Zeroth

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

0th post updated!

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

Orchid

Looking to Trade (D2)
@Lucius Cypher

---

Crispy’s interest returned as Orchid began to shape the ball of mud, and when she had formed a bowl and placed it next to the fire he rubbed his chin for a moment.

“Seen somethin’ like dat afore...Humans call it...pots?” He mumbled under his breath, then looked at Orchid when she asked him to teach her fire magic. He nodded, but then closed his eyes and seemed to be thinking deeply about something.

“Hmm...is hard.” He gestured towards the fire. “I learned...seven or eight seasons ago. Me and Rattleskull smaller, then. Tribe not so big. Humans come more often.” The goblin opened his eyes, but still seemed to be looking at something much further away. “One day, humans called “Ventures” show up. They made big camp near front of cave, big fire, cook lots of food! Me and Rattleskull, and other gobs, we try to kill ‘em and take all!” He looked again towards his fire, and the clay bowl. “But when we fight, they too tough for us. Just cause we was smaller. We tried to run, and one of dem hit me. I falled into their fire.”

He shivered for a moment, then rubbed at the flame like markings and the old burn scars on his body as if they were still tender.

“Almost died! Pain, so bad pain! Had to soak the good-good-greens in the pool, keep cold and wet all the time!” Now Crispy’s eyes narrowed, and he held up clenched fists. “Made me think, I was weak! Even fire stronger than me! But fire stronger than everything! Burns wood, burns up human houses, maybe even can burn up all world! So I learn make fire, make lots of fires, get stronger! I try learning how not get hurt by fire.” He held out the non-scarred arm for Orchid to see. And in fact, the green skin was a slightly different shade than her own even though those strange red marks weren’t on it. It was something a little bit deeper than a tan.

“And one day, something just kind of click. In brain, click!” He clicked his tongue. Then he opened his hand, and a small sphere of flame--like a candle light--flickered over his palm. “Could make fire without wood! Magics, Fireball spell, it called! But needs lots of crystals to practice it.”

He stepped further away from Orchid, and now went through several motions slowly. A demonstration, then.

“You gots to hold your hand out, and put lots in it! Like, Haaaaaa!” As he made the sound, and seemed to be concentrating quite hard, the fireball grew bigger in his hand until it was about the size of a softball. Then it compressed, becoming more like a baseball, before burning steadily at that size. “And then you gots to throw it, but when you do you gots to be like, Yaaaaah!” Taking aim at a nearby rock, Crispy pointed his palm more than really making a throwing motion, but he also gave a powerful exhalation of breath. The Fireball shot forward, but when it hit the rock all that really happened was that the flame “spread” over the stony surface. The concussive force of such a small explosion did little other than shake the stone. Still, after the fire soon died out, it left a sizable black spot, and the heat waves could be seen shimmering in the air for a few moments.

---

Ardur

From the Air (D2)
As Ardur practiced his flying, his higher vantage point gave him a wide view of the caverns. He could see the goblins doing something over by their bonfire, apparently trading or teaching one another. He could see various fights happening all over the cave as monsters hunted or defended their territory--there was quite a large brouhaha in one area where it seemed like six or seven monsters had all converged at once, though now it seemed that bloodbath was dying out. There were a couple of wisps, one of whom seem quite agitated, near the pool. They seemed to be trying to gather more of the already thinning herbs. And two brightly colored slimes could be seen for just a moment, red and pink, before they moved with apparent purpose towards the darker corner of the cave.

But perhaps the most notable thing to see right now, was the sudden increase in light levels near the cave’s entrance. A cheer went up from Rattleskull and his lackies as their wooden picks and working hands cleared away dirt and rubble, and the morning sun streamed in bright and golden…!

---

Digbie, Mourningstar, Oberon, Orochi

The First True Party!? (D2)
@King Cosmos@CriticalHit@Gardevoiran@floodtalon

---

As Mourningstar used what she had learned from Oberon to continue her practice, it didn’t seem like she was going to learn this skill as easily as he had--then again, she was not only trying to shape her mana, but to give it a new quality, and to project it at a distance the same way she used Mana Orb. She did, however, see at least one immediate result.

Skill Rank Up! Mana Orb I > Mana Orb II
Magic Damage Increased. MP Cost Increased.
As an Active Spell Skill, this spell’s power can be adjusted. You have enough MP to use Mana Orb I twice. Mana Orb II can only be used once with leftover MP.

System:Mourningstar

As Oberon practiced with his Shield and Mana Orb combination, he didn’t get as lucky as before and get an immediate skill notification. He did notice, however, that upon applying a shield to a mana orb, rather than getting a shielded mana orb, he got...something like an orb-shaped Shield. It seemed as if the overlap had merely fed more energy into the shield itself. But this was also, noticeably, the first time he had created a shield that was not overlapping a direct surface or living target, instead floating freely on its own...But the next instant, it dispersed, popping like a soap bubble.

Meanwhile, Digbie used his Tremor Sense once more, and found out some interesting information. Not only had something else been tunneling a great deal nearby, but there was another enlarged dugout similar to his own--and in the back of it, something that gave off an interesting resonance with his tremors…

Skill Rank Up! Tremor Sense I > Tremor Sense II.
Range increased. Projection increased--now instead of passively sensing incoming vibrations, you can more strongly emit your own. This skill is weaker when passive, but when actively used you can perform a more detailed type of echolocation through solid, earthy materials.

System:Digbie

---

Reoth

On the Hunt (D2)
@Kangutso

---

Reoth’s well aimed poison spit struck his target in the back, coating its wings and making them too heavy to fly with. The Pixie managed to control the speed of its descent, yelping in surprise, but while it was clearly hurt it didn’t seem like the actual venom had taken any effect. The creature looked around fearfully before it caught sight of the white lizard, and then took off at a run. But with the weight of the poison still dripping from it, and Reoth’s natural agility, it seemed like he could easily overtake it...

---

Ash, Naji, Scott

Nearby the Pool (D2)
@Rune_Alchemist@ghastlyInc@CollectorOfMyst

---

As Scott took Ash’s claw and used it to make scratches upon a pebble, the lizard could feel a distinct tingling passing from the pixie’s hands, through her claw, and into the stone. What was more, once he started to actually make specific markings on the rock she felt a second type of tingling. The two feelings were noticeably distinct, but had a slight undercurrent of similarity. Her scientific mind, of course, took in this information as well as what Naji was saying about his own experiences using magic. The sort of “undercurrent,” in what she was feeling actually seemed, according to her memories and previous experiences, to be similar to the pulsations and light one could see and feel coming from the Mana Crystals. The two different frequencies, however, seemed to be associated with two different things--the carving of the stone was one, and whatever flowed into that carving after it was completed was another.

With his Scribe skill completed, Scott would see the pebble glow a soft, soothing green color where he had marked it. The glow suffused the stone, and though it stopped putting off light, its color changed ever so slightly by the same shade as that glow.

1 Pebble added to inventory. This Pebble is enchanted with Minor Heal I.

System:Ash

And her assumptions about her throat pouch were correct--when she swallowed the Mana Crystal, she instinctively must have realized it wasn’t food, or at least her body did. Somewhere a sort of fleshy flap opened up within her jaws, under her chin, and the Mana Crystal fit snugly into it before the valve closed and left her free to eat or possibly store even more items.

---

Xiao Mei, Asteria

Exploring Near Crystals and Cave Walls (D1)
@SilverPaw@Jobst
The poison spit hit the stony floor with a hiss as the rats scattered, with only Asteria being caught in the splash zone. But as she rolled in the dirt to neutralize the venom, her Mother pounced upon the stronger looking of the two lizards. A vicious melee of fang and claw began, fur and scales thrashing against one another.

Ria closed in lightning fast on the wounded lizard, slamming it headfirst and rolling it onto its back. As she leaped onto the exposed underside and took a big bite, the lizard gave one last thrash, then went still.

Meanwhile, Xiao Mei sneaked behind the lizard engaged with her mother, and attacked it the same way her sister had attacked the mother lizard back in the nest. She too felt the sweet thrill of success as she landed upon the lizard’s back, sinking her claws into its eyes. As it was blinded it flailed wildly with its tail, but Mother Rat soon put her own paws on its head and shoved it to create an opening for her fangs. As the adult Dire Rat sank her teeth into the other monster’s arteries and clung on, the last of its life faded in its wild death throes.

Then, Xiao Mei and Asteria both received an interesting message.

LEVEL UP!

Your experiences have culminated into power. You are now Level 2. You have gained Skill Points you can distribute as you please.

Unspent Skill Points:
5

Current Skills:
Beast Sense I (1.4)
Deception I (1.2)
<UNUSABLE> Monster Analysis (0.8) <UNUSABLE
<UNUSABLE> Dextrous (0.1) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Muffle (0.1) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Faster (0.1) <UNUSABLE>

System:Xiao Mei

LEVEL UP!

Your experiences have culminated into power. You are now Level 2. You have gained Skill Points you can distribute as you please.

Unspent Skill Points:
5

Current Skills:
Beast Sense I (1.3)
Faster I (1.2)
<UNUSABLE> Monster Analysis 0.4 <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Dextrous 0.1 <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Poison Resistance 0.1 <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Muffle 0.2 <UNUSABLE>

System:Asteria

---

Edward

Battle Royale (D1)
@Searat

---

As Ed stealthily tried to make his way behind his chosen target, the battle raged on. The Goblin went down just as predicted, and the Slime had soon made short work of one of the other Dire Rats. The remaining rodent leaped off the Goblin’s back at the Slime, but in mid air the Fanged Lizard shot it with another poisonous missile. As the dire rat fell to the ground, the Slime pounced on it, though it didn’t seem to realize it was taking in even more poison after already being dosed a few times itself.

With the weakened lizard distracted, Ed came down on it from behind and sank his powerful jaws into its neck just behind the head. His teeth, curved and long like most rats, pierced its jugular deeply. The lizard began to thrash, and threw itself into a roll across the hard, stony floor--but to no avail. Only a little rougher for wear after the prey had carried him in that mad fit, Ed rose once again victorious!

LEVEL UP!

Your experiences have culminated into new power. You are now Level 2. You have gained skill points to distribute as you please.

Unspent Skill Points:
5

Current Skills:
Beast Sense (1.2)
<UNUSABLE> Muffle (0.2) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Material Analysis (0.2) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Magic Analysis (0.1) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Monster Analysis (0.4) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Faster (0.1) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Rabid Fit (0.3) <UNUSABLE>

System:Ed

Meanwhile, the slime finished off its own opponent. Now there were only two. The Slime was much bigger than Ed, but at the same time its body wobbled almost drunkenly as the poison inside it bubbled...

---

Asura, Edith

On The Trail (D2)
@Kazemitsu@ShwiggityShwah

---

As the two slimes tried to make their appeals to the larger blue blob, it stopped just short of coming down to them from the ledge. It seemed to focus on Asura for a few moments, the surface of its membrane wobbling thoughtfully. When Edith began to sing it shifted slightly towards her, and the ripples seemed to change in rhythm to her voice.

Slowly, a single pseudopod formed from the creature. It reached out, almost delicately, and just barely touched Asura, just enough to wobble him like a plate of jello.

And he felt it.

Familiar. Me not me. Me big me. Me not me then small me.

Then the blue slime did the same to Edith.

Not Familiar. But not me hurt hurt me. Noise. Me confusion?

The slime’s pseudopods retracted and it wobbled again, tilting from side to side.

---

Lorek, Danny

The Pool (D1)
@Bishop@Duthguy

---

Danny decided to flee rather than fight, and the pixie seemed somewhat surprised by this decision. As the Wisp rushed away, the small fairy shrugged its shoulders and decided to seek its fun elsewhere.

By the time the two wisps reconverged, Lorek was already looking for Healing Herbs, and had found at least one. But as he picked it with what little Lesser Force he could muster, several brown seed pods fell from its underside. A few more seeds in the area had either fallen when other herbs were picked, or had naturally grown mature, so there were lots of little green sprouts around. But the full grown, and presumably fully effective, herbs had become quite scarce at this point, with literally only a few handfuls remaining.

[[At this point your interaction is up to you, until you’re ready for a random encounter or one happens upon you.]]

---

Jason

The Hole in the Wall (D2)
@Guy0fV4lor

---

As Jason seemed to vomit his own stomach acids at the Wisp, the creature was appropriately taken aback by such a thing. It dodged out of the way of the acidic slime, before grabbing up that fallen Mana Crystal as Jason tumbled down the tunnel back towards his base. Sensing that it had him on the ropes, the Wisp chased after the panicking slime…

Only to have the door shut in its face, quite literally, as Jason used a Rock Spire. The Wisp was caught between a rock and a pointy place. With a sickening crunch and splatter, Jason’s opponent indeed showed its face--but that was the only part of it that had made it through before the spire had sealed off the opening.

Three of his crystals were gone, and he hadn’t even gotten the chance to engage Crispy. What was more, he’d have to figure out how to unseal his tunnel now. But he had survived! He had been caught off guard by an enemy equipped with his weakness, on disadvantageous terrain, and lived through the experience.

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

Xiao Mei, Asteria

Exploring Near Crystals and Cave Walls (D1)
@SilverPaw@Jobst
As Xiao Mei rushed back to the safety of her mother’s side, Asteria tried to ward off the two Fanged Lizards that Lorek had tried and failed to hunt. But rather than scare them, it seemed she instead attracted their attention. One of the Lizards was clearly hurt, so they must have taken her hiss as a sign of aggression rather than one of warning. Instinctively, they sought to keep more potential attackers at bay, and both once again launched their Poison Spit at the group of rats.

Mother Rat would no longer be calmed by her offspring, and with a snarl of her own she leaped away from the oncoming globs. With that well known rodent agility, she landed on a nearby rock and then bounded off again, teeth gnashing and claws slashing. She didn’t even look to see if her two daughters would follow her into the fray, or if they had been struck by the poison...

---

Edward

Battle Royale (D1)
@Searat
Ed jumped off the rocks and fell upon the Wisp with ravenous fury. The creature squealed as his fangs bit into it and his claws slashed at it. Wisps, as he had just seen with Mei’s sneak attack, were not the most physically sturdy of creatures. With this one having just been hit by the goblin’s rock, it was no match for the already physically powerful Dire Rat.

As Ed finished off the Wisp, the rest of the battle continued to rage. The first of the other Dire Rats, the one that had been bludgeoned, shook itself off and once more launched itself at the goblin. The green creature managed to get his hands up in time to defend himself, but the rat still sank its fangs into the meaty part of one hand. The goblin screamed, but tightened his grip and then attempted to smash the rat--in the process using it as a makeshift bludgeon on the still-entwined Slime and Fanged Lizard. Both of the creatures reacted in shock at the blow, separating from one another. The Slime didn’t seem too awfully worse for wear, aside from the fact that the lizard’s acidic spit seemed to be continually damaging it, but the Fanged Lizard was shaky on its feet. It fired a glob of poison spit right into the goblin’s eyes--just as the second dire rat that had been shot by the Wisp ran up the green monster’s back and sank its teeth into the greenskin’s neck. The Slime, meanwhile, now grappled with the first Dire Rat. With the other rodent already weakened, it seemed almost too easy for the slime to begin enveloping and crushing the life out of it.

The goblin would be down any moment, as would the other rat, but the lizard, the slime, and the second rat still had some fight in them despite their weakness...If Ed played his cards right he could get a second kill, but did he want to risk charging into the melee…?

---

Asura, Edith

On The Trail (D2)
@Kazemitsu@ShwiggityShwah
As Asura and Edith rolled away from the pool and followed the trail into the darker area of the caverns, they soon moved away from the green herbs. The moss, however, continued to grow here. It seemed that with the darkness and dank, there was some slight ground water dripping from the stalactites above them. It made a good environment for the algae or fungus, whatever it was. And the trail continued, no matter how thick the spongy green carpet became.

But soon their rounded forms, spinning just a little too fast for their “eye” sight to register in time, softly bumped into something and bounced off. When they unfurled themselves, they would see that they had come to a simple rock ledge--if they had still been human, it would have been no more than a step or two high.

On top of the ledge was a flat shelf, where less moss grew. But it was hard to see much else, as the cave had become almost pitch black at this point.

Something big burbled out of the darkness. Something that sounded like a rat squeaked once, then went silent with a squelch. As if sensing the presence of two more creatures, the big burbling thing came forward.

A blue slime, easily twice and a half as big as Asura or Edith, slowly lurched towards them out of the darkness…

---

Lorek, Danny

The Pool (D1)
@Bishop@Duthguy
As Lorek ran away, he at least managed to use one of his crystals to restore his MP. But his HP was still in dire straits, and what was more as he ran he blindly found himself now over the watery pool from before. At least he was out of range of anything except other wisps now, as the lizards couldn’t seem to spit as far as he could shoot his magic. But the green herbs were getting very thin here, there might not be many of them left.

Angrily, he cursed the wretched vermin who had done this to him. The rage and hatred, the metaphysical blackness that burned his soul like bile that refused to come up, came to a boil inside him…

You are experiencing a fast rate of Skill Progression.
Your Curse Affinity grants you a higher growth for one of your skills.
Your experiences have granted you a new skill!
Skill Gain: Curse Word I
The simplest form of curse, using your words to focus all of your malice upon a target. By channeling your power through these words you obtain a true “curse,” causing your opponent to take slightly more damage from a single attack that hits them afterward.

System:Lorek

Meanwhile, as Danny rushed to help his fellow Wisp, he let himself get too focused on someone else’s needs. He neglected to watch his surroundings, and it cost him…

He and the random Pixie collided with one another, nearly knocking both of them out of the air. As they each shook it off, the pixie made angry sounding, childlike noises at him, before dive bombing him with a flying kick as its wings fluttered...

---

Jason

The Hole in the Wall (D2)
@Guy0fV4lor

---

As Jason used Stone Shot to shoot the severed Goblin hand inside him, the Wisp let loose its second Mana Orb. The two projectiles collided in the tunnel, and the result was a sudden splatter of goblin flesh and blood, and the slight clatter of bones against the cavern walls. Jason managed to flatten himself against the tunnel floor, and surged forward in an attempt to get under the Wisp. The Wisp, unsure whether or not this was an attack of some sort, pressed itself closer to the ceiling of the small chamber. But as the two avoided each other, and Jason achieved his goal of getting back towards the entrance of the tunnel, the Wisp managed something he hadn’t seen yet.

He had seen enough of other Wisps in the cave at this point to realize that they only had a few Mana Orbs to shoot before they ran out of MP. However, if they were out of MP, how did they continue to float? Or return to floating after only a few moments, without actually using a Mana Crystal? It stood to reason then, that some of their magic could be activated with very little MP, or perhaps didn’t rely JUST on magic to function. Much like someone who has exercised themselves to exhaustion can often take a deep breath and get in just one more repetition, the Wisp strained itself just once more.

Its Lesser Force grabbed a gooey chunk of Jason’s body and squeezed. A single Mana Crystal, like a soap bar under pressure, shot out of the green slime’s membrane and clattered to the floor between the two combatants...

---

Rain

Nearby the Bonfire (D2)
@Old Amsterdam

---

As Rain pumped her skillpoints into Poison Glob...there was no notification that she had gained a new skill yet. It had been at 0.1, and she had pumped 5 points into it...but no Skill Gain. What was up with that?

But, she successfully stealthed her way closer to the bonfire, where she could observe Crispy and that female hunter from before as they seemed to be talking about a trade of some sort. That female goblin was oddly eloquent for some reason. And the last time Rain had seen her, she had been chasing Ash after the Lizard Tribunal’s hasty dispersal. What could that mean for Rain’s other allies…?

She managed to get within range. One of the goblins moved suddenly, but he was looking up at the ceiling, not at her. And it looked like Crispy had discarded his torch for the moment, and was focused on what the female was doing...

---

Orchid

Looking to Trade (D2)
@Lucius Cypher

---

”I can make something you do not have. But to make it, I need something only you have.” Crispy looked at her clay, then followed her gaze to his torch. He raised an eyebrow, and took in a breath. ”I want to know how you make fire. Your magic. I try to make fire but it is hard and difficult. I know fire can do muchz make much. With fire…” Crispy started to say something, but then stopped. “We goblins can be so much stronger. But only if I know how you made it, how you control it. Teach me, and I shall teach you what I know.”

Crispy held up his torch and cleared his throat--

”I have been in this cave for only a week. But I have seen much. And I know how much of a struggle it is for us goblins. We don’t have magic. We aren’t strong. And a lot of us aren't that smart.” The flame-touched goblin furrowed his brows. Orchid looked to the three goblins who were obviously just here as muscle. She removed the makeshift bandage on her shoulder to show the goblins her scars. Though the herbs healed most of the damage they could still see the ugly hole where she was stabbed.

“Alone we are weak. A few of us might become strong, like Rattleskull or you, Crispy. But if we don’t work together and share our power? We will die, like all the other goblins before us. Teach me how you make fire. And I will teach you how to make weapons, armor, and many things that will make us goblins rule this cave. And then the world!”

“YOU TALKS TOO MUCH!” Crispy flailed with his torch and stomped his foot for a moment. He gave Orchid an “evil eye” before he finally got to say his own piece. “And...how you talks so good and so much? You only been borned a week...you already hunt? Made dat sword? Made fire?” Now the fiery goblin seemed more suspicious than anything. He dipped a finger in Orchid’s clay and rubbed it for a moment, then stood straight again. “Hmm…” He finally turned back to his fire, putting what was left of his torch back into the blaze before turning back to Orchid with crossed arms.

“You weird, youngling. But show little bit of what you trying to trade. I’ll teach den.” He gestured towards the bonfire with his head. “You can has wood if you needs it. But just a little!”

One of the three goblins glanced upward. He looked like he had seen something--or rather, like he thought he had seen something, but upon actually looking couldn’t really find anything...

---

Digbie, Mourningstar, Oberon, Orochi

The First True Party!? (D2)
@King Cosmos@CriticalHit@Gardevoiran@floodtalon

---

As Mourningstar practiced refining her Mana Orb using what she had learned from Mana Shape, the orb came out with a slightly different shape. Rather than a perfectly round sphere, it became elongated and somewhat thinner. It took on a crescent shape, and once fired, spun through the air more like a thrown blade than a straightforward projectile. But doing it that way took significantly more effort, and as of yet it didn’t seem to have any real effect on what the orb actually did...perhaps with practice she could continue to refine that thinner edge, or increase its speed…

Oberon, on the other hand, took a less hands-on approach at first. His first step was to use his Magic Analysis skill until he understood what Mourningstar was doing. For the second step, he took a calming, almost meditative route and did some introspection over his own magic and how it felt to use it, to manipulate it. He compared it with his observations, with what he had learned. And only then, after coming up with a clear image in his mind, did he begin to practice.

Skill Rank Up: Magical Analysis II
Gain more detail about Magic oriented Skills and Spells. Lose less effectiveness when analyzing Monsters, Materials, etc so long as they are magically inclined.

You are experiencing a fast rate of Skill Progression.
Your use of Magical Analysis grants you further insight into the nature of a spell!
Your practice has culminated in a new skill!

Skill Gain: Mana Orb I
A simple blast of magic. At the moment it only does as much damage as a strong punch on average, unless the enemy is weak to magic. As it gets stronger it becomes a generic, non elemental energy blast.

System:Oberon

As he threw his concentrated ball of Mana, he felt it practically jump from his hand. With an almost angry sounding crackle, it crashed into one of the rocks nearby and singed it before dispersing. Success!

Hyrule's Civil War (Zelda RP)

@Product
Any chance of an ETA on the next update?

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

Xiao Mei, Asteria, Edward, Lorek, Danny

Exploring Near Crystals and Cave Walls (D1)
@SilverPaw@Jobst@Bishop@Searat@Duthguy

---

While the group made conversation, Lorek suddenly yoinked two of the few crystals remaining in the cluster, and made off towards what seemed to be just a random lizard that had come across the group and decided it best not to interfere with such a gathering. For whatever reason--the hunt, or perhaps solely to practice on a living target--Lorek was off in pursuit, and he focused all of his energy into a single Mana Orb. He could only cast it twice to begin with, but the essential effect seemed to be that he simply layered one sphere of energy on top of the other. It popped like an electrical surge as it raced through the air, striking the Fanged Lizard in the back. The creature squealed as it was knocked over, rolling until it came to a stop with its legs kicking in the air. It was severely wounded, and struggling to right itself…

You have no MP remaining.

System:Lorek

But just as Lorek might have prepared to consume a crystal or further engage his target, Xiao Mei suddenly pounced from behind with a startling cry. Why was she attacking? Was she scared? Had she mistaken Lorek’s intentions? There was no time to discover why, but Lorek barely registered her shout before he felt the sharp pain of her incisors penetrating his body. The soft, spongy flesh beneath the aura of his glow gave way like a cream-filled pastry, only instead of sugary goodness and synthetic egg batter it was his very life’s blood filling his attacker’s mouth. As Xiao Mei fell back to earth and took a piece of him with her, Lorek was left in a very bad situation.

WARNING! Your HP is low!

System:Lorek

And with this, chaos broke out among the tiny group. Ed took off at a run, darting between the rocks in the way his instincts told him would provide cover from predators. Danny seemed to freeze up, his indecision over who to side with and what to do turning him into a statue. Mother Rat dropped onto all fours, hackles raising with an angry hiss as she sensed that they were about to hunt the weakened Wisp, but then Asteria tried to calm her down. The vermin matriarch looked at her offspring in confusion, tilting her head, then looked back at Xiao Mei and Lorek with the same lack of understanding. For now she stood down, but there was a tenseness to her body that told she was ready to spring at any time. Her ears twitched warily in Danny’s direction, and her tail lashed back and forth like a coiling whip.

Meanwhile, the Fanged Lizard Lorek had attacked managed to flip itself over--and what was more, another Fanged Lizard came rushing out of the rocks this one had been running towards. A mate, perhaps? Both of them seemed focused on the heavily wounded Wisp, and each spat a glob of poison through the air at him. In the sudden rush of adrenaline all around the group, the purple spheres of hissing ooze seemed to travel in an arc towards Lorek in slow motion…

And things certainly didn’t calm down for Edward, either, after he took off running. Though with his burst of speed he soon left the group behind, he suddenly found himself stumbling upon something even more potentially dangerous. In the early morning of the cave, those who woke up first had the advantage. A good night’s sleep was healing, and those who got the drop on any creature that was still groggy could easily score themselves a meal for the day. In this race of survival, in a cave filled with so many different creatures, every so often a situation like this would occur.

That is, a total free for all.

In front of Ed unfolded a bloody scene. Two Dire Rats, not at all dissimilar to the two females and their mother he had just left, were acting as a pack and attempting to hunt a Goblin. The Goblin had nothing to its name but a blunt looking rock clutched in one fist, which it used to bludgeon the first rat that leaped at it. But the second rat darted in from behind and, with its densely muscled body and its sharp fangs and claws, tore a chunk of flesh from the meaty part of the goblin’s calf. The green creature screamed and went down to one knee, not quite out of the fight but certainly crippled for the moment. However, before the second dire rat could go in for the kill, a Wisp seeking to take advantage of the situation shot it with a Mana Orb from afar, hitting the unaware creature in the side and knocking it over. The goblin turned at the sound of the magic sparks, and in what seemed to be panic simply threw its rock--which landed right on target, knocking the Wisp to the ground in what seemed like a daze. Then, in a seemingly unrelated event, a Fanged Lizard and a Slime literally wrapped together in mortal combat--the slime trying to digsest the lizard, the lizard’s caustic venom coating the slime’s outer surface and discoloring it as the poison damaged it over time--came tumbling over a rock and rolled right down into the middle of the melee.

Each of these creatures seemed severely weakened as they struggled with one another. Would Ed join the bloodbath, or wait for them to notice him?

---

Asura, Edith, Scott

The Pool (D2)
@Kazemitsu@ShwiggityShwah@CollectorOfMyst

Your efforts have produced a Skill!
Skill Gain: Limited Shapeshift I
By practicing the manipulation of your body, which Slimes are naturally predisposed for, you gained this skill. You cannot alter the total size, texture, or consistency of your body. You also cannot alter your body’s primary qualities--you cannot become “sharp” or “hard,” for example. At this level, complex structures are too difficult. But making yourself into a rolling sphere, a flat puddle, or shaping your pseudopods would all be possibilities, plus more. This skill consumes Stamina, not MP.

System:Edith

As Edith finally managed to paddle her way out of the pool, all but the unfortunate fish she had managed to catch darted away from her in fright. Down, down in the depths of the pool, something that might have been a much bigger fish, or something else, began to drift across the bed deep below the water. But now she heard a voice, and called out to it.

As Scott flew nearby the pool, towards the oddly behaving Fanged Lizard he had seen, he would hear the slime’s softer and more feminine voice--something rather unusual in this new world of gruff growls and shrill squeaks--calling out to him. Sound carried better over the water, so it wasn’t quite clear how far or how close the two were to each other, but if the flying pixie looked he could probably see the two slimes, as each of them were a fairly bright color amidst the dark rocks and the green plantlife.

There was, as Edith had surmised, indeed a series of trails through the herbs and moss growing around the banks of the pool and along the cave grounds. Several creatures, including slimes, had passed through here in the last long while...but if the specific slime they were looking for was the one that had produced offspring, it stood to reason that it would probably be bigger. And there was indeed one slime trail, like a railroad leading towards the trainyard, that was easily two or three times bigger than the others. It led off into the distance, into a darker corner of the cave far away from the bonfire, the entrance, and the pool, towards an area even seemingly without any Mana Crystals...

---

Jason

The Hole in the Wall (D2)
@Guy0fV4lor

---

As Jason opened up the entrance to his little hidey hole the first time, and left to gather Mana Crystals and munch on goblin remains, he did not become aware upon re-entering his home base that something else had come in while he was away. Without a second thought towards his own security, he blocked himself in, grabbed several of the crystals from his storage, and began working on his tunnel. His unknown houseguest watched from its hiding place, a crevice in the rock wall it had forced its body into in order to hide from Jason’s sight. It was puzzled at first, as of course it didn’t understand what this oddly behaving Slime was doing, or even how it was doing such a thing as tunneling through the very walls of the cave. But as Jason disappeared into the tunnel and began to work his way upward, the creature quietly moved out of the crevice and, with slow and careful efforts, made for itself an exit in the rock pile Jason used as the impromptu door of his shelter. Jason didn’t seem to notice if any of the rocks tumbled or made a sound, and now the thing had a way out in case things went badly for it. Even a wild animal knew enough to always have an escape route ready.

By this time Jason had almost completed his tunnel to a proper sniper’s bay--but before he could set his finger on the trigger, so to speak, with Crispy in his sights...something hot and painful seared into him from behind!

In the tight, cramped corners of the cave, it was difficult for him to turn, much less to fight. And now, as he did turn, the Wisp staring at him from the opposite end of the tunnel chittered in what seemed to be a laugh of triumph, before it began to glow with another prepared Mana Orb aimed right at Jason’s slimy face...

---

Rain

Nearby the Hole in the Wall (D2)
@Old Amsterdam

---

As Rain pooled venom in her mouth, unknowingly doing the opposite of Ash who had tried to make her shots smaller and faster, she lobbed a huge glob of poison at the unwary Pixie. It almost didn’t go quite high enough--but she managed to splatter her target in the back as it fluttered along.

It wasn’t quite clear what was worse, the way the Pixie’s scream sounded so much like a human child, or the way the acid began to eat and burn away at the flesh in such a sickening manner...or the way something crunched and broke when the Pixie’s tiny body, its wings slathered in acid, fell to the ground.

At least Rain’s second shot put a swift end to the creature’s misery. Though now she had to deal with looking at parts of its exposed skeleton as the acid ate even further at the flesh.

LEVEL UP!

Your experiences have culminated into new power. You gain Skill Points you may use as you please!

Unspent Skill Points:
5

Current Skills:
Stung Fang I (1.4)
Poison Spit I (1.4)
Muffle II (2.2)
<UNUSABLE> Crafting (0.2) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Alchemy (0.4) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Alert (0.3) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Stealth Kill - (0.2) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Poison Glob (0.1) <UNUSABLE>

System:Rain

---

Orchid

Looking to Trade (D2)
@Lucius Cypher

---

As Orchid headed for the bonfire, Crispy was there as always, though there were only three other goblins in sight. These had been assigned the duty of chopping and splitting what wood was left into smaller pieces, perhaps in the mistaken belief that having more pieces of wood meant that the fire could be kept burning longer. They whittled away with sharpened stones, but as Orchid approached--not only wearing rudimentary clothes, not only carrying what was possibly the coolest weapon any of them had seen, and not only being female but also carrying an odd lump of clay--they all stopped what they were doing and looked up with awe. Even Crispy stopped dancing in front of his fire to look at her.

“Oi! You da only youngling dat made it back?” The goblin now took her in fully, and put one yellow tipped finger on his chin in thought. “Huh, you...you done good, huh?” Seeming to appraise her, he walked around in a circle. “Did you make dat?” he pointed at the sword. “And...what’s all da mud for?” The goblin seemed extremely interested in what had transpired since the last time he saw Orchid, but it didn’t look like he was going to immediately try and take her items from her--possibly because he didn’t understand what she was doing with them yet, and possibly because he didn’t seem to use many weapons of his own aside from the torch he was always carrying--which by now was beginning to burn a little short. His interest seemed to be that solely of one intellectual towards another...for a given value of intellectual, at least.

---

Digbie, Mourningstar, Oberon, Orochi

The First True Party (D2)
@King Cosmos@CriticalHit@Gardevoiran@floodtalon

---

As Digbie did what he was best at throughout the night, his line of thinking seemed to pay off.

You are experiencing a fast rate of Skill Progression.

System:Digbie

But by morning all this digging was taking its toll.

Your Stamina is low. You are exhausted. You are thirsty. You are hungry. Your MP is depleting.

System:Digbie

Nonetheless, he had gotten quite far with his tunneling, and now his little base camp could perhaps be considered an actual sub-cave, easily big enough for himself and all his companions to sleep in and perhaps store some loot. Of course, its opening was far too large at the moment...and what was he going to do with all this loose dirt that he had been digging out?

While Oberon presumably slept and Orochi spoke of getting breakfast, Mourningstar had risen early and, seemingly ignoring Digbie, began to practice the same magical activity she had attempted yesterday--and this time she had better results.

Your efforts have earned a new skill!

Skill Gain: Mana Shape I
You can shape your raw Mana into the appearance of something. At this rank, your Mana does not have weight, force, or other physical qualities. Your Mana cannot produce sounds. Your Mana cannot move freely. Your mana can have its color changed. Your shapes must be relatively simple with no moving parts. The shape cannot be held for long without more MP.

Mourningstar

But now she turned her attention from that task to using her Magic Analysis on Digbie.

You used Magic Analysis I!
Magic Analysis I’s effectiveness is reduced to 25%. This is a Monster.
You have analyzed this Monster before. Effectiveness increases to 35%.

This is a Goblin. Goblins are capable of Magic. This Goblin is unusual. He has one magically oriented skill. His skill seems related to the Earth element.

Mourningstar

---

Reoth

On the Hunt (D2)
@Kangutso

---

As Reoth tried to make his way across the cave, he would often find it difficult to stay out of sight from other predators. His white body stood out like a sore thumb among the darker colored rocks, and even in dark places would reflect the soft lights from any nearby Mana Crystals. But, he did eventually get good enough and fast enough that he could work about as well as any other Fanged Lizard--it just became very clear that, going forward, he would probably need to do a little extra work to remain hidden.

His hunt for something more filling than bugs, however, soon found him stalking a different kind of buzzing thing. A Pixie, roughly a foot tall with brightly colored hair, flitted through the air with its dragonfly wings like a dancer. It seemed to be paying little attention to the ground, and the white lizard, below it...

---

Ash, Naji

Nearby the Pool (D2)
@Rune_Alchemist@ghastlyInc

---

Ash found the Mana Crystal easy enough to break off, and as she did so the poor, nearly starved pixie inside the crevice was finally free! A voice, calling to them from somewhere closer to the pool, echoed across the cave--but it seemed that same voice was answered by another nearer to the water, one that sounded distinctively feminine--even more than Ash. Then again, she probably wasn’t given to adding such a sickly sweet facade to her conversations.

As she intently examined the Crystal, her newly upgraded Alchemy Skill activated.

You used Alchemy II!
Effectiveness reduced to 80%. This is a solid Material, though it can be used in Alchemy.
---Mana Crystal---
Small Item. Solid. Crystalline. Brittle, can be easily broken or powdered. Low Hardness, can be easily scratched and does not hold up well against pressure. Very Low Sharpness, will not hold an edge. Magical, highly reactive, non-elemental. Mostly Stable.
You have used this item once in a reaction with Fanged Lizard Venom.
---Analysis Complete---

System:Ash

Meanwhile, though he was free, Naji had some problems of his own to deal with.

Your Stamina is very low. You are exhausted. You are dehydrated. You are Starving. Your MP is almost depleted. Your HP is starting to deplete.

System:Naji

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

@Duthguy
Like Kazemitsu said, Rattleskull's children are goblins because he reproduced with goblins. If Rattleskull were to find another evolved goblin of the same species as himself, his offspring would instead be of his own species.

I decided on such a thing because that way monster populations aren't interdependent on each other to survive. Orcs can feud with Goblins or Hobgoblins without wiping themselves out, because not all Orcs begin life as Goblins or pass through the Hobgoblin stage. As long as there are enough Orcs to maintain genetic diversity--regardless of what those Orcs started their lives as--they can reproduce with each other to create more Orcs.

Some monsters have specific reproductive capabilities that keep them from being wiped out in a world that is constantly fighting and killing them, or their reproduction involves magic in some fashion so it's a little different, etc. For instance, Goblins are known as rapidly reproducing pests, so they're killed a lot. A male goblin can produce viable offspring with various other species, but in most cases--such as humans, elves, etc--the child will always be a goblin. This adaption means even though a single party of adventurers might wipe out a whole tribe, a single straggler would have enough reproductive options to keep the species from going extinct.

The details have some rather disturbing implications, but hey what's a fantasy world without some lore?

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

Xiao Mei, Asteria, Edward, Lorek, Danny

Exploring Near Crystals and Cave Walls
@SilverPaw@Jobst@Bishop@Searat@Duthguy

---

Mother Rat watched these going-ons with a wary curiosity. The male rat being submissive was not surprising to the mother--this one was still small, no older than her own offspring. When he rolled over to show them his belly she leaned in for a cursory sniff, then turned away. So long as he was no threat, there was no reason to fight. He had submitted, so his territory could be safely passed through. When the Wisps showed up, however, she raised her hackles and the hair on her back with a hiss. But the Wisps didn't attack...and then, they began to make some strange noise! Her offspring even answered in kind! Mother Rat's head turned this way and that in confusion. Were they not going to fight these other creatures that had entered their territory? Or hunt them? Hunting the Wisps was dangerous, though--they could fly above where the rats could jump, and they could shoot painful orbs of magic from far away. Mother Rat knew this from long years in the cave. Were her children distracting the Wisps, keeping them low to the ground so they could hunt them more easily?

Mother Rat reared up onto her hind legs, and looked about their surroundings. She didn't see any other Wisps approaching, so it didn't seem like these ones were with a pack. She also didn't see any other monsters, aside from those in the distance near the hurt-lights or hiding among the rocks. It was night time, now--prime hunting time, but she and her offspring had already hunted and eaten their fill. It might be better to go to ground until morning, to conserve their energy.

She turned and squeaked at the three rats, once for each of them.

[[Past this point, you're free to interact on your own until you're ready for time skip or unless you're looking for more random encounters.]]

---

Asura, Edith

Unknown Location
@Kazemitsu@ShwiggityShwah
Asura was able to force himself into the rat's body, but his shapeshifting skill wasn't quite so good yet at the precision work required to fit into articulate spaces like joints and organs, nor was he able to condense himself as well; that is, he could not "squeeze" himself tighter past a certain point. A metaphor would be that, no matter how much a fat man sucks in his guts, he cannot give himself a six pack. The red slime would need more control before he could achieve his dream of a meat puppet, but at least he had pulled a Ton-Ton on Hoth maneuver and found himself a relatively safe place to sleep.

At least until someone tried to eat the body he was in.

[[Past this point, you're free to interact on your own until you're ready for time skip or unless you're looking for more random encounters.]]

---

Jason, Rain

The Hole in the Wall

---

Upon using Tremor Sense on the odd green crystal, Jason received a sharp, high pitched ringing like a tuning fork in return. It wasn't quite enough to be painful, but it didn't relay any immediately useful information either. By touching it, however, he could feel that it was virtually the same kind of crystal as the Mana Crystals--the only difference was how much bigger, and therefore thicker and sturdier, it was. It could probably still be broken into smaller pieces, but it would require significantly more force. Pulling the whole thing out of the ground was definitely a no-go, it had to weigh at least a hundred pounds. It also felt similar to a Mana Crystal, in terms of its aura and the pulsating energies within it, but it also felt...different. Less...refined, perhaps?

But soon he, and Rain as well, were fast asleep...

---

Orchid, Ash

On the Hunt
@Rune_Alchemist@Lucius Cypher

---

As Ash and Orchid collapsed, both exhausted, they might have begun to wonder idly why the System hadn't seemed to respond yet. Could it be that there was some sort of timer in place, or that it wouldn't trigger in mid-battle? Or maybe they just hadn't garnered any results yet? Or, could it possibly be the other way around--what if it were possible to outpace the system, to accomplish things at such a rate that the notifications effectively "lagged?" But if there was lagging...what other implications did that have for this world?

Or maybe they didn't wonder any of that, and simply slept like logs. Regardless, they certainly had plenty of messages in the morning.

You have gained a Crafted Item: Rawhide Pack! This item may rot or tear if not preserved correctly. This object can hold 5 Small Items; in total with your Throat Pouch, you may now hold 10 Small Items!

LEVEL UP!
Your experiences have culminated into new power! You are now Level 3. You gain Skill Points to spend as you please!

Unspent Skill Points:
10

Current Skills:
Stun Fang I (1.4)
Poison Spit I (1.8)
Alchemy I (1.6)
Overwork I (1.3)
Charisma I (1.0)
<UNUSABLE> Muffle (0.8) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Crafting (0.5) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Alert (0.5) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Venom Shot (0.4) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Blunt Resistance (0.2) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Monster Analysis (0.3) <UNUSABLE>

You have eaten well and gotten a good night's sleep.
HP Fully Restored.
MP Fully Restored.
SP Fully Restored. Your venom sacs were Very Low. They are now Full.

System:Ash

You have learned a new skill!
Skill Gain: Crafting I. Your knowledge and understanding of mechanics, workmanship, and other such things enable you to craft better items. The process of creating many items is still an unknown to you, but if you ever succeed in such a creation its Sub-Stat Enhancements will be higher than normal.

You have learned a new skill!
Skill Gain: Material Analysis I. You have developed an eye for determining the qualities of inorganic or non-living objects. At this level, you will only be able to gain surface information about an object. When used in conjunction with a crafting skill, it may help discover more compatible items.

You have gained a Title!
New Title: Cannibal. You have eaten a member of your own species. The effects of this Title aren't yet clear. Current Title Rank: I

You have gained a Crafted Item: Rawhide Pack! This item may rot or tear if not preserved correctly. This object can hold 5 Small Items. In addition to your limbs, you can now hold up to 12 Small Items!

Skill Rank Up: Crafting II! Crafting Complexity Increased. Stamina Requirement Decreased.

You have gained a Crafted Item: Fanged Sword! This weapon makes you feel slightly stronger and allows you to attack slightly faster! Deals Slashing and Piercing Damage. Requires two hands.

LEVEL UP!
Your experiences have culminated into new power. You have gained Skill Points to spend as you please.

Unspent Skill Points:
5

Current Skills:
Use Light Equipment (--)
Pacify Animal I (1.0)
Stronger I (1.3)
Crafting II (2.7)
Material Analysis I (1.15)
<UNUSABLE> Muffle (0.5) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Deception (0.4) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Charm (0.1) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Monster Analysis (0.9) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Alert (0.2) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Stone Shot (0.3) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Shred (0.3) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Warcry (0.1) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Pierce Resistance (0.4) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Blunt Resistance (0.1) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Blood Drain (0.3) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Taboo (0.5) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Smash (0.5) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Skewer (0.2) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Mental Resistance (0.1) <UNUSABLE>

You have eaten something and have gotten a full night's sleep.
HP is mostly restored.
MP is Fully restored.
SP is Fully restored.

System:Orchid

And soon, the pair would awaken to a new day...

---

Digbie, Mourningstar, Oberon, Orochi

The First True Party!?
@King Cosmos@CriticalHit@Gardevoiran@floodtalon

---

You used Magic Analysis I!
Effectiveness reduced to 75%. This is a Monster using Magic.
Pixies are a magically oriented monster. This pixie has three spells and one magically oriented skill. This pixie is using the skill Magical Analysis, which you also have.

You used Magic Analysis I!
Effectiveness reduced to 25%. This is a Monster.
Goblins are capable of magic. This Goblin is unusual; it possesses one magically oriented skill.

You used Magic Analysis I!
Effectiveness reduced to 25%. This is a Monster.
Fanged Lizards are capable of magic. This Fanged Lizard is unusual; it possesses one spell.

System:Mourningstar

[[Past this point, you're free to interact on your own until you're ready for time skip or unless you're looking for more random encounters.]]

---

Ardur

A Pixie to the Bonfire
@ReusableSword

---

Your practice has increased one of your skills!
Skill Rank Up: Lesser Flight II! Flight speed slightly increased. MP Consumption slightly decreased. Maximum height slightly increased. Maximum distance slightly increased.

System:Ardur

Ardur slept peacefully, and his spiderbro faithfully defended him from all manner of bedbugs, flies, or other such things that might dare threaten his roommate. And when the first rays of light began to creep through the cave, the pixie would awaken to find...

---

Scott

A Short Search [[If you'd like you can join up with any other Day 1 groups. You could also skip ahead fairly easily since you aren't interacting yet.]]
@CollectorOfMyst

---

As Scott searched, he would be able to find the easier food--the small insects and the moss--without much trouble. However, the green herbs that grew in abundance near the pool had begun to thin out considerably. It looked like many other creatures had been searching for resources too. The same was true of the blue, glowing crystals along the walls. There might be enough left to find one or two, but unless he wanted to venture into other creatures' territories it was unlikely he would be able to find more than that, or any cluster big enough to scavenge enough shards from to make up for it.

As for weapons...no matter what he tried, the pixie would soon find that it just didn't seem like any of the materials available to him would work. Rocks were either too big, too heavy, too awkward to fly with, or some combination of all three. Sticks could only be found among the Goblins, who certainly couldn't be messed with at the moment as they were gathered up in bunches around that bonfire. Even then, in order for the foot-tall pixie to use one it would have to be practically a toothpick or drumstick sized. Although his form was vaguely humanoid and, like the goblins, he actually did have opposable thumbs, he was simply too physically small and frail to make any use of even the lightest of weapons. Maybe there was a way to get around this, but he would have to put some effort into it, it seemed...

---

DAWN OF THE SECOND DAY

[[Skip this if you are still interacting.]]

---

The rest of the night inside the cave was relatively uneventful. A few monsters chose to hunt nocturnally, but more often than not they ran into each other rather than the other sleeping species. Being a lone wanderer in the cave environment didn't seem to pay off as much for the normal monsters as it had for some of the Damned Heroes. The goblins took turns sleeping in shifts around the bonfire; Crispy and Rattleskull, however, likely by virtue of being the biggest and meanest, did not have to do such menial tasks as keeping watch. They slept soundly throughout the night, but they were each guarded by a handful of goblins who seemed just a little bit meaner or more experienced than the others, likely older specimens.

But as those few shafts of sunlight changed to moonlight, and as the environment calmed down, the Mana Crystals began to glow a little bit brighter. With sounds like quietly tinkling glass, a shard that had been broken off by some adventurous Wisp pushed up from the ground a full inch. A cluster that had been reduced by one head brought forth another, though it was quite tiny. The remaining crystals in the bunch also grew another inch each. The veins of deeper blue minerals glowed like circuitry in a machine, in rhythmic, silent pulses here and there. Something that seemed like a charge ran through them, traversing the entire maze of the cave. Another hour, another partial inch.

And as the crystals seemed to increase, ambient mana building inside the cave, the Healing Herbs seemed to shiver. A handful of seeds, dropped by some curious creature, sprouted roots. A tiny leaf emerged from each one. Herbs that had been picked off, but hadn't had their roots damaged, sprouted new buds. A few that had been snipped at the leaves grew thicker in their stems and their remaining leaves grew broader.

By the time morning came, and the first few rays of the sun began to creep through cracks and crevices, the cave's resources were probably about half-way recovered from the previous day's harvest. Save for a few parts of the walls where the goblins had completely mined away every last crystal, at least.

Rattleskull awakened the earliest of the goblins, and was the most alert upon first rising. He kicked the rest of them into awareness, quite literally, and gathered up some of the meaner looking ones. Once he had a band of about half a dozen, plus himself, they headed towards the entrance of the cave--only to find it blocked off. Soon a commotion of confusion--about the cave-in, about the dead guards, about their next course of action--began to echo around the area.

Crispy, along with another handful of goblins, began poking at the burned down embers of his bonfire. It had burned well throughout the night, but now was merely the size of a small cookfire. He began adding wood to it, but his pile was growing low. He barked at the mining parties he had been about to send out; today they would join Rattleskull in gathering wood. The crystals still needed time to regrow, after all. As the miners-now-lumberjacks grumbled about their fates and were helped along by a series of angry kicks in the rear, Crispy was soon left with only three guards, whom he seemed to be giving a different kind of instructions...

All around the cave, other monsters began to stir. Because most of them had not hunted during the night, they were hungry. And because they were fresh from sleep, these first few hours would be a time in which they had the most energy. Now, then, would begin a feeding frenzy as they all sought to take advantage of their own healthy state and the still-groggy condition of any late dozers...

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

@Duthguy
Honestly haven't decided on that yet, because I planned for evolved monsters to have offspring of the same species. For instance, two goblins that evolve into hobgoblins, and then into orcs, and then have a child would have an orc child. But would an orc child still be more powerful than an adult goblin due to evolution? Is it born with the same skill build-up of raw stats or other things? I'm still trying to figure some things out and this is one of them. As of right now, though, I'm leaning towards saying that levels won't reset, or at the least you'll have separate levels for each form, and then a total level that's a combination of them.

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

The Discord is here, but I think this link will expire in 24 hours: discord.gg/wwUNvf

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

@Kangutso
It's ultimately up to you, but I think the time-skip is going to be sooner rather than later. Maybe hold off until I post the next update?

@ShwiggityShwah
Accepted! Like you mentioned, she won't be able to take that specific form quite yet in the RP--until other Skills or Forms are obtained for the Slime, they typically remain blobby goo balls. But you can work towards that!

How interesting. Order and Chaos in motion, transitioning seamlessly from one to the other. You were born in a chaotic household, I'm sure. So many children, two parents with full time jobs I'm sure, lots of screaming and struggling and working and never a dull moment--or a calm one, either. In such a chaotic environment, of course you wanted Order. You wanted a System to get what you wanted, and you accomplished those goals no matter what it took. But once you enforced that Order, what did you do with it? You sired four screaming children of your own, you and your husband both worked yourselves to the bone for everything you could get, and ultimately you were right back where you started.

Skill Gain: Deception I
Like other charismatic skills, your personality is almost a magical charm unto itself. You'll have greater luck deceiving others, whether it be through words or sleight of hand.

The Demon King

@Bishop
Rather than ret-conning anything, just have the nearby conversation about "people from Urth" trigger his memories or something. Or just have him awaken them in a dream while sleeping through the night. It's up to you what you do and how, but I'd rather not make any more retroactive changes than necessary.

@CollectorOfMyst
Accepted!

Ah, precious children. The most vicious of monsters, aren't they? Have you ever noticed they never have to be taught to hit, to steal, or to scream? They have to be taught to not do those things, and that those behaviors are bad. The truest indicator of mankind's inherent corruption, don't you think?

Skill Gain: Scribe I
Your imagination and the medium through which it flowed onto the paper has been reborn. This skill's current rank allows the user to take any spell that they know, and inscribe it upon an object. That item can be used to release the spell at any time and by anyone. The same MP cost of the spell, plus the MP cost of this skill, is used up when enchanting the item.

The Demon King