/quote] As Danny kept watch, he too would see the approaching Skeleblin as Jason approached... Meanwhile, Asteria was conducting an experiment of her own. Trying to feel her magic flow while she drew the circle created an odd sort of sensation--if she had ever tried using a Ouji board back in her old world, it might be similar to the experience many people described when playing that game, that the viewing lense--or in this case the claw she was using to draw--was being "guided" by an unseen force. Once she had completed her diagram and placed her stone, she began trying to move the rock by sheer force of will, chanting in a similar way to what she had seen Jason do. And when she used Mana Sense... [quote=System:Asteria] You used Mana Sense! It's your own Mana you're feeling. You are channeling Mana into the symbol you have drawn. Your Mana is acting on the rock in an attempt to push it, using your MP to generate a physical force. It's not strong enough yet... You are experiencing a Fast Rate of Skill Progression. You are out of Stamina. You are experiencing HP Drain. [/quote] Luckily it was right as she was beginning to experience the HP Drain that she settled down next to Mother Rat and began to rest...although, just before she began to drift off, she declared her intent to transform... And Asteria's world went dark as she drifted into a restful sleep... [hr] [h3]Oberon, Torrent, Digbie, Ed[/h3] [quote=System:Oberon] You used Lesser Status Heal! Lesser Status Heal Failed. You used Magic Analysis III! This is a Monster, albeit a magical one by nature. This is a Monster you have analyzed before. You have the skill Monster Analysis I, allowing Skill Synergy to boost effectiveness. ---Jason--- Jason, as a Stone-Hardened variant of a Slime Mage, has an affinity for Earth magic and higher MP than normal for a Slime. He has developed a number of spells, several of them related to the Earth Element. You have seen him use Tremor Sense, Stone Shot, Rock Spire, and Telepathy. He is currently not full on MP, and has less overall than yourself. He is experiencing Mana Burn. He is trying to develop a skill that seems to involve chanting a spell. ---Analysis Complete!--- [/quote] As the four headed back to where they had last seen Mourningstar, Ash, and the others they would indeed find that the other group had moved on without them. But after all, there was only one entrance to the cave, right? However, as they passed by the pool, they would suddenly hear a loud splash, as if something had dived into the water, or maybe a fish had jumped. The place where Torrent had dug her way back up out of the channel she had inadvertently created looked like it had gotten bigger. And suddenly, in the distance, the group could see an eerie, unhealthy looking green light... [hr]