ERode

The Epic of Beginnings - Fragments of a weathered scroll

^{@Pyromania99@Rune_Alchemist@PaulHaynek@Guy0fV4lor}

Nick lagged behind; it was uncertain whether the young man would follow the rest all the way into the depths, especially as the stench of decay grew stronger, as the darkness grew thicker. Not all were made for such escapades, and Isidore could only hope that Nick didn't make any rash decisions.

The darkness shone with blue light as the quartet passed the point of no return.

There was a chasm underneath the prison, home to a garden of tar-stained flowers and trees. That sweetness, once overbearing, was now undercut by the smell of brine, like the world’s shittiest salty caramel. The walls of this cavern were made inaccessible to them all by the ocean water that seeped into the place, while the garden was the territory of shadowy humans, lumbering disconcertingly around the place. The former researchers of the prison above? Or more of those wretched experiments, made puppets by the tar-plants.

Then, there was the clattering of feet against stone off in the distance, muffled by vines. Isidore turned briefly, noting that of the three that had followed, two now remained. Nick was gone, having taken the sealing of the entranceway as reason enough to escape. Isidore's expression remained unchanged. Loyalty or conviction hadn't yet had any chance to grow amongst these strangers. Such action couldn't be faulted, but it would be remembered.

Isidore let out a breath, let out all the tension that had built up in his body.

Time to continue.

Not certain whether the others could see so clearly as he could, he kept a firm grip on Octavia’s leash, as he began to walk upon the raised platform, keeping an eye on the largest plant at the back of the garden. Black stones impaled it, but it was through those same black stones that it could grow its progeny upon the surface, to birth creatures such as Octavia. It was a detour, and he had to drag Octavia with him as he did so, but Isidore wasn’t fool enough to walk boldly into the territory of the tar-plants. All the toughness in the world meant nothing once restrained by a dozen ancient roots.

“Donovan, shield up. Protect the others. Octavia, there are things moving within the garden to our left. We are approaching the largest of the tar-plants, the one whose roots stretch all around this place.” He paused. Levity may be appropriate in these dark times, so deep underground. “If any of you were a fire-breather in your past life, this would be a good chance to show off.”

…

Isidore coughed, then allowed his muscles to relax further.

The door, he hadn’t mentioned. It was left open for a reason, and that reason was still unknown to him.

Kairelith: Waking Up To Another World (Isekai Themed)

_{@Polaris North@Travesty}

Ying Yue frowned, not even sparing a glance towards the islander. She had heard of punishing training before. Meditation under a waterfall while you slice down logs dragged down by the flow of water. Climbing steep mountains with only the strength of your fingers. Wrestling with bears, tigers, monkeys, dragons, Buddhas. But to gain strength, through the consumption of the dead? It…hm, putting it that way, it wasn’t that strange. After all, the old maid always told her brothers: “Eat meat to grow meat. Don’t eat meat and grow weak.”

There was still a world of difference between eating cooked chicken and eating raw chicken though, and there was even more of a difference between eating a chicken killed quickly, and eating a giant dogman that was violently battered by the entirety of an army. To prefer the latter over the former, to do so without hesitation too, that could only be considered the sign of demonic influences, or some barbarous tradition.

Or maybe she was being a bit hasty, when this Eri Ka could be as harmless and helpful as Zhu Bajie.

“Then eat so much as you desire,” Ying Yue spoke, sweeping one hand grandly over the battlefield, the corpses of the dead dragged away by the metal-clad warriors. “I’ll not interfere with the cultivation of your own abilities, so long as you don’t begin devouring your brethren in the pursuit of power, Eri Ka of the Iron Gut. As for me, I am named Ying Yue, eldest daughter of the Geng family. These are strange circumstances, but unlike two others amongst us, you’re not a danger.”

Her nose twitched slightly. The rancid smell of blood and battered flesh wafted out of Eri Ka’s mouth with every word.

“Though your breath smells of the dead. Washing your mouth before an audience with their king would do much in improving your image.”

Kairelith: Waking Up To Another World (Isekai Themed)

I'm waiting for Polaris to post before I do, and I think he's busy with school or work or something like that, but otherwise I'm chill.

Cacophony Concord Player Guide

𝕃𝕆𝕎 ℝ𝔸ℕ𝕂 𝕁𝕆𝔹𝕊 = ℂℝ𝔸𝔽𝕋

Herbalist

_{15% SP | 15% DEX}

Makers of medicine and poisons, with an eye for seen both the boons and banes of nature.

Requirements

Identify and collect 10 Herbs.
Process 5 dead monsters.
Receive training at the Mou-Zi Guild.

Trapper

_{+5% HP| +5% SP | +10% STR | +10% END}

A hunter comfortable with solitude who eschews the bushwhack for the bushcraft.

Requirements

Combined DEX and END equal to or greater than 30.
Survive in the wilderness for two nights without returning to civilization.
Kill five monsters with environmental effects.

Blacksmith

_{+5% HP | +5% SP | 10% DEX | 10% LCK}

Hammer-bearing craftsmen who refine ore and shape metal.

Requirements

END and DEX combined greater than or equal to 20.
Obtain a Personal Forge.
Receive training from an individual with Max Level Blacksmith.

Alchemist

_{+5% HP | 10% DEX | 15% LCK}

Extractors and refiners of substances both ordinary and mysterious.

Skills
Alchemy Proficiency – Passive. Increases Proficiency with Alchemist Tools. Can convert suitable ingredients into potions, with a 10% efficacy increase upon the original ingredients.
The Path of the Artisan – Passive. Gain EXP when successfully crafting items.
Concentrated Mixture – Passive. Can craft a potion out of two of the same ingredient, increasing efficacy of the final product by 50%.

Cacophony Concord Player Guide

𝕃𝕆𝕎 ℝ𝔸ℕ𝕂 𝕁𝕆𝔹𝕊 = ℍ𝕐𝔹ℝ𝕀𝔻

Animist

_{+10% HP | +10% MP | +10% SP}

Spiritualist in perfect balance with themselves, who call upon the spirits to preserve the balance of the world.

Requirements

Die.
Max HP equal to max MP equal to max SP.

Skills
Harmonic Cycles – Passive. 5% of HP/SP/MP can be converted into HP/SP/MP. Can be used once per round.
Art of the Split Soul – Active. 5% SP and 5% MP cost per round. Imbue a Weapon or Shield with a portion of your soul, enabling it to float within a 20 meter radius of you, attacking or defending at your command. This bypasses Equipment slot restrictions. Imbued Weapons or Shields do not grant stats or effects.
Art of the Duo Self – Active. 100 MP and 100 SP. Two word incantation. Project your Immortal soul, sending a phantom of yourself in a location within 30 meters of you to deliver a ghostly blow. Bypasses physical obstacles and ignores a portion of the target’s defense.
Art of the Transient Life - Active. 20% SP and 20% MP. Merge yourself with the realm of the dead, disappearing from the physical world before remerging within a location that you could normally reach with your AGI. Become invisible to mundane sight and immune to environmental damage effects during this.
Art of the Samsara Reunion – Active. 10% SP and 10% MP per round. Call forth a ghostly procession to shield yourself or another within visual range. If shielding yourself, increase END by 20% and further reduce incoming magic damage by 50. If shielding another, increase their defense by 20% of your defense and further reduce incoming magic damage by 75.
Dweller of the Threshold– Passive. Increase damage of Animist skills and increase SP and MP regeneration by 20% when HP is below 50%.
Art of the Merciful Hand – Active. 200 MP and 30% SP. Eight word incantation. Touch an individual and reconstitute their spiritual form, recovering 200 HP and an amount equal to 25% of the SP consumed.
Art of the Pacifying Blade – Active. 10% MP or 10% SP per round. Clad your weapon with spiritual energies, disintegrating its physical form and allowing it to strike at the metaphysical. If costing MP, damage dealt with weapon affects the target’s SP. If costing SP, damage dealt with weapon affects the target’s MP.
Immaculate Trinity – Passive. If current HP equals current MP equals current SP, triple all damage dealt and healing done. If an action is performed that would break the equilibrium, the bonus is lost before the effects occur.

Shaman

_{+5% HP | +15% MP | +5% STR | +5% DEX}

Practitioners of ancient ways, who shift forms as easily as others change clothes.

Requirements

Purchase and equip Ritual Markings.
Total time in wilderness exceeds total time in civilization.
Defeat 1 Bear in solo combat.

Hunter’s Proficiency – Passive. Increase Proficiency with Bows and Daggers.
Strigidae’s Gaze – Active. 75 MP per round. Transform your eyes into that of an owl’s, gaining partial night vision and greater visual acuity.
Ursa’s Might – Active. 10% SP per round. Transform your arms to that of a bear’s, gaining wicked claws, thick fur, and increase your STR by 20%.
Serpent’s Schemes – Active. 150 MP. Transform your tongue into a snake’s and lick your target. If your target is an object, that object becomes [Poisonous]. If your target is a living being, that living being recovers 200 HP.
Restorative Reconstitution – Passive. Every time your form is partially shapeshifted, recover 30 HP. Every time your form is fully shapeshifted, recover 100 HP.
Lupus’s Insight – Active. 100 MP per round. Transform your nose into that of a wolf’s, allowing you to visualize the scent trails of living beings who have been in the area for the last five minutes.
Ritual of Raincalling – Active. MAX MP. Perform a ten-minute long ritual to have a chance at influencing the local weather patterns and call forth the rain. Chance of success increases with amount of MP and is influenced by a variety of other factors as well.
Nature’s Bounty – Passive. Consumables foraged from the wild have 20% increased potency if not processed.

Wolfpack Shaman

_{+10% MP | +15% AGI | +5% DEX}

Shapeshifters bonded with wolves, capable of calling forth their spiritkin to assist in deadly hunts.

Skills
Dances with Wolves – Passive. Wolf-type monsters are less likely to attack you first. Damage received from wolf-type monsters are reduced by 10%.
Wolfkin Blessing – Active. 70% SP. Shapeshift fully into a large wolf that bears motifs inspired by your appearance. After shapeshifting, increase STR and AGI by an amount equal to 10% of the SP consumed for 3 rounds. While shapeshifted, lose access to inventory and ranged weaponry.
Crushing Bite – Active. 20% SP. Transform your mouth into that of a wolf’s and take a large bite out of your target, dealing damage and inflicting [Bleed]. If under the effects of [Wolfkin Blessing], double the effectiveness of [Bleed].
Kindred Pack – Active. 200 MP per [Spirit Wolf]. Let out a long howl and call forth a pack of ghostly wolves to your assistance. [Spirit Wolves] can not be targeted by attacks or spells, cannot use skills or benefit from passives, and have 100 AP to be distributed as the summoner wishes. So long as the [Spirit Wolves] remain summoned, the caster’s Max MP is reduced by the cost of the spell. If under the effects of [Wolfkin Blessing], halve the cost of this spell.
Wild Hunt – Passive. Every [Spirit Wolf] or friendly [Immortal] targeting an enemy increases the damage you deal to the enemy by 5%. This damage bonus caps out at 25%.
Barkcalling – Active. 100 MP. Let out a short bark to rouse an ally’s attention and increase their movement speed by 10%. If [Spirit Wolves] are ordered to run with them, further increase their movement speed by 5% per [Spirit Wolf], capping out at 100%.
Predatory Perceptions – Active. 200 MP per round. Partially transform your head into that of a wolf’s, and take a deep breath of your current environment. Visualize all scent trails within the last thirty minutes, and determine the physical health of individual scent trails.
Boundaries of the Pack – Active. Methodically mark a space 100 meters in diameter with your urine, dissuading lower-level monsters from entering. Efficacy increases and decreases depending on the amount of [Spirit Wolves] in the area. If [Wolfkin Blessing] is active throughout the usage of this skill, this space can be 300 meters in diameter instead.
The Alpha – Passive. Slightly increase female attraction and increase male subservience towards you. Efficacy fluctuates depending on the specific tastes of the individuals in question. All party members deal 5% extra damage when following your commands.

Waterweaver Shaman

_{+5% HP | +10% MP | +10% SP | +5% DEX}

Shamans immersed by the shoreline, stepping between the boundaries of ebb and flow, of water and earth.

Skills
Fisherman’s Proficiency – Passive. Increase Proficiency with Spears, Nets, and Fishing Rods. Improve Fishing technique.
Ebb and Flow – Active. 100 MP. Three word incantation. Murmur the blessing of the streams, causing a gentle jet of water to bounce between three targets of your choice. The first target recovers 100 HP. The second target recovers 75 HP. The third target recovers 25 HP.
Icemelt Grace – Active. 100 MP. Five word incantation. Manifest ribbons of ice water around your target, cleansing one magical status effect and granting them increased fire resistance for the next round.
Wavestrider – Active. 5% SP per round. Channel your harmony with the aquatic element and grant the ability to walk upon water to a number of living targets equal to (SP consumed/20), rounding up.
Submerged Synchroneity – Passive. Increase swimming speed while under water. Gain the ability to breathe underwater.

Onmyoji

_{+20% MP | +10% DEX}

Masters of shikigami and crafter of sealing talismans, of whom all demons fear.

Requirements

25% of total damage dealt to enemies comes from purchased talismans.
Max DEX equal to or greater than 10.
Receive training at Ika-Gendo Shrine.

Ascetic

_{+20% MP | +10% DEX}

Enlightened ones who wield the energies of the body and the energies of the mind as one.

Requirements

Max END equal to or greater than 10.
Reach the Blooming Springs at Pearl Bloom River.
Remain underwater for 300 seconds.

Skills
Unarmed Proficiency – Passive. Increase Proficiency with unarmed attacks.
Repelling Soul Strike – Active. 15% SP and 50 MP. Still your soul and strike with your fist, sending a blast of force that extends twenty meters. All enemies that this blast strikes are knocked back a maximum of ten meters, but only the first will receive damage.
Blade of Body and Mind – Active. 30% SP and 150 MP. Summon a ghostly weapon forged of your mind, capable of spurning physical defenses. This weapon can take the shape of any single-handed weapon, and lasts three rounds. Does not take an equipment slot and deals magical damage scaling with SP consumed.
Distance Crossing Grasp – Active. 20% SP and 100 MP. Thrust out your hand and surpass space with spirit, grasping a target within a range of thirty meters, before pulling them towards you at a maximum of thirty meters. Deals magical damage.
The Awoken, Unperturbed – Passive. Increase chance of resisting [Charm] and [Fear] by 5%.

Exorcist

_{+10% HP | 5% MP | 5% SP | 10% STR}

The slayer of ghosts and the purger of curses, wielding blades capable of laying to rest those that have yet to pass.

Requirements

Max MP and STR equal to or greater than 100 and 10, respectively.
Defeat 5 monsters, utilizing a spellcasting weapon as a martial weapon.
Learn and perform the Daikagura at Shin-Yu Temple.

Cacophony Concord Player Guide

𝕃𝕆𝕎 ℝ𝔸ℕ𝕂 𝕁𝕆𝔹𝕊 = 𝕄𝔸𝔾𝕀ℂ𝔸𝕃

Mage

_{+20% MP | +5% END | +5% LUC}

Students of the arcane who call forth great power with naught but a few words.

Skills
Mana Control - Passive. Increase or decrease your spell's MP cost by 20% to increase or decrease its damage by 20%.
Mana Bolt - Active. 10 MP cost. Three word incantation. Fire off a bolt of crackling force from your palm towards the target.
Spirit Divider - Active. 40 MP cost. Five word incantation. Swing out with your hand, launching a three-meter wide blade of magical energy. Increase width for every extra 40 MP consumed.
Tranquil Mind - Passive. Enable MP regeneration during combat.
Mana Shield - Active. 20 MP. One word incantation. Form a barrier around the cast, reducing damage taken by the amount of MP consumed.
Arcane Vortex - Active. 100 MP. Ten word incantation. Create a storm of magical energy within a range of 20 meters, dealing damage to all within range and drawing them to the center of the vortex. Radius of storm and range of storm manifestation increase with extra MP consumed.
Spell Spear - Active. 80 MP. Four word incantation. Drop a magical spear down upon a target, dealing damage with a chance to Paralyze them.
Seeker Chains - Active. 50 MP. Six word incantation. Summon three spectral chains around yourself, before directing them to bind a target. Chains move at speed equal to your Max MP/20 and every extra 25 MP consumed creates an extra chain. Bind chance increases with more chains targetting an individual.
Magical Mine - Active. 100 MP. No incantation. Designate an area upon the terrain to be charged with a Magical Mine, which takes five seconds to be armed. When that area is disturbed, the Magical Mine explodes, deal damage to the one who triggered it. Every extra 100 MP consumed allows caster to designate the location of another Magical Mine.
Parallel Incantation – Passive. Cast a spell twice. Can be used once per round.

Kekkaishi

_{+10% HP | +15% MP | +5% END}

Holy men who ward off evil with their barriers and shield their compatriots with protective talismans.

Requirements

Max MP equal to or greater than 100.
Nullify 200 damage with natural END.
Donate 100MP and meditate at Shin-Yu Temple.

Necromancer

_{+15% MP | +15% DEX}

Blasphemers of the flesh and craftsmen of corpses who animate their obscene creations with unholy lightning.

Requirements

Kill 1 Immortal or Rien without inflicting heavy damage on their body. (Current: 0)
Reach the end of the Blasphemed Tunnels of Thunderstruck Grove.
Be struck by lightning.

Skills
Adept of Curse – Passive. Imbue any non-elemental spell with the [Darkness] element. When enemies are damaged by the imbued spell, inflict the [Death’s Door] debuff on them, reducing their Max HP by 5% of your Max MP. If Max HP reduction would be below their current HP, Max HP is set to current HP instead.
Reanimate Corpse I – Active. 100 MP. One word incantation. Cursed lightning surges from your fingers, reanimating the corpse of a recently-deceased individual, turning them into [Undead]. The stats of the [Undead] can be decided upon reanimation but can not be altered afterwards. [Undead] raised by this spell have 100 AP, and persist until their HP drops to zero, in which they can no longer be reanimated. The corpse’s passives are retained, but its actives cannot be used. So long as the [Undead] persist, the caster’s max MP is reduced by the cost of the spell.
Haunting Emergence – Active. 150 MP. Five word incantation. Select an existing [Undead] under your command, then set a target within visual range. The [Undead] sinks into the ground and approaches the target at speed equal to their AGI + MP consumed by this spell, before leaping out and grappling the target. For every extra 150 MP spent on this spell, an extra existing [Undead] can be selected instead, but the AGI bonus from MP consumption is divided between the two.
Deathly Toll – Active. 100 MP per round. Ten word incantation. Prognosticate the ultimate fate of your target and shackle their life to an existing [Undead]. A portion of the damage taken by the [Undead] is taken by the target as magical damage.
Necrotic Explosion – Active. 300 MP. One word incantation. Select an existing [Undead] and make them explode, dealing AOE damage to their surroundings with a chance of Poisoning those struck. Bonus damage equal to a percentage of their Max HP is dealt.
Shrunken Minions – Passive. One [Undead] can be shrunk to the size of a doll and be stored inside Inventory. In this state, the [Undead] can not act or be the target of Necromancer spells.
Calamitous Revelation – Active. 500 MP. Thirteen word incantation. Manifest the cursed lightning within your veins and unleash a torrent of lightning in a cone-shaped blast, dealing tremendous damage. If those damaged are living creatures, they are paralyzed. Damage of spell and duration of paralyze effect increases with MP consumed.
Reanimate Corpse II – Active. 500 MP. One word incantation. Same effects as Reanimate Corpse, but the corpse’s actives can be used at doubled the cost. [Undead] raised by this spell have 500 AP. Multi-sequence orders can be given to them.
Perverse Union – Active. 250 MP. Four word incantation. With disturbed alchemy, fuse two [Undead] together, creating a nightmarish chimera. Their attributes are added up together, and the fused [Undead]’s intelligence defaults to the highest rank [Undead] that was fused. So long as the fusion persists, the caster’s max MP is reduced by the cost of the spell.
Aspirations of Undeath – Passive. Gain 20% MP. All [Reanimate] spells can be cast at double the MP cost, to produce two [Undead].

Earthrot Necromancer

_{+10% HP | +10% MP | +10% END}

Blasphemers of the virile earth, tainting the soil with the touch of undeath and raising constructs of skeletal remnants.

Skills
Dominance of Desecration – Passive. [Reanimate] spells can target the earth instead, creating golems of undeath. These golems do not possess passives or actives, but gain 5% extra AP.
Blight the Earth – Active. 300 MP. Ten word incantation. Drive your hands into the dirt and allow your cursed power to take root. All landbound creatures within 100 meters of you have their movement speed slowed by 20%, as the earth drags upon their limbs. Every extra 100 MP consumed increases this radius by 30 meters.
The Haggard Walls – Active. 150 MP. One word incantation. Call out to the bones of the long-passed dead and draw them up to the surface. Manifest a five-meter-high palisade of white bone, fifteen meters in length. Each section of the palisade has 150 HP. Every extra 10 MP consumed increases the length of the palisade by one meter.
The Callous Watch – Active. 400 MP. One word incantation. Stamp your feet upon the earth and let your sovereignty be known. Manifest a staircase-less watchtower of fetid earth and biological remnants underneath you, rising 20 meters into the sky and occupying an area of 3 meters squared. On command, watchtower’s height can be decreased or increased, but never beyond the initial height. The watchtower has HP equal to the MP consumed by this spell.
Scar the Soil – Active. 200 MP per round. Four word incantation. Unleash your foul wizardry and exhume toxic fumes from the depths of the earth. Select a point within visual range. In a twenty meter radius of that point, all living organisms take poisonous damage over time. Areas affected by [Blight the Earth] also produce this effect.

Smartman

_{+30% MP}

A worker of the mind, capable of thoughts sublime enough to move the world both figuratively and literally.

Requirements

Max MP equal to or greater than 100.
Obtain membership to Gin Ren Gym.
Convincingly defeat an Immortal of equal level without attacking them.

Kannushi/Miko

_{+15% MP | +5% AGI | +10% DEX}

Performers of holy rites that cleanse and heal; wielders of talismans that purify and seal.

Requirements

Max MP equal to or greater than 100.
Less than 30% of total damage dealt to enemies comes from physical attacks.
Partake in the Purification Rites at Shin-Yu Temple.

Skills
Talisman Creation – Passive. All active spells can be crafted into Talisman consumables if five times the cost is paid. Talismans created this way can be used once by yourself before they are destroyed.
Healing Chant – Active. 10 MP cost. Three word incantation. Release a beam of light, healing the first target struck for 20 HP.
Severing Rite – Active. 30 MP cost. Three word incantation. Release a blast of invisible force, exploding against the first target struck. Has a chance of knocking back the target.
Mantra of Respite – Active. 100 MP cost per round. Continuous incantation. A gentle breeze swirls out from you, recovering 50 SP for a maximum of four allies of your choice within a 25 meter radius.
Purifying Chant – Active. 50 MP cost. Five word incantation. Select a target within your line of sight. Holy flame will surround them, with a chance of removing any magical buffs or debuffs.
Restraining Rite – Active. 40 MP cost. Eight word incantation. Release an inky projectile at a target. If it hits, Arcane calligraphy emerges their body, reducing their AGI by 20 for a round.
Devotion to the [Lady of the Alabaster Scales] – Passive. Allies affected by your Talismans or Spells gain [10 AGI].

Bard

_{+10% MP | +5% DEX | +15% LCK}

Artisans of the ephemeral, inspiring others to further greatness through sorcerous sound.

Requirements

LCK is equal or greater than 15.
Earn 10 Silver worth of currency from public performance.
Sign a contract to perform gigs in a tavern.

Cacophony Concord Player Guide

𝕃𝕆𝕎 ℝ𝔸ℕ𝕂 𝕁𝕆𝔹𝕊 = 𝕄𝔸ℝ𝕋𝕀𝔸𝕃

Warrior

_{+10% HP | +10% STR | +10% END}

A user of all weapons, specializing in physical damage and capable of stringing a variety of skills together for increased damage.

Skills
Weapon Proficiency - Passive. Increase proficiency with all weapons.
Power Attack - Active. 10% SP per round. Actively consume SP while preparing for an attack; unleash for increased damage on attack.
Combat Stance - Passive. Increase STR, END, or DEX by 10% at will. Five second cooldown.
Double Strike - Active. 25% SP cost. Attack twice with your weapon, dealing incremental bonus damage based off SP consumed. Can be combo'd into from Power Attack.
Sundering Blow - Active. 40% SP cost. Strike downwards, causing a burst of energy around you and dealing damage to all enemies. May inflict Stun. Range increases by 5 meters for every 100 SP consumed, starting from a radius of 10 meters. Can be combo'd into from Power Attack.
Reinvigorate - Active. 100 MP. Regain 100 SP. Can be used in tandem with Power Attack.
Fluid Power – Passive. Power Attack can combo into any offensive skill.

Sword Warrior

_{+15% SP | +10% STR | +5% DEX}

A warrior devoted to the study of swordsmanship, capable of both skillful and brutish maneveurs.

Requirements

Achieve Max Level in Warrior.
STR and DEX combined is greater than or equal to 150.
Vanquish 50 monsters with a sword.

Scout

_{+5% MP | +10% SP | +10% AGI | +5% DEX}

A swift skirmisher, striking at range while providing accurate information about the party's targets through the usage of analytic skills.

Skills
Ranged Proficiency - Passive. Increase Proficiency with Ranged Weapons.
First In, First Out - Passive. Increase movement speed by 15% when engaging and disengaging enemies.
Dive N Strike - Active. 10% SP cost. Dive in any direction and roll, increasing evasion. If evasion is successful, increase damage of next attack.
Zoned In - Active. 5% SP per turn. Increase AGI by 20%.
Asess - Active. 50 SP cost. Observe a single target and determine whether they are stronger or weaker than you. Has a chance of gleaning further statistical information.
Quickstep – Active. 5% SP cost. Leap in any direction at speeds equal to [AGI + SP consumed], ignoring prior momentum. Contact with a surface is required.
Detect – Active. 20% SP cost. Sharpen all five senses to detect the presence of hidden enemies or traps in the area around you. Range and effectiveness increases with SP consumed.
Strategic Targeting – Passive. After using Assess on a target, the first attack dealt to them does 30% extra damage.

Stalker Scout

_{+10% STR | +10% AGI | +10% DEX}

A swift swordsman, striking from unexpected angles to deal massive damage while utilizing specialist footwork to avoid retaliation.

Skills
Light Blade Proficiency – Passive. Increases Proficiency and Crit Chance with one-handed blade weapons.
Tendon Strike – Active. 15% SP cost. Utilize knowledge of enemy anatomy to strike with debilitating precision. Deal damage and debuff either the target’s STR or AGI attribute.
Phantom Step – Active. 10% SP cost. Utilizing special footwork, trick your enemy’s senses and send an afterimage of yourself forward while slipping into their blind spot.
Analyze – Active. 30% SP cost. Observe a single target and determine their main abilities. Has a chance of detecting their weaknesses.
Vital Point Piercing – Passive. After using Analyze on a target, all damage dealt to the target increases by 20%. If unseen by the target, damage dealt increases by a further 20%.
Shadow Slip – Active. 20% SP cost. Leap soundlessly into darkness or behind cover. Become [Hidden] from sight. [Hidden] status will be lost upon performing an action.
Double Time – Active. Push your body to the limits for the purpose of taking down your target. Double the amount of actions you can perform in a round. At the end of the round, lose 100% of your MP and SP, and become [Stunned] for the following round.
Destructive Acceleration – Passive. Enhance your deadly blows with your incomprehensible footwork. Every movement-related skill used grants a stack of [Velocity]. Upon performing an attack, remove all [Velocity] stacks and increase damage by 25% x the number of stacks.

Ranger

_{+5% STR | +10% END | +15% DEX}

Specialist of the bow, attacking at a distance with rapid or precise shots, while keeping themselves safe with traps or stealthing abilities.

Skills
Bow Proficiency - Passive. Increase proficiency with Bow weapons.
Focused Shot – Active. 20% SP cost. Perform a highly accurate ranged attack. While aiming, increase persona time dilation by 10%.
Spread Shot – Active. 30% SP cost. Nock three projectiles into your ranged weapon at once, and attack three different targets in a single attack. Damage is reduced by 20% for each individual attack.

Monk

_{+10% SP | +5% STR | +15% DEX}

Barehanded duelists who strike in ways that bypass armor or debilitate the senses of their foes.

Requirements

Max SP equal to or greater than 100.
50% of total damage dealt to enemies comes from unarmed attacks.
Receive training at the Gao Long Monastery.

Sohei

_{+10% MP | +5% END | +15% DEX}

Warrior monks sworn to the protection of their faith, whose virtues are made manifest in their skill with the blade.

Requirements

Achieve Max Level in Monk.
SP is greater than or equal to 1000.
Earn the recognition of the highest ranking priest of your temple.

Brawler

_{+10% HP | +15% STR | +5% END}

Brutish fighters capable of taking what they dish out and kicking ass no matter what they're wielding.

Requirements

Max STR equal to or greater than 10.
Start a fight between multiple individuals in a public space and survive.
Utilize improvised weapons for five attacks.

Skills
Improvised Weapon Proficiency - Set equipped weapon’s damage bonus to ½ STR if damage bonus is less than ½ STR.
The [Magpie] Special - Active. 15% SP cost. Swing wide for a powerful, but inaccurate whallop.
The Shoestopper - Active. 15% SP cost. Stomp on the target's foot, reducing movement speed. Has a chance to Root the target.
Showbaiter - Passive. Enemy aggro increases for every hit taken and every hit received.
The Guillotine Drop - Active. 30% SP cost. Leap past your target while grabbing them by the throat. Upon landing, slam them headfirst into the ground. Inflict Silence. Damage dealt increases with airtime.
The Power Hour - Active. 5% SP cost per attack. Unleash a flurry of wild blows, generating enough force to push away all individuals except for the target of your attacks. Push-back effect increases with more attacks launched.
The Bulldozer - Active. 25% SP cost. Enter a Counter Stance, with greatly increased defenses. When attacked, lose increased damage and instantly leap towards the attacker with greatly increased movement speed to bodyslam them.
Grab and Smash – Passive. Toggleable. Damage dealt by Improvised Weapons is dealt to the Improvised Weapon as well. Weapon gains additional damage bonus equal to ½ STR.

Strongman

_{+30% STR}

Sculpters of their own body, capable of feats of great athleticism.

Requirements

Max HP equal to or greater than 100.
Obtain membership to Gin Ren Gym.
Utilize monsters as training weights for 20 reps.

Skills
Physical Conditioning – Passive. Gain 10% STR.
Hustle Muscle – Active. 20% SP per round. Strike a pose that emphasizes your leg muscles, before increasing your AGI by 20% of your STR.
Protein Power – Active. 10% SP. Utilizing your knowledge of muscular arts, manifest a Protein Shake that heals for 100 HP and grants 30 STR upon consumption. Cannot be used in combat. Only one Protein Shake can exist at any one time.
Moon Flex – Active. 5% SP. Bend over, facing away from your targets to show off your muscular glutes, with a chance of taunting them. Efficacy increases if you have higher STR than the targets.
Nobody’s Natty – Passive. Improve the healing and STR-enhancing effects of consumables by 10%. Reduce STR-debuffing effects by 10%.
Healthy Body, Healthy Mind – Active. 15% SP. The brain is a muscle, and that means it can be flexed as well. Increase Max MP and Current MP by 10*(20% of STR) for this round. If [Smartman] is one of your jobs, increase by 50% of STR instead.
We All Lift Together – Active. 50% SP. Become an avatar of muscle, doubling your STR for this round and inspiring all allies within thirty meters to greater heights of muscle as well, increasing their STR by 10% of your STR. After usage of this skill, take true damage equal to your STR.
Path of Macho – Passive. Every monster you kill that is of greater or equal level to you has a small chance of increasing your STR by 1. Every Anomaly that you kill increases your STR by 100.

Thug

_{+5% HP | +5% SP | +10% STR | +10% AGI}

Disenfranchised youths or embittered adults with no qualms about getting their hands dirty for a quick buck or two.

Requirements

Reduce an Immortal with a combined STR and END that's less than yours to 20% HP with unarmed attacks.
Rob 30 Silver from Immortals and Riens within 24 hours.
Discover a Hideout in Thunderstruck Grove.

Samurai

_{+5% SP | +10% STR | +15% END}

Noble weapon masters, sworn to a clan to slay the champions and scatter the infantry.

Requirements

Max SP equal to or greater than 100.
Slay 5 Ogres in solo combat.
Join a Clan and obtain recognition from the Clan Leader.

Shieldbearer

_{+15% HP | +15% END}

Indomitable tanks well-versed with protecting the backline and withstanding physical attacks.

Requirements

Maintain aggro against a monster for 300 seconds.
Possess a shield of higher quality than your currently equipped weapon.
Defeat 3 monsters without attacking.

Drunkard

_{+20% HP | +5% MP | +5% SP}

Inebriation is at the heart of an unpredictable fighting style that confounds foes and deflects rebuke.

Requirements

Remain afflicted with the [Drunk] status for 4 hours.
Defeat 10 monsters while [Drunk].
Purchase and consume High-Quality White Spirits.

Qi Gong

_{+20% SP | 10% END}

A practitioner of the gentle fist, capable of helping and harming with the same hand through the mystical energies of Qi.

Requirements

Max SP equal to or greater than 100.
Receive training at the Gao Long Monastery.
Recover 200 HP passively, without resting.

Skills
Empty Hands, Open Mind – Passive. When weapons are not equipped, SP regeneration per round is 120% of END.
Invigorating Palm Thrust – Active. 15% SP. Coat your open palm with Qi, before pressing it into the target, mending their body and soothing their soul. The target regenerates HP equal to 5% of your Max SP for three rounds.
Vein-Sealing Acupuncture – Active. 30% SP. Perceive the meridian lines within your target, before delivering a burst of finger jabs to seal away their powers. Inflicts [Silence] upon the target for one round, preventing the consumption of Resources. Repeated use of this skill upon a target reduces efficacy.

Mountain Man

_{+5% HP | +10% STR | +5% AGI | +10% END}

Resilient hunter-gatherers who carve a living in the harsh mountains with naught but the might of their arms.

Requirements

Max END equal to or greater than 10.
Consume 5 Monsters without preparation.
Sleep in the wilderness.

Skills
Traveller’s Proficiency – Passive. 10% increase to STR, END, and AGI when out of combat.
Mountain Wind – Active. 30 SP cost per round. Recover HP equal to 10% of your END.
Splitter – Active. 20% SP cost. Perform a powerful vertical strike. Damage is doubled against inanimate objects, such as terrain or equipment.
Boomer – Active. 15% SP cost. Gather up physical strength and shoulder tackle the target, knocking them back. Ignore knockback mitigation effects from target’s equipment. Knockback effect is doubled against inanimate objects.
Vim and Vigor – Passive. Reduce the duration of [Slow], [Poison], and [Weaken] by 5%.
Stout Heart – Active. 5% SP per round. Bolster your defenses, increasing END by 10% and resistance to knockback effects by 10%.
Hammer – Active. 30% SP cost. Perform a powerful, bludgeoning blow in any direction. The target struck by this attack will be knocked into environmental obstacles (walls, ground), rooting them in place. Rooting effectiveness increases with softness of environmental obstacle.
Lifelong Passion – Passive. When on mountainous terrain, gain +10% AGI and +10% END. Mountain Man skills recover 10% of SP consumed after usage.

Giantblood Mountain Man

_{+10% HP | +5% STR | +15% END}

Nomads of the mountains with the blood of titans in their veins, who stand peerless in their virility and stature.

Skills
Unarmed Proficiency – Passive. Increases Proficiency of unarmed attacks.
Thunderous Slap – Active. 10% SP cost. Deliver a hearty slap to the side of the target’s face. Deals no damage but has a high chance of inflicting [Stun] upon them. If target is not [Stunned], the next Thunderous Slap has an increased chance of inflicting [Stun].
Roar of the Avalanche – Active. 40% SP cost. Fill your lungs with air and let out a heart-stopping shout. All targets withing hearing range has a chance of being afflicted with [Fear], with chance increasing in proximity to you.
Stone-Carving Grasp – Active. 20% SP cost. Smash and drag the target against a nearby surface, destroying the surface and damaging the target in proportion to the surface’s hardness, before tossing them away.
Titanic Heritage – Passive. Every 25 END you possess increases your height by one inch. Capped at 24 inches. Currently-equipped armor will expand to fit your new size, but at reduced efficacy if not normally tailored to your specifications.
Strike the Moon – Active. 40% SP cost. Deliver a heavy uppercut with the whole weight of your body, adding END to your STR to deal massive bludgeoning damage. Targets struck will be knocked upwards, with efficacy calculated with your combined STR and END.
Colossus – Active. 50% SP cost per round. Double your height or remove the growth cap from Titanic Heritage, whichever is greater. Cleanse all debuffs, recover HP equal to your END, reduce AGI by 50% and increase STR and END by 50%. This skill can be used once per battle.
Undefeated By The Rain – Passive. Immune to attacks that would deal less than 50 damage.

Bloodaxe Mountain Man

_{+20% STR | +10% DEX}

Forest-clearers and stone-carvers, wielding axes with an ease that make others tremble.

Skills
Axe Proficiency - Passive. Increase Proficiency with axes.
Decimating Spin - Active. 10% SP. Unleash your might, spinning in a full circle to cleave foes in all directions while projecting a knockback effect. Inflict [Bleed] on those damaged by this skill.
Hurling Strike - Active. 20% SP. Draw your weapon back and throw it at full force towards your target, with an increased chance to crit. Range of this attack is equal to (SP consumed/2) meters. If this skill does not crit, the weapon bounces back into your hands.

Barbarian

_{+10% SP | +15% STR | +5% DEX}

Fighters drawn to the bloodshed and rage, lashing out at all enemies with bestial ferocity.

Requirements

Monetary value of weapons exceeds monetary value of armor.
Kill 1 monster with a single attack.
Craft an accessory out of your kill.

Skills
Two Handed Weapon Proficiency – Increase Proficiency with two handed weapons.
Berserk – Active. 10% SP. Immerse yourself in barbaric rage, and unleash the fury of steel and strength upon your foes. Increase number of actions per round by one and increase STR by 10%. Cannot use skills that cost MP or possess restorative/utility effects. This effect is ended upon recast.
Rip and Tear – Active. 15% SP per attack. Unleash a flurry of cleaving blows, dealing AOE damage directly in front of you. Each successive slash becomes incrementally less accurate.

Kegare

_{+10% MP | +10% SP | +5% STR | +5% DEX}

Murderers steeped in karmic sin, capable of levying a host of curses upon those who draw their blighted blood.

Requirements

Kill 10 monsters with a melee weapon.
Kill 5 animals with a melee weapon.
Kill 1 Immortal or Rien with a melee weapon.

Shinobi

_{+5% SP | +20% AGI | +5% DEX}

Heartless assassins born within the shadows, utilizing a variety of specialist weapons to confound, debilitate, and terminate high-priority targets.

Requirements

Perform three backstabs at the beginning of combat.
Defeat one monster solo without taking damage.
Receive training at ???.

Cacophony Concord Player Guide

𝔼ℝ𝕀𝔻

Cacophony Concord Player Guide

𝕍𝔼𝕃𝕆ℕ𝕋𝔸

Cacophony Concord Player Guide

ℍ𝕆ℝ𝕆𝔾𝕀

Nyu-Taro

The central city-state of Horogi, and a neutral ground that serves as a place where all five clans can negotiate and do trade with one another, as well as hire unaffiliated Immortals for nation-spanning quests. The buildings are generally low, with tiled roofs, and lanterns are often strung from one roof to the other to provide illumination at night. As it is largely neutral, and thus lacking a military force of its own, there are few surrounding villages nearby, and Nyu-Taro depends on its status as the nexus of Horogi to entice farmers from far-off lands to bring their produce in.

Thick, whitestone walls encircle Nyu-Taro, and the city-state has three gates in the North, East, and West. Within the city, the southern portion is the poorest area and sees the most guard surveillance as a result, while the northern parts of the city feature the most densely packed markets and restaurants.

Notable Characters

Fa Trung - A sunburnt man who is skinny, jobless, bald, and blind. Has a scraggling, white beard and often sits beside restaurants, begging for rishi. Makes most of his income from scamming new Immortals not aware of the deficiencies of his Talismans.

The Tsi-Lai Gang - A local gang that runs a gambling den tucked away in the wall beside one of the southern sewage rivers in Nyu-Taro. Fa Trung purportedly has beef with them.

The Red Ogre Smith - Two meters tall and of a muscular build, the ogre sports short white hair and red skin pockmarked by burns. Dislikes people who return her weapons. Owns Oni Smithworks.

The Tea Shop Owner - A clean shaven man of undeterminable age, with waist-length hair tied back into a tidy braid. Wears minimalist silk robes and enjoys kintsugi. Works at Mei Rei Tan.

Shirin Bihe - A blue-haired priestess of the Shin-Yu Temple. Wears a white kimono laced with silver threads. Weak against assertive people but also a very lethal practitioner of the barrier arts.

Taka-Ryu - A pudgy, middle-aged adherent of the Shin-Yu faith. Runs the talisman store at the temple, and enjoys origami in his spare time.

Tordo Bigarms - An orc with a jutting lower jaw and a receding hairline. Once a journeyman smith, he settled in Horogi and owns his own forge, Orc's Smithing.

The Ninja Tools Man - An incredibly attractive Immortal who runs a stall filled with plenty of ninja tools and weapons. Has a mild panic attack whenever he talks to girls.

The Instrument Shop Owner - A young Rien with dark green hair and an easy smile. A skilled craftsman who constructed plenty of musical instruments, and the owner of Stringless Song.

Notable Locations

The Keystone Plaza - An open space centered around a large boulder decorated with sacred ropes and talismans. On one end, wooden plaques are nailed to the walls of buildings, detailing plenty of quests for adventurers to pick up.

Mei Rei Tan - A teahouse with wonderful soundproofing, where individuals can enjoy the delicate decor and sip on well-brewed teas. Does not do take-out.

Shin-Yu Temple

A squat, one story building, a stone wall doing little to deter visitors when the oaken doors were swung wide open. In the front courtyard was a Zen garden, gravel being raked into hypnotizing swirls by a bald-headed monk, while the building itself sported a bronze statue of robed man with twelve arms, each stretched out and splayed to form a knife-hand. His expression was serene as he sat cross-legged, but behind the statue, faded paper screens depicted the chaotic creation of the world, molten flame and crushing waves battling each other until the storming heavens split them apart. Further within, the chanting of dozens of acolytes could be heard, reciting mantras in a language that wasn’t translated by the system.

The interior of the temple smelled of a bright, almost citrus-y aroma, and the polished wood that formed the supporting pillars of the structure was bright yellow, reflecting well the sunlight that diffused from the paper windows. Nightingale floorboards creaked melodically under foot as they moved down the hallway, passing by several rooms filled with chanting adherents. Within the depths of the temple is an open-air chamber, the floor transitioning into veinless marble. In the back of the chamber stood the weather-worn statue of a lithe woman. Though a seamless, indisctinct beauty from waist-up, her lower body flowed sinuously into the marbled ground in the image, perhaps, of a flowing river, a twisted tree, a snake’s tail.

She is the Lady of Alabaster Scales, the shapeshifting deity of dynamic change.

Festivals and Events

The Rinkan Annihilation Tournament - Every clan in Horogi has their own fighting pits, where clan members and Immortals duel each other to prove who's the strongest within the clan. During the annual Rinkan Annihilation Tournament though, the top five duelists of every clan convene in Nyu-Taro for a battle to decide the nationwide rankings. Often, this is to gauge how powerful the clans have become, but most of the time, it's just for entertainment. Some even say that the truly strong within Horogi do not show up, so that their powers are not exposed before any war breaks out.

Nearby Nyu-Taro

Goldspun Fields - Through the eastern gate of Nyu-Taro is Goldspun Fields, a wide meadow with rolling slopes of tall, yellowed grass. Beaten dirt paths criss cross through the fields, where goblin raiders and their wargs lie in wait, hidden within their subterranean homes. Upsized wildlife and slimes also provide a threat to newbie adventurers, but otherwise, the Goldspun Fields are a rather safe place for new Immortals to find their footing.

Pearl Bloom River - Through the western gate of Nyu-Taro is the Pearl Bloom River, flowing from the northeast to the southwest. It is a wide, swift-flowing river flanked with plentiful cattails that hide the kappa that call the river their home. During the spring, this river becomes torrential, but the pearl-colored lotus buds remain stubbornly anchored, no matter how strong the current.

Thunderstruck Grove - Through the northern gate of Nyu-Taro is the Thunderstruck Grove, a forest of skeletal trees and blackened dirt. A strange fog pervades the entire area, unmoving and obscuring. Spirits and monsters move within the shadows, while savage oni roam the place, hunting and fighting for their own pleasure. Thieves and bandits too, hide in these dark places, and within the Blasphemed Tunnels lies the knowledge of necromancy.