Headhunting for Fun and Profit
THE GAME OF DIVINITY
CHAPTER 5: DUNGEON DIVE (1 st Floor)
The first thing I saw when I stepped out of the astral gate was a bigass cave. Right on the front of it there was a half rotten plank of wood with 'FOOD DETH KIL' written on it, and on top of it there was a human skull with its jaws open fully in a caricature of agony.
Heh, the cliché of all clichés, you can call the goblins many things, creative is not one of them. At least they spelled food correctly. The problem with this is that I didn't have night vision and the cave was so dark I wouldn't be able to see my own nose, so I had to get inventive.
I broke the plank of wood and took the pike it was standing on. After that, I stripped some fabric from the t-shirt that the harpy teared up with her claws all these months ago (the bitch) and tied it up on top of it. Last, I took my lighter from the inventory and set the cloth on fire. Nice, one handmade torch for me by yours truly, McGayver eat your heart out.
For brilliant inventiveness and making good use of your recourses +2 INT.
With that done, I took out my sword in one hand, torch in the other and I entered the cave.
I had been walking for a couple minutes when I first heard footsteps coming my way.
When they came near me I sighted for the first time goblins. There were three of them around 1 meter tall (39 inches for Americans) to my 1, 20 m (45 inches) and they were a mud brown color, hairless with yellow pointed teeth inside a big mouth and pointy ears. They were wearing a dirty loincloth that sometime in the long past could have been white and they wielded sharpened wooden pikes. Immediately I used observe.
Goblin Grunt
Race: Fae - Goblin
Level: 8
MP: 50
STR: 8
VIT: 10
DEX: 15
INT: 1
WIS: 2
LUC: 2
Info: This is a generic goblin grunt made to patrol the outer parts of the cave. It is as stupid as it is vicious and won't hesitate to use dirty tricks. Loves raw meat and killing and hates fire and iron. It is looking forward to feasting on your half-ling flesh.
Hm, it seems they are pretty weak, of course goblins always fight in hoards, at least if my previous experience as an ota- ahem fantasy genre enthusiast hasn't failed me.
I didn't give them a chance to move further, I lighted my sword in Warfyre and I attacked instantly. My increased stats proved themselves and with my enhanced speed and strength as well as the mastery skill I killed the first goblin with a fast double strike, beheading it. The other two froze at the death of one of their own which gave me time to do the same to the second. The third shouted at me and with a battle cry of 'kakaka' tried to jump me. Obviously a futile effort, I sidestepped it and as it passed me by and stabbed it with my sword on the back, killing it instantly, Backstab is so useful.
Sword Mastery(Lv20- Lv21): Your ability to use a sword without chopping your own hand. +31% dmg and 15,5% attack speed when wielding a sword.
Nice, now let's see what kind of exp do I gain from goblins.
Status
Name: Alexandra Bellum
Race: Demigod
Gender: Female
Title: Street Rat
Level: 5 (275/1600)
HP: 240 HPReg= 10 % /h
MP: 561 MPReg= 6mp/min
STR: 45 (Physical strength, how much weight you can carry)
VIT : 20 (Your health points, gives you 7 hp per 5vit * level)
DEX: 23(27) (your speed of movement, accuracy)
INT: 11 (your ability to absorb and retain information as well as your Mana
6 mp per 5 in * level)
WIS: 11(15) (Mana regeneration +1 per 5 WIS)
CHA: 7 (overall attractiveness and persuasion)
LUC: 9 (Drop rate for items, money and games of chance)
Status: 20
Only 25 exp per goblin, disappointing but nothing I didn't expect, they are weak after all. Drops left much to be desired as well.
X3 Goblin Head
Info: The head of a goblin. It's a head what do you want it to do, sing?
X3 Dirty Loincloth
Info: A loincloth worn by a goblin, the yellow patches are not lemon juice.
X3 Crude Wooden Pike
6 DMG
Info: A wooden pike with a sharpened end. Good for poking an eye out but not much else.
If I can't have quality I am gonna have to gorge myself in quantity then. And with that happy thought I walked deeper in the cave killing goblins left and right. I expected them to be attacking me in more numbers by now but it seems that their mental stats are not for decoration. I had killed about 20 of them until I reached a fork on the road.
Level 5: (775/1600)
+1 VIT
Sword Mastery(Lv21 Lv22): Your ability to use a sword without chopping your own hand. +32% dmg and 16% attack speed when wielding a sword.
*Flames of War(Lv7- Lv8): 160 dmg/sec cost: 23 mp/sec
Warfyre Imbuement (Lv5- Lv6): Coat your weapons with the Flames of War and enhance their destructive capabilities. +24 dmg cost 4mp/sec.
There were two caves ahead but which to choose? Hmm, " Inny meany minny moo I love killing goblins and I'll kill more soon". My hand pointed left after my brief attempt in poetry so left I went. It was a corridor twice as wide as me so at least I was safe from getting flanked by the sides.
As I was walking I noticed my torch starting to flicker, it seems I was in here for quite some time, but what to do? If I try to use more of my ruined shirt I won't last for more than one or two repeats. That was when I had a bright idea.
+1 INT +1 WIS for your brilliant idea you smart, vicious bitch
I took one of the wooden pikes I dropped and tied the loincloth on top of them, then I took a goblin head, piked it and lit it on warfyre, enhancing the gruesome sight by having the fire bursting slightly from the top of the head and the eyes melting in bloody tears down its cheeks so only a crimson hell could be seen from its orbs. The result ?
Warhead of Glory (Duration 45 minutes)
Illuminates the dark with the crimson light of purgatory
All goblin-kind that gazes upon this 'torch' will gain status Fear (-20% to reaction time, causes loss of cohesion)
Info: A creation of Alexandra Bellum, made by the heads and weapons of her fallen enemies. The use of Warfyre enhances the horrific item and sows fear at the hearts of goblins everywhere.
I used all 23 of them to have plenty enough for the fights ahead so for now I have 17 and a half hours of light before I have to make more. Plenty of time to clear the 1st floor at least.
Whistling a cheerful tune, I carried on walking down the corridor until I reached a round area that was also a dead end. Inside were around 20 goblins, on a raised boulder stood a goblin wearing leather jerkin top and loincloth combo and in his hand was a very crude bronze sword. Absentmindedly using Observe I saw:
Goblin Officer
Race: Fae - Goblin
Level: 12
HP: 250
MP: 80
STR: 12
VIT: 15
DEX: 25
INT: 3
WIS: 2
LUC: 5
Info: This is a goblin officer in charge of a small horde of goblins occupying the left side of the floor. It is slightly less stupid than it's grunt counterpart and twice as vicious. Loves raw meat and killing and hates fire and iron. Right now it's using all it's willpower to not shit it's loincloth in front of it's brethern.
When they saw me, my eyes glowing a slight red and with Ricky ('Torch') on my hand wearing a smile that looked like I came out of a slasher movie, they froze. The goblins looked at me, I looked back (and Ricky too I guess) but after a while it got boring so I exchanged my sword with my pistol, used Imbuement and fired once on the Officer hitting it to the head, my smile never leaving my face. And it fucking exploded, the gore painting the goblins around it.
HP: 0/250
Critical Hit, triple damage because of steel bullet (cold iron), double damage because of fire.
One of them dropped its pike, two others fainted. The rest finally got their senses back and attacked with a war cry, rage clear on their faces. Perfect, all part of the plan.
Mortal Combat +10 to all physical Stats
Rage Booster +18 STR
HP: 310/310
MP: 530/561
STR: 73
VIT : 31
DEX: 33(37)
I re-equipped my sword and charged them as well, my blade shining a crimson red.
It was a bloodbath. My extra stats made evading them a joke and with every slash I killed at least one. In 18 seconds all were dead and the two that fainted will never wake again.
Level: 5 (1375/1600)
X21 Goblin Head
Info: The head of a goblin. It's a head what do you want it to do, sing?
X21 Dirty Loincloth
Info: A loincloth worn by a goblin, the yellow patches are not lemon juice.
X20 Crude Wooden Pike
Info: A wooden pike with a sharpened end. Good for poking an eye out but not much else.
Crude Bronze sword
DMG +7
+1 DMG against monsters
Info: A generic short sword made of bronze from Nevernever. It's crudely crafted and won't be of use for long. Capable of hurting monsters.
Sword Mastery(Lv22- Lv23): Your ability to use a sword without chopping your own hand. +33% dmg and 16,5% attack speed when wielding a sword.
*Flames of War(Lv8- Lv9): 180 dmg/sec cost: 22 mp/sec
Warfyre Imbuement (Lv6- Lv7): Coat your weapons with the Flames of War and enhance their destructive capabilities. +26 dmg cost 4mp/sec.
Not much again but the exp no matter how little is nice I guess, at least i am close to leveling up. The officers are worth twice as the grunts as well, good to know. There was nothing else to see here, so I turned, heading for the right path on the fork. My torch lasting long enough to lead all the way back.
Pulling a new one from the inventory I entered the right corridor this time, and I walked, and walked, and walked some more until I reached a 'throne' type of room lit by torches on the walls. On a crudely carved throne was sitting a goblin that was twice the size of all the other goblins wearing a crude bronze chestplate and holding a bronze sword with runes carved on the flat of the blade. Around him were 2 Officers and 2 dozen grunts, though these guys showed less terror when they gazed upon Ricky The 2 nd . Immediately I used observe and I gazed on my first Boss Monster.
Goblin General Gorchoke "1 st BOSS"
Race: Fae - Goblin
Level: 18
MP: 250
STR: 25
VIT: 35
DEX: 50
INT: 10
WIS: 4
LUC: 7
Info: This is a goblin general and Boss of the first floor. He is a head above the average goblin and his position proves that. He reached such a high position in goblin hierarchy by being more skilled, cunning and vicious than any other goblin around him. Underestimate him at your own peril. Your 'torch' unnerved him but he has seen scarier and you are alone.
"So" it said in a high pitched voice startling me, I didn't expect it to talk, " you are the latest upstart that thinks that can conquer Lord Cernunnos challenge"
"I guess I am" I shrugged, " If you step aside I promise I won't kill you like I killed the rest of your kind"
Of course, the walking cliché that it is started laughing in it's annoying high pitched voice, prompting the well trained sycophants around him to do the same.
"You, a slip of a girl, kill ME?" he said pointing to himself like he was Jesus or something," Do you know who I am?"
And with this question it gave me an opening to use the first tenant of the Anything Goes Martial Arts School: ~ Make them mad, make them stupid.
"Some nobody piece of shit cannon fodder I gather, after all if you lot were important you would be in the higher floors and you wouldn't be wasting away here, so you are not that strong, isn't that right?" I said, a shiteating grin never leaving my face for a moment, It even widened a little when I saw the fucker gaping at me. It seems my sheer impertinence made him bluescreen for a bit. Then his face started changing from a light mud brown color all the way to dark purple. Honestly it was a little impressive and his sycophants weren't far behind.
" ATTAACK, K I L L L IT T L E S H I T, KILL " the head-honcho shouted in such rage that any semblance of syntax left him, his shout more of a beast's roar than actual voice stroking the fury of his followers, all the while he didn't even stand from his throne, can't expect him to fight together with the fodder, 'excellent'. How I love it when a plan comes together, Aizen-taicho taught me well.
Mortal Combat +10 to all physical stats
Rage Booster +27 STR
HP: 310/310
MP: 561/561
STR: 82
VIT : 31
DEX: 33(37)
I held Ricky the 2nd tightly and used 100 Mp to imbue it with my flames turning it from a gruesome torch to a flesh Molotov and I threw it to the horde.
BOOOM the sound was deafening. The 5 first goblins, amongst them one officer died in an eruption of crimson flames teeth and brain matter. 2 others caught on fire at the edge of the blast radius and were futilely rolling to the ground to take out the flames. *sniff* Goodbye Ricky, your sacrifice won't be in vain.
Skill acquired: Warfyre Napalm(Lv1): Overcharge an item with the Flames Of War causing it to become unstable and turning it to a bomb. Blast radius: 2 meters, Damage: 150, 25% chance of setting enemies on fire, Cost:100 MP
*Flames of War(Lv9- Lv10): 200 dmg/sec cost: 21 mp/sec
Warfyre Imbuement (Lv7-Lv 8): Coat your weapons with the Flames of War and enhance their destructive capabilities. +28 dmg cost 4mp/sec.
The rest paused for a moment giving me a chance to take out my second bronze sword from the inventory charging them through the flames. I became a whirlwind of death, killing left right and center never stopping for a second. The goblins that were wary of me before now were downright horrified, unable to comprehend the monster that came into their cave and I was loving every second of it, I guess the ichor of Ares in my veins was doing it's job. In 30 seconds flat me and the General were the only ones alive in the room. Me with a grin glued on my face and him with a shrewd frown that bellied his hidden intelligence. It seems the boss is gonna come to the stage at last, but I have to be careful. With the grunts dead all bonus from Rage Booster is gone now, not lasting more than a minute after their death. I have to fight the boss with as close to normal stats as possible and I didn't like it. You don't become a Boss by being a pushover, no matter what bullshit i was spouting earlier.
HP: 300/310
MP: 341/561
STR: 55
VIT : 31
DEX: 33(37)
And I was right, the moment he stood up he vanished, no words no nothing, (it seems this guy wasn't one for banter) and if my dexterity wasn't boosted by my Mortal Combat Perk I would have been ripped in half. Thankfully I was and I blocked him at the last moment. He tried to overpower me and push me back but even though he was faster, I was miles stronger and you could see the frustration on his face as my smile never left my face, remembering my mother's advise to never show weakness, unnerving him. I didn't use imbuement, there is no point to waste mana when I am on the defensive. He didn't sit idle though, he disengaged and tried to outmaneuver me with relentless hits, thankfully I had come a long way on the way of the sword (thank you Lv23 Sword Mastery ) and I was able to block his hits using both my swords.
After disengaging for the second time and attacking once more I used the same strategy as before hoping to tire him out, after all these high speed movements must be very exhausting. Unfortunately I didn't see until the last second his sword glowing a dirty brown and as I blocked with both my swords, he shattered my crude blade managing to cut deeply the top of my left shoulder with his blade, making me lose all feeling to my left arm and scream in pain, giving him the chance to kick me in the chest, throwing me two meters away.
HP: 150/310
WARNING: Left Arm handicapped,-90% use
Fuck, the bastard got me good, I guess I have to try long range instead.
"See bitch, you may have been good enough for the rabble but I am in a different league, there is no hope, at least you fought fiercely so you can have that, I guess"
The fucker gloated as he was nearing me, using a slow pace to draw out my suffering. Good, hubris comes before the fall.
My mothers glock can have 15 bullets at full capacity plus 1 in the cylinder. She used the one on the fucker that broke into our house, I used 1 on the Harpy and 1 more on the Officer('Always pay attention to the ammo in your gun, many die because they forget' another of my mother's handy advice). That leaves us with 13 bullets until I have to change clips. More than enough to put this sonovabitch to the ground.
He was almost upon me when I exchanged the sword for the pistol and fired at him at point blank twice. The first went deep inside his left shoulder, the other took his right eye but he was fast enough to turn his head and jump back saving his head from a instant lobotomy, gaining a scar from his right side of his face and removing half of his pointy ear. His screams of agony was a balm to my soul.
HP: 650/1000
Critical Hit, triple damage because of steel bullets (cold iron) (Left shoulder 25*3)
Critical Hit, triple damage because of steel bullet (cold iron), (Eye 100*3)
But I couldn't celebrate yet, I shot him twice on the kneecaps to end his mobility then took out my sword not wanting to waste more bullets on him. After all I have 4 floors ahead of me and 1 extra after that.
HP: 500/1000, Crippled (-90 % mobility)
I held my sword in my right hand as I stood on top of him getting ready to stab him in the heart when he jerked to the side making me lose my balance and then he head butted me, making me drop my blade in surprise.
HP: 135/310
Thankfully he was crippled and I wasn't going to make the same mistake twice, I backpedaled, pulled out my gun once more and shot him right between the eyes. Let me see you gloating now you arrogant trash ha.
Critical Hit - Headshot/Insta-kill, triple damage because of steel bullets (cold iron)
Because you used every ounce of strength against a powerful foe and emerged victorious you get +1 to all stats.
Damn that was terrible. This gives a new meaning to betting your life on the edge of a blade.
Goblin Grunts 25x25=625 XP
Goblin Officer 50x2= 100 XP
Goblin General Gorchoke "1 st Boss" 800 XP
Total XP earned 1525
Level Up
Name: Alexandra Bellum
Race: Demigod
Gender: Female
Title: Street Rat
Level: 6 (1300/3200)
HP: 268 HPReg= 10 % /h
MP: 664 MPReg= 6mp/min
STR: 53 (Physical strength, how much weight you can carry)
VIT : 22 (Your health points, gives you 7 hp per 5vit * level)
DEX: 24(28) (your speed of movement, accuracy)
INT:13 (your ability to absorb and retain information as well as your Mana
6 mp per 5 in * level)
WIS: 14(18) (Mana regeneration +1 per 5 WIS)
CHA: 8 (overall attractiveness and persuasion)
LUC: 10 (Drop rate for items, money and games of chance)
Status: 25
New Perk Acquired: Muscle Density Refinement: The holder of this perk has every muscle in his body altered to be thrice as dense and as result more efficient. Your muscles will not easily expand but they will lose none of their strength. Sorry no S chwarzenegger body for you. -20% to all physical damage received, +1 strength to Ares heritage modifier (+8 strength per level), +2 CHA.
Not bad at all, I needed that level up because I don't think I could continue this with a fucked up shoulder, even if it was on my off hand. When I saw the new perk i admit it, I felt a little saliva trickling out of my mouth. The damage reduction is gonna be a life saver and the extra charisma is nice, a pretty face is an advantage, after all no matter how unfair people listen more to pretty people than ugly ones, but the highlight of the perk is the fucking +1 strength on every level. It's so fucking broken, I am only level 6 and already i have over 50 strength. By the time I reach level 100 I will need to duke it out with freaking superman to find a challenge. And I fucking loved it(cackling like a madma-woman).
Ahem, moving on now, let's see what I can find here. Well first of all, let's collect the heads, loincloths and spikes to get them out of the way
X27 Goblin Head
Info: The head of a goblin. It's a head what do you want it to do, sing?
X27 Dirty Loincloth
Info: A loincloth worn by a goblin, the yellow patches are not lemon juice.
X27 Crude Wooden Pike
Info: A wooden pike with a sharpened end. Good for poking an eye out but not much else.
Apparently the sword the other officer had was a fluke. What a disappointment, I could use the spare swords.
And now that we are talking about swords let's see the esteemed generals toy. Score!
Enchanted Bronze Sword
+40 DMG
+15 DMG against monsters
Info: An enchanted blade made of bronze in Nevernever. Created by an apprentice blacksmith as a prototype for his journeyman license and discarded because the enchantments were too weak. It was later sold to some ignorant goblin for some quick profit, thrice it's actual price.
Oh wow, if I didn't loathe the fucker for almost killing me I would pity him for getting duped like that. Nevertheless the sword is good and I can only imagine what kind of swords a Master blacksmith can make with powerful enchantments as well. I make a metal note to myself to try and get one of these babies one day if I can.
Now that I have cleared the rubble a little it's time to search the rest of the area, and what do you know, surprisingly *Note the sarcasm* behind the throne there was a chest, a wooden, immaculate, UNLOCKED chest. Apparently Cernunnos really likes Fantasy RPGs because normally you would expect the goblins to have raided the chest and used what's inside against me. Now let's take a look at the goodies.
x2 Lower Health Potions
Restores your Health by 200
x2 Lower Mana Potions
Restores your Mana by 150
Huntresses Fingerless Gloves
+10% accuracy with ranged weapons
?
Info: Uncommon grade fingerless gloves made by Cernunnos himself. Alone gives the wearer a slight increase in accuracy when using long to mid range weapons, but if you complete the Huntresses Outfit Set, hidden enchantments will awaken. 1/5
I felt my right eyebrow twitching. Apparently Cernunnos is reeeally into Fantasy RPGs. I mean seriously health and mana pots and a set outfit. Seriously, considering how out of time the Hunters of Artemis are the last few tries in the dungeon must have been hell.
I can already imagine it, Zoe Nightshade reading a hint right outside the final boss being something like 'Kiting is the only way to victory' and when she goes inside the Boss room to get utterly defeated all the while cursing Cernunnos for being a cheating filthy male for misleading her and making her waste time searching for kites. I couldn't help it, I cracked up.
Ahem, after that little piece of schanderfreude I decided to rest for a while. A couple of pieces of toast and some water later and I was ready to roll. The problem is I don't know where to go.
It was at this moment that I knew that Cernunnos is deriving amusement from my misfortune. There is no way he wasn't watching this. I can already feel my right eyebrow twitching again. You ask why? Well that is because the moment I thought about not knowing where to go, a gate appears out of nothing in the middle of the fucking Arena.
PING*
Astral Gate detected. Please Wait. Scanning.
Gate to Second Floor. Do you want to enter? YES/NO
After a bout of pouti- I mean irritably scowling, I press YES and enter the Gate.
Full Status
Name: Alexandra Bellum
Race: Demigod
Gender: Female
Title: Street Rat
Level: 6 (1300/3200)
HP: 268 HPReg= 10 % /h
MP: 664 MPReg= 6mp/min
STR: 53 (Physical strength, how much weight you can carry)
VIT : 22 (Your health points, gives you 7 hp per 5vit * level)
DEX: 24(28) (your speed of movement, accuracy)
INT:13 (your ability to absorb and retain information as well as your Mana
6 mp per 5 in * level)
WIS: 14(18) (Mana regeneration +1 per 5 WIS)
CHA: 8 (overall attractiveness and persuasion)
LUC: 10 (Drop rate for items, money and games of chance)
Status: 25
Skills:
Ancient Greek Mastery (lvMAX): Your ability to comprehend Ancient Greek, It needs a a certain amount of practice to come into your skill, unfortunately any other language will be hard to learn even the one you grow up in, say welcome to dyslexia
Mist Control (Locked) : Your ability to use the Mist, you need a practitioner to unlock your skill or being a child of Hecate which is naturally unlocked
*Flames of War(Lv10): 200 dmg/sec cost: 21 mp/sec
Warfyre Imbuement (Lv8): Coat your weapons with the Flames of War and enhance their destructive capabilities. +28 dmg cost 4mp/sec.
Skill acquired: Warfyre Napalm(Lv1): Overcharge an item with the Flame Of War causing it to become unstable and turning it to a bomb. Blast radius: 2 meters Damage: 150, 25% chance of setting enemies on fire
Observe(Lv10): Gain basic information about the target . the higher the level of the skill, the more information you gain, targets 30 levels higher than yours can hide from the skill. You can now see stats.
Mist Resistance(lv3): Because of your divine blood you have a natural resistance to the mist . Monsters of your level and bellow can't fool you with the mist .
Sword Mastery(Lv23): Your ability to use a sword without chopping your own hand. +33% dmg and 16,5% attack speed when wielding a sword.
Spear Mastery(Lv20): Your ability to use a spear in battle without poking your eye out. +30% dmg with and +15% attack speed when wielding spears.
*Riding skill(lv1): Your ability to ride a mount either a vehicle or living creature (bycycle )
Backstab MAX : When you stab an enemy from behind there is a 40% chance of doing triple damage and 12% chance of cripple hit.
Perks
Battle Reflexes: When in battle and life threatening situations you will not freeze, your mind and body will work faster .Makes you a natural combatant.
Godly Scent: Your godly blood makes you emit a natural aura that can be identified by all of the supernatural. It grows with age and power levels. Say hello to monsters everywhere that want to make you a chew toy.
Weapon Of War: When you hold a weapon in your hands you instinctively know how to use it (lv10) but to retain the knowledge of it if you change weapon you must level it to level 20 . All weapons can be used by you .
Rage Booster: Rage gives you strength, either your own or of others. In a 10 meters radius everyone that feels rage gives +1 STR including yourself.
Mortal Combat: +10 to all physical stats when in battle to the death
*Flames of War: You have the ability to use the Flames of War. This type of fire magic is incapable of anything but destruction .These flames are impossible to be used in forging, cooking or even to give warmth in a cold night. The only thing they bring is death.
*Supreme Commander: When you lead in battle all allies gain +10 to all physical stats in a 400 meter radius
Muscle Density Refinement: The holder of this perk has every muscle in his body altered to be thrice as dense and as result more efficient. Your muscles will not easily expand but they will lose none of their strength. Sorry no S chwarzenegger body for you. -20% to all physical damage received, +1 strength to Ares heritage modifier (+8 strength per level), +2 CHA.
~ChildeOfWar