Member
datadogie
Kaithe Dame
TheMushroomLord
Xaltwind
SilverPaw
FulgrimLives
Miv
Sunny Suzuki
hanzo
NyahahamehaXiao Mei, Asteria
Exploring Near Crystals and Cave Walls (D2)
@SilverPaw@Jobst
As Asteria chewed and chiseled her collected bones into the proper shape, she found that though with enough time and effort she could indeed make something resembling a needle out of the bones, she couldn’t seem to give them any kind of edge. The best she could do was use her teeth to knap them, the way cavemen might make arrowheads, but this whittled their already small size down even further. Around half of the bones she worked with even became too brittle, and snapped in half upon her attempts to use them.
And when attempting to use them, she found a few more disappointing facts. For one thing, her spine just didn’t seem quite flexible enough to stand upright yet. The best she could do, when supported by her tail, was a sort of half-hunch--good enough to hold food in her paws and eat, perhaps, but not good enough to fight or walk this way with any frequency. What was more, even with the assistance of her powerful tail, she just didn’t have the strength or balance to remain like this for more than a minute or so at the time. Maybe if she practiced she could build those necessary muscles up, but right now it just didn’t seem viable.
As far as actually using her makeshift weapons went...her little paws did have five “fingers,” but they weren’t structured the right way. The “thumbs” weren’t really opposable the way a human hand would have them, and the palms were meant to be flat against the ground, not gripping or finely manipulating objects. And much like her legs were not strong enough to support her weight for a long time, her “arms” weren’t strong enough or dextrous enough yet to wield a weapon. Even though she stabbed only empty air, she would feel as if she couldn’t really do damage this way, not as she was now. It seemed like most of that “physical power” the Dire Rat specialized in was based around their jaws and overall bodies--she could probably grip something with her paws, giving her a good base and leverage, and then use her jaws in combination with that to rip great chunks of flesh out of her enemies. But becoming a warrior out of Redwall Abbey might take a while…
You are experiencing a fast rate of Skill Progression.
Meanwhile, as Xiao Mei intensely watched her sister, she too would come to some of the same realizations Ria had regarding their capability for crafting and using items. And then she would have another, completely separate revelation.
Your observations have granted you a new skill!
Skill Gain: Monster Analysis I
Flat teeth indicate herbivore, binocular vision implies a predator or gatherer. Allows you to analyze animals and monsters, even those you’ve never seen before. At this rank you'll only learn basic information.
Edward
Battle Royale (D1)
@Searat
Ed nimbly dodged the slime’s last, desperate attack, leaving its flailing pseudopods to slam into the ground behind him. As he leaped on it from another angle the other monster was in the middle of trying to reconstitute its shape--inside its gelatinous body, the purple acid gave one last bubble, like boiling water under which the fire had gone out. As Ed’s fangs and claws tore through the slime’s membrane, however, some of the poison spilled onto him as well--he could feel its sting as it sizzled on his fur. But it seemed he was lucky--the sickness that seemed to overtake creatures hit by the Fanged Lizard’s venom did not seem to infect him.
But burns and bruises aside, the lone Dire Rat now stood victorious amongst this bloodbath. A lizard, two other rats, a wisp, and a goblin--all of these were edible. Only the slime, due to its lack of cohesion and the fact that it was full of poison, probably would not make a befitting meal even for a scavenger like Ed’s rodent self. With no more need to hunt, would he return to the nest? Would he seek out a new home? It was growing very late, and the cave seemed almost pitch black now...
Asura, Edith
On The Trail (D2)
@Kazemitsu@ShwiggityShwah
The blue slime shrank back at the volume of Edith’s voice, but after a moment its blurbles became deeper in tone and it drew itself up to full height again. Then Asura stepped in to play peacemaker, once more extending his pseudopod. The blue slime started to shrink back, but with all its bulk it couldn’t get away in time.
Don't eat us. Help. Protect. Grow stronger.
...Why? You...not me. came the answer. I...not...know. Not know why...I. Don’t eat? If not eat, die. Not want. I...I do not...want...want to.
I do not want to die. Why not eat you? Why you not try eat me?
It seemed like there was some kind of breakthrough possibility here, but the Slime’s level of thinking was still so primitive they were having a hard time getting through. Maybe if one of them was a better communicator, things would be different…
[[If you’d like, you’re in range to see Ash, Naji, Scott, and Danny’s group, and if you wandered a bit you could see the three Dire Rats.]]
Lorek
The Pool (D1)
@Bishop
As Lorek used his Curse Word, the moment he made eye contact with the pixie a sort of power seemed to pass through that connection. The pixie drew its divebomb up short as a black, almost fog like substance began to appear just as the edges of its body, though fading away quickly like a short lived fire’s smoke. But thanks to this, it had already killed its momentum by the time Lorek fired his Mana Orb. With a graceful flip, the gossamer winged creature evaded his attack, then pointed and laughed at him. Then, with a cruel grin, it headed towards him again, this time pulling back its tiny fist for a haymaker--after all, there wasn’t much else its tiny muscles could use to get any real power out of a blow...
Jason
The Hole in the Wall (D2)
@Guy0fV4lor
Jason’s Rock Spire was well placed, and the Fanged Lizard never saw it coming. Its own momentum was helped along by gravity as it sped on its stubby legs down the rocky slope, until the earthen spell ripped out of the ground in front of it and skewered it. The creature let out an awkward squeal as it thrashed, but the spire’s tip had pierced it all the way through and it didn’t have the strength or leverage to pry itself off. It was just a matter of time--sooner rather than later.
As Jason sank low to the ground, preparing himself like a spring, the motley crew of monsters finally seemed to notice his presence. He leaped up in front of the injured wisp, which immediately fired off its Mana Orb. At such a close distance Jason couldn’t dodge, but he also couldn’t stop his own momentum. The magical shot tore through his body, causing him a great deal of pain--but his own gelatinous mass slapped the Wisp down like a glowing volleyball. Its body impacted the ground with a high pitched scream--then it moved no more as he came down on top of it.
He and the other Wisp both spat at the same time--one launched a projectile of bile, the other of sparkling energy. The two missiles collided in mid-air, creating a splatter of vomit and sparkles in the air.
But what about the last slime? Jason had just stolen its prey right out from under it. Same species or not, it did not seem to appreciate this. With an angry squelch the slime imitated Jason’s own move from a moment before, launching itself off the sloping stone floor to try and slam into him...
Rain, Orchid, Digbie, Mourningstar, Oberon, Orochi, Ardur
Flame of Chaos (D2)
@Old Amsterdam@Lucius Cypher@King Cosmos@CriticalHit@Gardevoiran@floodtalon@ReusableSword
You used Monster Analysis I!
---Fanged Lizard---
A reptilian monster with potent venom. When injected via a bite, it acts as a neurotoxin to paralyze the prey. When exposed to the air, it becomes a highly acidic liquid. The lizard can spit at a distance. This one is unusual.
---Analysis Complete!---
With this message in the back of her mind, Orchid called out to her fellow goblins. Two of them moved to obey, flanking Rain the Fanged Lizard from each side--but the third turned back with an angry glare.
“Who you think you give orders to!?” snarled the goblin--just before a stick of firewood sailed over his head far too close for comfort.
“KILL LIZARD!” Crispy howled, and the third goblin turned back to join in.
Just a few feet away, however, another battle was taking place. As the Dire Rat ran over the hill, Orochi darted into action. As he called out a warning to Digbie, he darted across the ground at high speed and snapped his fangs at the rodent. With a surprised squeak, the other monster jumped aside--just as the wider and blunter end of Digbie’s Stone Spike came down on it with a heavy thud. The beast shook itself as it rose back to its feet, obviously injured.
Just in time to be pelted by a Mana Orb. The Dire Rat took the shot head on, the magical projectile boring a hole into its head, though it didn’t have enough force or velocity to come out the other side yet. However, as she blindly fired without checking her target, Mourningstar’s second and third Mana Orbs, as well as her Crystal, were foolishly wasted before she took off screaming bloody murder.
"HEY, ANY HUMANS AROUND?! WE NEED HELP DEALING WITH A REALLY BIG RAT!" Mourningstar shouted as she ran right towards the bonfire. All of the Goblins present suddenly did a double take, and the same one that had protested Orchid’s order stopped chasing Rain outright.
“How dat Wisp talk!?”
"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!"
This time ALL the goblins, save perhaps Orchid, stopped.
“How dat Lizard talk!?” cried the other two pursuers in confusion.
Rain and Mourningstar met in the middle with Oberon not far behind, while Digbie and Orochi were still standing over the Dire Rat’s body. Orchid was now between the three goblins, who were up ahead after Rain, and Crispy who stood at the rear.
“Youngling! Keep eyes on prey!” Crispy held out his hands and began to focus. Flame blossomed between his palms...
Reoth
On the Hunt (D2)
@Kangutso
Seeing the horrors of this new world, Reoth made a vow. He would never again hurt such a creature, another pixie, again unless it attacked him first.
Like this one dive bombing him out of the sky.
With a shrill, indecipherable voice, it chittered at him as it tried to kick him, hard, with both feet while dropping out of the sky at high speed. In the few seconds he had left until impact, Reoth might notice that it bore some similar features, and the same hair color, as the one he had just killed…
[[If you’d like, you are within range to see the group Nearby the Pool, the three Slimes, or if you wandered a bit you’d be close enough to interact with the three Dire Rats.]]
Ash, Naji, Scott, Danny
Nearby the Pool
@Rune_Alchemist@ghastlyInc@CollectorOfMyst@Duthguy
As Ash advanced, leaving the two pixies to take cover, the two goblins seemed to be conversing about something. Whatever it was didn’t seem important, but nonetheless they weren’t paying much attention to their surroundings other than trying to keep their own lizard in line. Could they possibly be trying to domesticate the monster?
Ash darted out from beneath her cover, biting the armed goblin hard. As she used her fangs not just to inject venom, but to rip and tear, the goblin immediately went to one knee with a scream--she had apparently torn his achilles tendon, or something much like it. But, for right now he didn’t seem paralyzed, and he turned to swing haphazardly with that heavy rock right at Ash’s scaly head!
Just then, a Mana Orb flew by from another direction. It struck the goblin who was holding the rawhide leash, right in his hand. Danny’s aim had been slightly off, but the result was the same--the goblin screeched and let go, and the Fanged Lizard suddenly darted between its former master’s legs before imitating Ash. Unlike the soulled lizard, however, it merely nipped long enough to get its fangs into the prey and then withdrew--coincidentally heading towards the same rocks the pixies were hiding behind!
The goblin who had been holding the leash yelped and jumped up and down, alternating between holding his foot and his hand...
