Member
OfTheValley
Tim the Yeti
Crimson Flame
Just a Sim
Elite Minor
datadogie
Kaithe Dame
TheMushroomLord
Xaltwind
SilverPawSCAN COMPLETE. MULTIPLE ERRORS FOUND. ENGAGING SECURITY MEASURES...
SECURITY MEASURES HAVE BEEN OVERRRIDDEN. PLEASE RE-ENGAGE SECURITY MEASURES.
ATTEMPTING TO RE-ENGAGE SECURITY MEASURES...PLEASE WAIT...
ASSIMILATION RATE: 1.9%
ASSIMILATION RATE HAS INCREASED.
ASSIMILATION RATE: 2%
Further south of Jason's Cave, near the dark, shadowy area where Asura had found Momma Slime, another skeleton rose from the ground. Its bones bore no trace of gristle, meat, or fat, but they were old and cracked in places. Some of its teeth were gone, and it walked with a hunch--obviously, this creature had lived much longer ago than the goblin tribe that had just recently been decimated. It had a much longer dig, but immediately after emerging it too turned towards the distant mouth of Jason's Cave. As if following an invisible trail, it headed towards the pool...
Torrent
You are beginning to experience Stamina Drain due to lack of sleep.
As Torrent dug down into the ground, she found that her more developed forelimbs and claws were a fair deal stronger than they had been as a lizard. Moving the earth was easy, even in places where it was hard-packed. Clay and loose rocks could be pried out with her sturdy claws, and her limbs moving through the soil felt like a farmer's sharp trowel or plow gliding through loam. Still, moving enough earth to get her entire body through tunnels wasn't an instant process. She burrowed along at about half the speed she could probably have moved up top...but if she went deeper, wouldn't that allow her to remain hidden even without activating her stealth skills? Then again, while she was down here she was practically blind at the moment--there was no light, only the feeling of the earth all around her, and all she had to rely on for her sense of direction was where she had set herself before entering the earth and her own mental imaging.
As she progressed, she had pointed her nose towards the cave's entrance. Every so often she could hear some sound up above her, but nothing as of yet that would be overly alarming. But as she kept digging, she soon felt the soil becoming more damp. Dark, cold, wet pressure surrounded her. No matter how useful this skill, it wouldn't do her any good if she developed claustrophobia.
Between Jason's Tunnels and the Entrance to the cave, however, there was another obstacle.
Torrent suddenly broke through the dirt, but she had not yet intended to return to the surface, had she? And the next instant she was forced backward by water that rapidly began to pour into her tunnel, the stream flowing fast thanks to built up pressure behind it. That flow began to eat away at the edges of the tunnel, causing more water to pour in, and the earth around her to turn into mud and slush that threatened to either drown her or suck her down like quicksand! Had she tunneled into the side of the pool?!
Asteria, Digbie, Oberon (Approaching), Mother Rat
You used Magic Analysis III! This is a Monster. You've never seen this type of monster before. Effectiveness reduced to 30%.
This is a Pygmy Drake. They are more magically inclined than some other low ranking reptile species. This one has 1 activated Spell Skill and three magically related skills. Several other spell skills have not been fully developed yet. This one is unusual.
You are beginning to experience Stamina Drain from lack of sleep.
Your Stamina Drain has slowed, you are well-hydrated. Stamina Drain has not stopped completely.
As Oberon stopped to drink at the pool, he would notice something on the bank quite a distance away from him, but still within sight. It was a corpse--specifically a Dire Rat. The wounds on its body looked to have come from fangs rather than a weapon or magic, but they were quite vicious nonetheless. From the state of dessication, Oberon could make a reasonable guess that this rat likely had not been killed by any of the reincarnators. More than likely it was just a victim of the usual food-chain in this cave...but then why hadn't it been eaten completely or dragged off for later by whatever creature hunted it? Maybe something had interrupted that meal?
But part of the rat's corpse was in the water of the pool, and from the deeper water where it wasn't quite so easy to see, small fish (though they were still big enough to bite the fingers off someone Oberon's size) were darting out to nibble from it, then heading back to their hideaways. They seemed more energetic than usual, but then again maybe this was just a sign that using fresh bait could net the inhabitants of the cave another food resource.
As Oberon stood from his drink and called out to the others, he would likely notice that in the 24-plus hours everyone had been running about, fighting, etc, that the Healing Herbs growing around the Pool had greatly replenished themselves. With a full day of being relatively undisturbed--or at least not overharvested the way the reincarnators had on their first day--the green sprouts were starting to pop up all over the place, not fully grown but well on their way. Except for those that were an odd, oily black color.
But not too long after he called out, as he continued to search Oberon would see the entrance to Jason's Cave. And heading towards it, a walking, skeletal goblin!
You used Monster Analysis! Effectiveness at 100%, but this is a monster you've never seen before!
---Rain (?)---
Lesserwurm - Related to dragons, but still a cold-blooded reptile, this creature burrows through the earth and fills the enclosed spaces around its prey with poisonous fumes. Its lengthy body is quite fast and deceptively strong, and its ability to shed its skin somehow allows it to heal more quickly. You knew this creature as Rain, the Fanged Lizard. She is a fellow former human like you.
---Analysis Complete--
Skill Rank Up! Monster Analysis I > Monster Analysis II!
Gain more information about Monsters. Other analysis skills will further boost the information this skill provides, such as a creature’s capability with magic or its equipment.
You are experiencing a Fast rate of Skill Progression.
In the moments before Oberon saw the skeleton, and even further back before Torrent began digging her own tunnel, Asteria spent some time developing her skills. By the time Torrent was long gone and Oberon approached the cave, she left on a vague hunch that something was wrong, her Beast Senses sending slight shivers down the back of her neck--for someone who used to be human, having fur that would raise up or hackles that reacted with your mood might be an unusual sensation.
But as soon as she saw the skeleton, Asteria went on the attack! As Oberon watched from up above, she came charging out of the cave, her Faster skill turning her into a streak of fur and fang! The skeleton saw her as well, its empty sockets lighting up as it raised its claw-like hands, jaws clattering.
Asteria angled her way in, before whirling and using her thick muscled tail as a whipping club! The skeleton swiped and missed due to her speed, and her blow met its kneecap with a hearty crack. The creature went down on one leg, but though the bone had been fractured it was still intact. The skeleton held up its arms as Asteria aimed to assault its head, and though her claws and fangs left gouges in the ulna and radius of both limbs the undead managed to keep its brainpan safe. Then, suddenly, the skeleton lashed out--faster than something with no muscles should be able, even faster than a living goblin! Asteria was struck in one side, tossing her back...but as she landed, she would feel that the distance she had traveled seemed to be due to a combination of her own reflexes, jumping back from the hit, and being off balance while attacking the skeleton. The actual hit had done some damage, but not nearly as much.
The skeleton chattered angrily as it stood up, eyes still blazing with ghostly light. It seemed about as sturdy as one would expect of something made from bone--Asteria's experience with cracking the Lizard bones told her it probably had about that same level of durability--and it was faster than a goblin, but its offensive strength was weak! Still, could she afford to underestimate this opponent?
At this moment, Digbie walked outside, calling for the others. He would immediately see Asteria fighting the skeleton, and possibly the new and shiny Oberon hovering up above. And the skeleton also noticed him, turning its head immediately to glare at him with something that seemed like a very specific, very focused hatred.
You are beginning to experience Stamina Drain from lack of sleep.
Jason, Ed, Danny, Asura, Momma Slime, Crispy's Party
You are beginning to experience Stamina Drain due to lack of sleep.
You are beginning to experience Stamina Drain due to lack of sleep.
You are beginning to experience Stamina Drain due to lack of sleep.
You are beginning to experience Stamina Drain due to lack of sleep.
"Of course Crispy! In exchange for working with us, I can supply you with Healing Herbs and Mana Crystals, the tips of the spikes I summon can be used in the creation of spears, and as time goes on, we will only have more to offer!"
"Hold it, slime!" Crispy held up a hand, taking an authoritative tone despite his disadvantages. He didn't really know any other way to "negotiate," but at least it made the other goblins think he wasn't intimidated by these slimes. "I already gots my gobbos, we can gather stuff on our own! I wants sumfin else!"
"Perhaps... Assisting our purge of the undead is all you need to transform... Together, our power could be unrivaled..." Jason said, before another idea came to mind, "Why, I'd imagine that if we were to work together, you could build an EVEN BIGGER bonfire, make better weapons, and goblins would prosper like never before.... Do we have a deal?"
"You talks too much, too fast!" Crispy snapped.
Asura raised a gooey eyebrow when Crispy said he wasn't doing anything for free. He stayed quiet however and let Jason talk to the goblin. He shook his 'head' a smidge when the other slime started to try and cut a deal. "I was of the mindset that letting you and your other goblins live being your payment until you proved to be trustworthy." He stated as he slithered his way over to Mother Slime. At this, Crispy's eyes slowly moved towards Asura. The variant goblin licked his lips.
"Both 'a yas talks too much!" Crispy said, although his voice was slightly less loud this time. He cleared his throat. "I can change by myself too! And build fire and weapons! Ya gots to give me sumfin dats da same kinda shiny as I can give youse--makes it fair!"
Makes it fair? Was...Was Crispy actually trying to go by some kind of honor code? Did goblins have that? It seemed like Crispy didn't just want things that could be made or gathered, because he and his little tribe could still do that kind of thing for themselves. So was he asking for something specific that goblins had no capability to do by themselves?
"As for giving, I have nothing to give. I'm able to train your goblins smartly but I'd rather keep my knowledge to myself until you and your minions prove useful and, again, trustworthy." Asura continued as he contacted Mother Slime. As she removed her bulk from the torchbearer, both he and the other goblin quickly scurried back to Crispy's side. Because Crispy was already standing next to the shieldbearer, the goblins were now all together again--Crispy's voice recovered some of its volume.
"If I'm gonna help yas get rid of a bunch of zombos or whateva," Crispy started, banging one fist on his chest, "den dat means we're all gonna fight a lot! Lots of risks, need lots udda stuff! We gots ta be...uh...satirical! Makes plans!" He pointed dramatically at the motley group of monsters. "You goes back and thinks bout it! I'mma take my gobs back too! Let's meet tomorrow morning, at da old fire-place--just one of us!" He held up one single finger and looked around at Jason, Asura, Ed, Danny, and Momma Slime. "You picks one guy, and we picks one guy! Den we meets and makes da deal!"
Crispy grinned with a mouth full of yellow teeth, looking like a car salesman waiting for someone to take his offer.
Mourningstar, Orchid, Ash, Reoth
You have not recovered enough Stamina. You are experiencing HP Drain.
You are beginning to experience Stamina Drain from lack of sleep.
You are beginning to experience Stamina Drain from lack of sleep.
As the Pygmy Drake, Goblin, Fanged Lizard, and Wisp made their way around the pool and towards the entrance of the cave, they soon could see the flickering light of a small campfire. The other two shieldbearers from Orchid's party and the female torchbearer were here, huddled close around the fire and peering out at the cave as if they were terrified. And more than likely this was exactly the case--Crispy had taken the majority of their forces to go check something out, Rattleskull hadn't come back, and they were all on their lonesome in a cave that even they could feel was rapidly changing. Without their tribe around, they were a poor and lonely party constantly on edge.
While one of the shieldbearers was trying to fix his wicker defenses where the Wispmother's attack had broken through it, the other kept watch with his stone spear at the ready. However, because the light of the fire was nearby, his eyes were adjusted to that and not the darkness of the cave.
To Orchid and Ash's small party, this trio would be visible from a further distance. Would they try to sneak around them and avoid conflict? Would they try to finish what the goblins started? Would they try to negotiate? The choice was for the making...but for how long?
