Q We Climb, One Step At A Time (Dungeon Crawling Quest!)

LostGhost · May 2, 2018

-----------And so, he planted his roots, turning the barren wasteland into a flourishing oasis of life. He would wait. He was patient.

You gaze out the carriage window. Lush, green trees fly by. The smell of morning dew is in the air and the sound of sloshing mud is barely audible behind the clacking of horse hooves.

Perhaps you should have chosen a better day to leave on your journey? Rain is often an omen of things to come.

As you hum in thought, a single ray of light catches you in the eye. It stings.

Carefully rubbing your eyes, you note that the sun is rising above the treetops now.

Your heart-rate picks up.

It's far too late to turn back now.

No, you won't go back.

With your nervous hand and shaking hand, you reach out and clutch-

(Choose 1)

[][1 Item] Your Dagger
+It was a gift.
+1 Strength

[][1 Item] Your Spinner
+A small toy meant to entertain. You can spin it between your fingers for fun.
+1 Dexterity

[][1 Item] Your Marbles
+You should try and not lose these.
+1 Agility

[][1 Item] Your Lunch
+Maybe grab a snack?
+1 Endurance

[][1 Item] Your Book
+"How To Adventure: For Dummies"
+1 Cunning

[][1 Item] Your Cigar
+The smell calms you down.
+1 Charisma

[][1 Item] Your Wallet
+You don't want your money to somehow fly out the window, even if it's locked.
+1 Luck

[][1 Item] Your Broken Catalyst
+Broken as it may be, it still has the feeling of magic in it. That makes you comfortable, even if it can't do anything.
+1 Soul

The familiar feeling in your grip calms your speeding heart.

Everything will be fine. It's not like you're leaving everything you know just to explore some ancient, magical, monster filled dungeon.

...

Oh wait, yes you are!

You clutch at your prize even harder, hoping that it slows your heart a tad more.

It doesn't.

Maybe you really shouldn't have left-

(Choose 1)

[][2 Recent] Your Job
+Being a bartender was alright, but the pay sucked.
+1 Charisma
+1 Agility

[][2 Recent] Your Farm
+Being a farmer was boring, but it was safe.
+1 Strength
+1 Dexterity

[][2 Recent] Your Shack
+It was your shack! What are eddy and Teddy going to do now?! Well, at least they're with you.
+2 pet rats.
+1 Cunning

[][2 Recent] Your Hotel
+It honestly was insanely lucky that you saved the owner's daughter. He decided to let you live there so long as you helped out.
+1 Luck
+1 Charisma

[][2 Recent] Your Girlfriend/Boyfriend
+It's really surprising that you had one, though you're pretty sure she/he was just an ass.
+1 Charisma
+1 Endurance

No, you can't focus on the past.

If you want to walk the steps of the dungeon, you can't think like that.

Your goals are simple.

You want to-

(Choose 1)

[][3 Goal] Get Stinking Rich!
+Trait: Greedy
+Bonus: Starting Money.

[][3 Goal] Discover The Secrets Of The Dungeon
+Trait: Scholar
+Bonus: "Common Pitfalls Of Adventurers and How To Avoid Them"

[][3 Goal] Become Strong
+Trait: Seeker Of Adversity
+Bonus: Martial Training In 1 Weapon Of Your Choice

[][3 Goal] Pickup Chicks/Guys
+Trait: Flirty
+Bonus: Expensive Perfume/Cologne

[][3 Goal] Figure Out What You Want
+Trait: Lost
+Bonus: Free to do as you want, nothing locking you down.

[][3 Goal] Explore
+Trait: Explorer
+Bonus: Maps, lots of em!

[][3 Goal] Learn About Yourself And The World
+Trait: Curious
+Bonus: 1 Bonus Stat point

[][3 Goal] Write-In?
+Maybe it's something else?

Sighing, you look down at your-

(Choose 1)

[][4 Gender] Chest
+It's a boy!

[][4 Gender] Boobies
+It's a Girl!

AN: Welp, just doing this cause it was on my mind. Update rate's probably going to be pretty slow after I get char creation done. My other quest takes priority. Also probably going to be somewhat short on the word length.

Also, on stats-

Strength: How Much DMG you do with STR weapons.
Dexterity: How Much DMG you do with Dex weapons.
Agility: How likely you are to Hit and Dodge attacks.
Endurance: How well you can take a Hit.
Cunning: How smart you are.
Charisma: How persuasive you are.
Luck: How likely you are to get hit in the face or find $100
Soul: You Magic stat, totally. Definitely not your soul, so I suggest leaving it at 0 or maybe get it to a negative number

Thanks/Mentions
-Thank you for reading and voting.

LostGhost · May 3, 2018

-----------

STR: 0
DEX: 0
AGI: 0
END: 0
CUN: 0 -> 2
CHA: 0
LUC: 0
SOUL: 0

Trait: Seeker Of Adversity: You go above and beyond when it comes to improvement. Where someone gives 100%, you give 200%! In order to really improve, you have to throw yourself to the wolves.
+You gain bonuses to your training proportional to the amount of danger and stress you experience while doing it.

Item: "How To Adventure: For Dummies"
+A simple book that teaches you the basics of adventuring. You've read it countless times.

Rusty Knife: A rusty knife you usually use to cut things and cook anything you find.

Pet: Eddy and Teddy
+Your trusty pet rats. Dogs? Ha! Dogs are way too big and eat way too much. Rats are man's best friend, hand's down!

Skill: Animal Handling
+It took a bit, but you managed to train Eddy and Teddy as proficient guard rats!
+Animals are friendlier to you and you can more easily train them!

A sigh leaves your lips as you stare down at your chest. A particular embarrassing birthmark can be seen on your right side, so you pull up your dusty and ragged clothing.

They're not crappy per se, just very worn! When you live in a shack for a few years, you tend to try and make your things last.

And how you make your stuff last. Why you think you still have that old, rust knife you used to cut up any meat you happened to catch.

Sure, you remember having trained to use -

(Choose 1)

[][0 Weapon] A Sword
+Cut cut!

[][0 Weapon] Gauntlets
+Unch, punch!

[][0 Weapon] A Dagger
+Sneaky, sneaky!

[][0 Weapon] A Whip
+Hurts, doesn't it?

[][0 Weapon] A Bow
+I think I'll just avoid close combat.

[][0 Weapon] An Arcane Pistol
+These things really suck if you don't have the magic power to use them. Also extremely expensive.

[][0 Weapon] A Scythe
+CauseI want to kill myself accidentally.

[][0 Weapon] A Spear
+The easiest weapon to use! Poke!

[][0 Weapon] An Axe
+Also doubles as firewood maker!

[][0 Weapon] A Hammer
+Break some legs!

[][0 Weapon] Write-In?

but those things are expensive! You don't have that kind of money!

Shaking your head, you reach into your pant pocket and pull it out your rusty knife. A few squeaks leave your shirt pocket, drawing your attention.

It was probably the knife. Carefully stowing it away, you rub the pocket of your shirt and make the two little rodents scurry out.

They quickly crawl across your arms, targets in sight.

In your left hand, a white rat, though it's more along the size of a mouse, sits patiently.

Her name's Teddy.

Now, in your right hand, Eddy sniffs at the air. The black rat is a bit bigger than Teddy, but to be fair, he's also a bit older.

A gentle smile slides onto your face.

Most men would find creatures like them disgusting. Not you. As someone that has been alone for some time, you make sure to treasure any and all friendships you build.

In all honesty, you're a bit like a rat yourself, annoying as that description might be.

You lived in a dark place, surrounded by dirt and filth, and only ever came out to hunt for food and the like.

...

The life of a poverty-stricken person like yourself really isn't all that great.

"Squeak!"

Little chattering and the licking of your palms brings your attention back to your loyal companions.

Hard as it was, you don't regret training them. They always do their best to help out and find food.

Smiling at your tiny friends, you pull out a small bundle of cheese from your other pocket and let them enjoy themselves.

When they finish, you quickly hide them back in your shirt's pocket.

...

It wasn't always like this.

You remember days in which you were-

(Choose 1)

[][1 Past] The Son Of A Noble
+2 Soul

[][1 Past] An Orphan
+1 Luck
+1 Cun

[][1 Past] A Happy Boy
+2 Charisma

[][1 Past] The Son Of A Farmer
+1 Str
+1 End

[][1 Past] The Son Of A Hunter
+1 Dex
+1 Agi

[][1 Past] Write-In?

The carriage suddenly shakes, disturbing your thoughts.

"Sorry about that! Looks like the ground's a bit bumpy due to the rain!"

The driver shouts through the small, open window in front of you.

"N-No problem! Just scared me a bit." You chuckle, trying to pass off your small fright.

He either doesn't hear you or doesn't care. Instead, the friendly driver returns to his job.

A small curse leaves your lips. You're definitely too wound up right now.

The thought of exploring the dungeon just won't leave you alone. Like a vice, it grips your heart and refuses to let go.

It'd be a lie, saying you're not terrified.

But you've chosen this path. You've had enough of sleeping on the ground, alone, and weak.

For someone such as you; someone without much money or power, the easiest way to advance is to throw yourself off a cliff.

Not literally, of course. You're pretty sure the cliff would win that fight.

No, you need to challenge yourself.

You're sick of having to scrounge for ends meat every day. You want to be strong enough to get what you want.

Taking a deep breath, you look down at your hands.

There are many forms of power. It doesn't matter to you whether it's personal power, having the power to command others, or simply saying powerful words, what you want is to become strong.

Maybe then you'll feel better about your self.

The carriage jumps again, nearly making your hear explode.

Maybe you should try and calm down first.

With another breath, you stare at the carriage's mirror.

Seeing a hair out of place, you quickly try and fix it.

(Choose 1)

[][2 Face] Face #1
+Apperance #1

[][2 Face] Face #2
+Apperance #2

[][2 Face] Face #3
+Apperance #3

[][2 Face] Face #4
+Apperance #4

[][2 Face] Face #5
+Apperance #5

[][2 Face] Face #6
+Apperance #6

[][2 Face] Face #7
+Apperance #7

[][2 Face] Write-In?
+Maybe you have a better face?

Satisfied with your quick makeover, you smile at yourself.

If there's one thing you know, is that so long as you can love yourself, you can live a happy life.

Nodding to yourself, you look out the window.

The ocean of green gives way to a sea of blue.

You have to admit, the view is great. The cliff you're travelling on makes the lake below look gorgeous.

Following the blue marble, you finally see it.

The city which holds the dungeon.

It surrounds a gargantuan tree that scrapes across the sky. Its branches pierce the clouds and vanish high into the heavens.

You can't even see the top!

"Impressive, right? Legend has it that if you reach the top, a single one of your wishes will be granted." The driver chimes in.

You gulp.

"I-Is that the dungeon?"

It certainly looks the part.

"Ha! Everyone always asks that." The man laughs. "I think I'll leave it for you to discover that."

You frown.

Suddenly, a gust of wind smashes into the carriage. You hold on for dear life.

Oh god, what just hap-

Something smashes onto the metal rooftop above your head.

The carriage stops.

The material warps in on itself. It's as if something incredibly heavy just landed on it.

"K-Kid. W-Whatever you do, d-don't move or talk."

The driver whispers.

"I-I have no idea how it got out of the dungeon, but one of those monsters is sitting on top of us."

You can hear him sweat.

"G-Good thing I read up on it." He chuckles.

You don't find this funny at all!

Eddy and Teddy begin to curl up in your pocket. They're terrified.

"I-It's blind and kinda deaf. So l-long as we don't make loud noises or sudden movements, w-we should be fine."

Taking a terrified breath, you -

(Choose 1)

[][3 Wat] Stay Still, Don't Talk
+Listen to the man!
+1 Cun
+1 Dex

[][3 Wat] Take A Peek
+Remove the mirror and slowly put it out the window.
+You're curious!
+1 Soul
+1 Luck

[][3 Wat] Silently Cry
+Oh god, why!
+1 End
+1 Cha

[][3 Wat] Grit Your Teeth
+Bit your lip and try to calm your heart! You can piss yourself later, maybe.
+1 Str
+1 Agi

[][3 Wat] Write-In?

AN: What will you do? Why not try and fight it? If you win, i'll give you cool stuff!
Thanks/Mentions
-Thank you for reading and voting.

LostGhost · May 4, 2018

-----------

STR: 2
DEX: 2 +1 = 3
AGI: 3
END: 2
CUN: 2 +4 = 6
CHA: 3
LUC: 2 + 1 = 3
SOUL: 9

Whip Mastery [1/5]: You've got a bit of training on how to use a whip. Now, if only you actually had one!
+All combat rolls when using a whip gain 1 Extra Dice (D6).

Trait: Orphaned: You've always been alone, so it's become quite easy for you to find ways to entertain yourself.
+Your mood deteriorates much slower than normal, allowing you to remain happier for longer periods of time.

AN: On mood. the happier your character is, the more actions you'll have available for day to day tasks. Get sad or angry and the number goes down! Try and keep him nice and happy!

Your breath catches. A single, crazy, ludicrous thought blazes across your mind.

Grab the mirror and take a peek! You've never seen a monster before. Think how cool it might be!

Thankfully, you're not insane. Instead of listening to the daft part of your brain, you grab it by the throat and drown it in a sea of logic.

It barely puts up any resistance as it dies and fades to the back of your mind.

Oh god, there's a monster above your head. And you don't even have the luxury of having a whip on you.

Not that it would make a difference. If it can bend metal so easily by just sitting on it, you doubt anything you could throw at it would even tickle it.

You take a deep breath, trying to be as quiet as death itself.

Out of the corner of your eye, you catch your reflection. The usually stoic and wise 'face' you put up is now marred by fear.

You gulp, hoping that the beast above your head loses interest and leaves.

A sudden grinding noise scrapes across the carriage's top.

It sounds like someone is trying to cut a piece of metal with a rusty nail!

Your teeth crash against one another. Nevertheless, you endure!

The driver was very clear with his advice. Doing anything but, would get you killed.

You can't die now. Not like this!

The scurrying in your ear grows louder.

Panicking, you try and reassure your little friends that everything is fine.

DC: 4
Roll: 1d6 + (Animal Handling Dice [1])
Roll: 2d6 = 3, 3
Total: 6 PASS!!

The familiar feeling of your hand calms them down. Still, they're very afraid. Moving to the closest 'safe' place, their furry forms slide up against your palm and curl around it.

Holding your breath, you wait for this dire situation to pass.

---------------------------

It had taken a good five minutes for the unkown monster to leave. As it flew off into the distance, you dared to glance at it's retreating form.

What you saw were feathers as black as night holding up a twisted and warped body. It was like a bird, but with the bottom half of an elephant?

You're not really sure what to make of it.

The driver called it a "Hellaphant Gryphon."

Truth be told, you think the name fits...

----------------

As the sun begins to dip down, you finally managed to control your body's trembling.

It's been about a few hours since then. Even the friendly driver hasn't said a word in all this time.

But, finally, he speaks.

"I don't know whether we're the luckiest or unluckiest of folks."

He laughs. It's clear that he's trying to lighten the mood.

"I mean, monsters that escape the dungeon are so rare." He pauses. "I hear they can't even see the exit."

You blink.

Maybe you should say something. It could calm you down more, right?

"Why's that?" You say in what you hope is a calm and controlled tone.

"I'm not sure. I just heard it from a friend that frequents the place." He chuckles. "Said that you'd be more likely to be run over by a horse than see a monster out here in the world."

Ah... you see what he meant before.

You're both lucky and unlucky. Lucky to live, but unlucky to encounter such a monster.

"I bet the Explorer's Guild is sure to be panicking right now. It's one of their jobs to make sure nothing gets out." he laughs nervously.

"Someone's ass is sure to burn for this, I say!"

You find yourself smiling at his rather bad joke.

At least he tired.

"How much longer untill we arrive?" You're curious.

The wide, open view of the cliff edge has vanished. Once more, you're back into the heavy foliage. However, if you look skyward, you can still see the upper branches of the colossal tree.

"Just another hour or two. No one ever said it'd be easy getting here, you know?"

And nothing truer was ever said. Surrounded by mountains and steep terrain, the town that houses the dungeon is a nightmare to travel to by ground.

"Still right pissed about my horse. Damn monster took of with Leticia! We'd have been there by now if she were here..."

His voice is pained and clearly sad.

You-

(Choose 1)

[][1 Say] Try And Reassure Him
+Horses are man's second best friend!

[][1 Say] Stay Silent
+Let him mourn. Sometimes people just want you to listen.

[][1 Say] Change The Topic
+Ask him about the city?

[][1 Say] Better Her Than Us
+Tell him the truth. If the beast hadn't taken the horse, it might have just taken the carriage and the two of you along with it.

[][1 Say] Write-In?

---------------------------------

Eventually, after what seems like an eternity, you reach flat ground. No more riding along uneven and craggy terrain.

Apparently, the northern route to the city is paved and smooth. You supose it's bad luck that you lived to the south.

This is it.

Starting from the outside of the lake, a long, wide bridge leads straight to the heart of the city.

The giant tree behind it is even bigger up close. A large line of people like you can be seen traversing the bridge.

About halfway through, you reach a checkpoint.

"Halt!" The person standing guard announces.

Your heart slams into your chest.

What if you're denied entry? What then? You have nowhere go...

Thankfully, the guard doesn't even speak to you. All he does is talk to the driver then look your way.

"Ok, you're good to go."

With a nod, he lets you through.

Finally, you find yourself relaxing.

Leaning back into the carriage's smooth seat, you're taken into the city.

Taking a lazy look out the window, you see a line similar to the one you were in. The difference is that this line is to leave the city.

Curiously enough, you see one individual standing in front of a guard by the gates. In the guard's hand is a strange stick? He seems to be sliding it over the person's body.

The stick in question emits a small, blue glow.

Suddenly, it shifts to an angry, red colour.

Before you can even blink, the person in line darts away, trying to run across the bridge and jump into the water.

Even faster than him, you see one of the guards slam into his body.

Tackling him into the ground, the guard places his palm on the runner's face.
"Don't tase me, bro!"
He whispers a few words that you can't make out.

And then the person below him starts to twitch and spasm erratically.

The last thing you see before you travel too far forward is the guard standing back up, taking a relaxed stance.

"The city's real strict about magical items. Don't try to smuggle any out our you'll wind up like him." Your friendly driver laughs.

All you can do is nod dumbly.

Hopefully, it never comes to that.

------------------

"Alright. Take care." Nodding, you wave goodbye to the friendly driver.

As he disappears into the streets, you think about your current situation.

(Distribute Your Stat Points!)

AN: So, you're starting stats are rolled as 1d3 except for Soul. That's a d10.
I've already rolled them below. The +'s are from what you've gained so far.

You have 8 points to distribute. At the moment, no single stat can exceed 10, so don't try and do that .

You can find your stat totles at the top of the update.

To make voting simpler, please put this stat section into a plan format. This is probably the only time I'll actually take plans over solo votes.

So-

[] Plan All The Cunning And Dex!
-[][2 Stat] CUN +4
-[][2 Stat] DEX +4

Would be how it workes.
If you want to distribute things more evenly, than something like this would be better-

[] Plan Cunning And Luck
-[][2 Stat] CUN +2
-[][2 Stat] LUC +6

Anyways, you can go ahead and vote now

--------------------------------------
[][2 Stat] STR + ?
[][2 Stat] DEX + ?
[][2 Stat] AGI + ?
[][2 Stat] END + ?
[][2 Stat] CUN + ?
[][2 Stat] CHA + ?
[][2 Stat] LUC + ?
[][2 Stat] SOUL + ?
---------------------------------

You sigh.

There's a lot of things to do.

But right now, you need to-

(Choose 1)

[][3 Way] Find A Place To Sleep
+Finding a place to sleep is always good!

[][3 Way] Find The Explorer's Guild
+You want to go to the dungeon!

[][3 Way] Look Around
+The sun's starting to set, but there's still some time before you have to do anything. Relax.

[][3 Way] Eat
+Find a place to eat. You're starving!

[][3 Way] Write-In?

AN: So, Char gen is almost done.
Thanks/Mentions
-Thank you for reading and voting.

LostGhost · May 5, 2018

STR: 2
DEX: 3
AGI: 3 + 3 = 6
END: 2
CUN: 6 +4 = 10
CHA: 3
LUC: 3
SOUL: 9 + 1 =10

Yeah... it would probably be best if you found somewhere to sleep first. Sure, your stomach is complaining already, but finding food is a lot easier than finding a safe and comfortable place to sleep.

A wry, nostalgic smile splits your lips.

You recall how hard it was to find food outside your orphanage. Sure, they provided enough to live, but the town wasn't exactly well off.

It annoyed you a bit, but sometimes you had to go scrounging around from scraps to eat.

But not anymore! Soon you'll be exploring the dungeon and making money!

You gulp and try to remind yourself that you can do this!

Taking a deep breath, you pat your pockets. The jingling of coins is barely heard over the bustling cityscape.

Yet, to you, it's as loud as choir bells.

This is all the money you've saved up over the years. You have what you think is enough to pay the license fee. So long as that merchant you ask didn't lie...

If your calculations are correct, then you should have enough left over to buy a weapon and a few other useful things.

But, right now, you need to find the place you'll be sleeping tonight.

So many years of sleeping on rags in an old shack have allowed you to save up this much money. You can't wait to try a real bed again!

*Squeak!*

Even Eddy and Teddy are excited!

Better not waste any more time then!

With a confident nod, you step forward, ready to find a nice hotel or inn.

----------------------------

Luck DC: 2
Luck Roll: 1D6 = 1 FAIL!

What even is your luck? How can you fail at something so simple as following directions?!

You thought you were lucky when you quickly found someone to ask for directions. Little did you know that such a simple meeting would have you ending up literally back at the gates!!

God damn it...

Well, now you've wasted a good hour or so just trying to find a place to sleep.

...

Forget it, you'll handle it after you get your licence sorted.

Hopefully, you won't be sleeping outside tonight...

-----------------------

Thankfully, unlike your previous attempt at following the simplest of instructions, this time you do manage to quickly and easily find your way to the Explorer's Guild.

The large, ornate building is by far the largest structure in the city. Carved into the giant tree that looms overhead, it is a marvel of engineering and a work of art.

You can definitely see why this place is such a well-known tourist spot. Views like these are breathtaking!

Be that as it may, you have business to attend to.

Taking a deep breath, you steel yourself and walk through the large double doors.

Inside, you see something a bit surprising. You expected the place to be packed full of people, of explorers that brave the dungeon.

Instead, you see a rather relaxed and somewhat empty lobby.

You look around, confused and slightly lost.

If it wasn't for one of the secretaries calling you over, you're not sure how long you would have been standing there.

"Can I help you?" The friendly attendant had asked you with a sugary smile.

With a nervous cough, you introduced yourself and told her that you wanted to register as one of the dungeon's explorers.

And understanding expression crossed her face. Quickly nodding, she handed you a form.

"Please fill this out first. If you're really serious, we can set up an examination right after."

You blinked.

"E-Examination?"

The kind girl nodded.

"Yep! You see, the dungeon can be really dangerous if your Soul's not strong enough." She paused.

What? What does that even mean? You're quite confused!

Her eyes widen slightly.

"Wait, first, do you know what Ether is?"

Ether? Of course, you do. It is the invisible, odourless, intangible and magical gas that permeates the entire world. It can neither be contained or physically interacted with.

Like a ghost, it simply passes through all matter like it wasn't there.

It is the conduit by which magic can be used.

Though, you're not sure exactly how that works.

Still, an orphan you might be, but you at least have a basic education.

With that in mind, you nod at the girl.

"Great! Well, you know how some places have it more than others? Like this city for example?"

Hmm, now that she mentions it, you have been feeling a fit more energetic and 'light' as it were.

You nod.

The girl smiles.

"Well, the dungeon has a lot more Ether. Some people can't handle it and can get really sick cause of it." She frowns. "We've had a few deaths because of it, actually." Shaking her head, she points to your form.

"Once you finish that, we'll have a test ready to see if you can actually go into the dungeon without needing an aid."

So many questions pass through your mind.

You never had any idea that this was even a danger! What does she mean by 'aid?'

Will you be fine?

Instead of asking those questions, you keep them to yourself.

Still, there's one that you just can't leave alone.

"Is it really so easy to get a licence? All I have to do is fill out this sheet, pay the fee, and then get tested?"

A part of you was hoping for something... more.

Like the professional she is, the receptionist girl smiles brightly and nods.

Her answer is perfectly practiced and gives barely anything away.

"We are always in need of more able-bodied explorers. The Dungeon is a curious place and everyone wants to help solve its many mysteries. We simply help others by making sure they can start their journey safe and prepared."

Somehow, you can't help but be a tiny bit suspicious of the young girl.

Nevertheless, you still want to be an explorer.

Grabbing your paper and the pen she offers, you find a nearby table and begin filling out the form.

------------------------------------

Ok, so what's the first question.

"What is your name?"

At least your parents actually had the decency to write your name on a piece of paper when they dropped you off in front of the orphanage.

You'll never forget it.

Your name is-

(Choose 1)

[][1 Name] Luke Eindride
[][1 Name] Arete Baruch
[][1 Name] Vidar Malfar
[][1 Name] Lokir Targon
[][1 Name] Bob Reid
[][1 Name] Write-In
+Honestly, I'm horrible with names, lol. I'd be a lot happier if you guys picked one that wasn't mine. They suck!

Nodding to yourself, you moved on to the next question.

"What are some useful skills that you know."

The space below the question was blank. There was a lot of room for you to write just about anything.

Well, as an orphan, you've picked up quite a few skills.

(Choose 6)

[][2 Skill] Hunting
+Techinically, you've only ever hunted rabbits. Still, you can find food for yourself easilly!
+Type: Utility

[][2 Skill] Fishing
+Fishing with a string, a few rocks, and some worms can be quite relaxing!
+Type: Utility

[][2 Skill] Persuasion
+There's been quite a few fights you've avoided by simply talking your way out.
+Type: Utility

[][2 Skill] Perception
+You're very perceptive. You can spot things that would normally escape other's attention
+Type: Utility

[][2 Skill] Tactically Minded
+You're quite good at finding the best way to use your environment to move freely.
+Type: Combat
+Requires: Cun 10

[][2 Skill] Thievery
+Hey, don't blame an orphan for learning this!
+Type: Utility

[][2 Skill] Herbalist
+After you ate that one mushroom, you made sure to study about plants.
+Type: Utility

[][2 Skill] Fast Reader
+You can read books real quick.
+Type: Utility

[][2 Skill] Tracker
+You've managed to track some rabbits here and there.
+Type: Utility

[][2 Skill] Appraiser
+You'll never be scammed again! Cheese my ass! That was a yellow rock with holes!
+Type: Utility

[][2 Skill] Cook
+While you're tools were usually rocks and an open flame, you still make a great owl steak!
+Type: Life

[][2 Skill] Speech
+You always seem to keep your listeners entertained when you tell stories. Eddy and Teddy can confirm.
+Type: Life

[][2 Skill] Dancer
+You can move real smooth!
+Type: Life

[][2 Skill] Carving
+That old knife of yours has seen some use. Shame you had to leave all your carvings behind. You're also very good at skinning and cutting up animals.
+Type: Life/Utility

Finishing that, you quickly blaze through the rest.

There's a section on math and other academic subjects.

Cun Required: 8
Your Cun: 10

Thankfully, you easily pass it without any trouble. You're pretty sure you scored 100% on that.

Though, some of the questions were just plain bizarre.

For example, one of them actually asked you to draw what you thought 'nothing' looked like.

Even weirder, a later question asked that you describe how the colour red tastes like.

...

Maybe these are valid problems explorers will have to face?

Then again, maybe someone let their mischievous son write a question or two?

Anyways, the final question is one you find interesting.

"What is your biggest flaw?"

Thinking about it, you write-

(Choose 1)

[][3 Flaw] You're A Coward
+Makes it so you have to fight a 'Runaway' DC when you start lossing a fight badly.

[][3 Flaw] You're Terrified Of Dogs
+Dog-like enemies gain bonuses when they fight you.

[][3 Flaw] You Hate Cats
+When a cat is nearby, you take penalties to any persuasion or speech rolls.

[][3 Flaw] You're Lazy
+Minus 1 Action.
+You're mood rises quicker.

[][3 Flaw] You're Quick To Anger
+You're easy to manipulate if your opponent gets you angry.

[][3 Flaw] Write-In?
+Has to be an actual flaw.

AN: Flaws can be lost in time.

With a smile, you put down your pen.

The form is done.

Standing up, you hand it over to the receptionist.

"Thank you very much! Please wait a few minutes while we process this." She says, moving the paper out of view.

Process? How exactly is she going to do that?

Something sparkles in he eyes

"Magic~" She says, making a funny gesture.

You simply stare at her.

And then you-

(Choose 1)

[][4 Wat] Nod Silently
+It worked with the driver. He felt a lot better afterwards.

To Cun

[][4 Wat] Laugh Awkwardly
+F-Funny joke.

To Cha

[][4 Wat] Try And Do A Magic Trick?
+Not actual magic, just slight of hand!

To Dex

[][4 Wat] Write-In?

AN: Think of the

as a 'step' towards improving a stat. If you check the char sheet, you'll see 5 ▷ next to each stat. Sometimes, you'll get these ->

and they'll fill up an empty slot. Fill them all up and the stat goes up!

It's not the main way to raise stats, but every bit helps!

Though, do keep in mind that while a certain choice might raise it one step, it might also screw you over! Example: Insulting a gangster might raise your STR, but you'll probably end up getting attacked!

AN: The next update should be the last of Character gen

You'll be getting 2 perks for having 2 stats at 10. From then on, you get another perk every 5 levels in a stat.

Thanks/Mentions
-Thank you for reading and voting.

LostGhost · May 5, 2018

----------
[Stats]
----------
CHA: [3] ▷▷▷▷
NAME: David Alexander

----------
[Skills]
----------

Tactically Minded [1/3]: You're quite good at finding the best way to use your environment to your advantage.
+All combat rolls relating gain 1 Extra Dice (D6).

Perception [1/5]: You can see the unseen, smell the smelly, and ugh, know if a food's spoiled.
+All rolls relating to detecting hidden things gain 1 Extra Dice (D6).

Persuasion [1/5]: Sometimes all you need to get through the day are a few kind words.
+ 1 Extra Dice (D6) to related rolls.

Hunting [1/5]: You know the basics of hunting and such. It's sure to come in handy while in the dungeon. Food's always nice
+ 1 Extra Dice (D6).

Speech [1/10]: The other orphans always said you told the best stories.
+ 1 Extra Dice (D6) to related rolls.

Thievery [1/5]: Your hands are quick and slippery. It doesn't feel good, but sometimes you don't have a choice if you want to survive.
+ 1 Extra Dice (D6) to related rolls.

----------
[Traits]
----------
Cynophobia: You're terrified of dogs and dog-like things. It can't be helped. Still, you'll never forget that stupid noble brat that had his dog chase you around town. You should really try and overcome this...

+Dog-like enemies gain bonuses when they fight you.

----------
[Items]
----------
Book: "A Beginner's Guide To The Dungeon"
500 "Gold"

You laugh awkwardly at the receptionist's little joke. While she might work for a rather suspicious organization, you can't fault her for doing her job.

She rolls her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. I know my jokes are crap." Her attempt to stifle her giggle is unsuccessful.

She's got a pretty laugh and smile.

A small blush rises to your cheeks.

It's not often that a pretty girl looks at you like that.

You lived to the south, in the Kingdom of Bernd. It consists of a mishmash of environments. Forested areas, large open savannas, swamps, and even a desert!

Thankfully, you lived in the former. Still, most of the girls there weren't very interested in a no-name orphan that lived in a shack.

"Oh! You forgot to fill this part out."

The sudden declaration jars you out of your thoughts.

Confused, you look at the girl and ask what she means.

"The final page has a backside." She says with barely stifled laughter. "Also, your name's David Alexander?"

Once more, a blush builds on your face. This time, though, it's due to embarrassment for missing the last page.

How did you miss that?!

You're going to blame it on not having to fill out one of these in forever!

"My parents named me that. I have no idea why they chose two first names. They probably sucked at naming."

You try and distract her by telling her the origin of your name.

Coughing, you reach out and take the sheet of paper.

Quickly scanning the last page, you fill out all the questions you missed.

Why do they need to know if you're Married? Though, the next of kin makes sense. The dungeon is very dangerous.

Finishing up, you hand the page to the girl.

"Thank you very much!" she looks it over with an analytical gaze.

"Huh, you don't look it." She giggles. "But, who knew you were-"

(Choose 1)

[][1 Age] 17 Years Old
[][1 Age] 18 Years Old
[][1 Age] 19 Years Old
[][1 Age] 20 Years Old
[][1 Age] 21 Years Old
[][1 Age] 22 Years Old
[][1 Age] Write-In?

As you prepare to reply, you suddenly hear a beeping noise coming from below her desk.

It startles you a bit.

"Oh! That's them!" She smiles. "Your examination should be ready."

Standing up, she points to the door a bit to the right and behind her.

"Just go through there and take the last door on the left."

That familiar feeling starts rising in your chest.

You're nervous.

Giving the girl a small nod, you start walking.

*Squeak!*

The familiar, encouraging cries of Eddy and Teddy bring a smile to your face.

They probably felt your heart beating so quickly and wanted to cheer you up.

Everything's going to be fine.

---------------------------

The 'test' or 'examination' as it were, was surprisingly quick and easy.

When you entered the room, you had found a pair of old men. They asked for your name, which you gave.

Afterwards, they pointed to a nearby chair and requested that you sit and strap yourself in.

The fact that the chair had straps and leg braces was already a big red flag for you.

Were it any other day and any other place, you'd have been running out the front door in seconds.

Sadly, you were here for a purpose.

Following their instructions, you sat down and were quickly bound.

"Don't worry, lad. This is for your own protection." The older of the two men had said. He barely had any hair left on his head.

"Aye. Some people tend to thrash around and bite off their tongues when they first experience it." The other man, who had a pair of gray hair said. "Speaking of, open wide."

You did so, begrudgingly accepting the small, soft material into your mouth.

"Bit down hard when we tell you."

You nodded.

"Good. So, what we're going to do is raise the Ether levels in the room to match the dungeon. It's not something you can normally do, but we have our ways." The older man said.

"You might feel slight discomfort, nausea, an impending sense of doom, a sudden need for pie, the desire to eat human flesh, the need to pee, the need to break out into dance, murderous thoughts, and a strong desire to recite poetry."

As the younger of the two continued to list of random and honestly strange outcomes, you simply stare at him, confused.

"Heh. I know it sounds weird, but the dungeon is even weirder. If you want to dive into that place, you'd better start getting used to this."

Your eyes widened, a small bit of shock in them.

"You think those are just a joke right? Nope. One time, we had someone literally start quacking like a duck! It was the funniest thing."

"..."

"At least untill he started defecating all over our floor."

Oh god. What have you gotten yourself into?

"Now, is there anything you'd like to say before we begin."

As you're about to shake your head, you remember that Eddy and Teddy are in your pocket.

You nod and the older man removes your makeshift gag.

"I have a pair of rodents in my pocket. Will they be negatively impacted by this?"

The older man blinks.

"Are you planning on bringing them into the dungeon?"

You hesitate.

*Squeak?*

"Y-Yes."

Maybe it's stupid and selfish, but you don't want to be alone.

"In that case, keep them with you. The dungeon's high Ether content has a significantly reduced effect on non-sapient animals." He hums.

"If you want to turn them into familiars or something at a later date, having them become accustomed to the dungeon will probably be a good thing."

Familiars?

"Anyways, is that everything?"

You nod dumbly.

"Good. Now, put that back in and bite hard. We're about to start."

With a bit of hesitation, you do as instructed.

"If it helps, the first time I went through this I thought of big butts. And I cannot lie, it definitely helped."

...

What?

And then the world crashes down on your head.

---------------------------------------------------
Soul DC: 6
Soul Roll: 5d6 = 3, 4, 1, 2, 5 = 15 PASS!
---------------------------------------------------

For a second, it feels like you're flying. And then, you fall.

Your soul leaves your body, sliding through the chair, then the ground.

Beneath the city, you see roots larger than islands. You see a spiralling system of caverns and tunnels.

And then, as you continue to fall, you find yourself rising.

You shoot out of the ground. In front of you is a simple, calming, serene field of grass.

There are no trees in sight.

Indeed, all you see is a flat expanse of grass and a single house standing at the centre.

You draw closer, wondering what it could possibly be doing there.

"L----- Go! C--- On!"

Two distinct voices can be heard from within.

One is clearly male, while the other is female.

You find yourself in front of the door.

Reaching out, you touch the doorknob-

And then you're pulled back.

Reality snaps back into place. You fall through the ground, then rise, and finally find yourself in your body once more.

Two curious and patient old men stare at you in wonder.

------------------------

"So? What did you feel?"

"Yes, tell us! It's not often someone just sits there and stares."

"Indeed!"

You blink.

That was odd...

Shaking your head, you begin recounting your experience to the old men.

As you do so, you can't help but feel yourself swelling with energy!

It feels like you could rip a tree out of the ground and use it as a whip!

How exactly you'd go about that is completely lost in your euphoric high!

"Hmm, a house you say?" The older man says.

"Could you describe it to us?" His younger assistant asks.

Having no reason to deny their request, you do so.

You tell them of the pink house with the red tree.

"Oh my! That's certainly something." The oldest man says with a laugh.

"Yes! What a coincidence." The younger one says, pausing for a second. "But is it really a coincidence, I wonder."

Your eyes narrow.

"What's so special about the house?" You ask curiously.

"Oh, don't you worry."

"We wouldn't want to ruin the surprise."

Annoyed, you ignore both of them.

"Is the examination done?"

They look at you and nod.

"Quite done. Here's your Explorer's Card." The older man says, handing you a thin piece of metal. On its surface, you see a perfect drawing of your face.

It's so detailed you can't help but ask how they managed to draw it so quickly!

"Magic! And we call it a 'picture.'

...

"Speaking of magic, you have quite the potential for it. I highly suggest you look into finding a teacher." The oldest says.

"He's right, you know! Magic is a great tool for those seeking to explore the dungeon. Eventually, it becomes a requirement when you reach the highest floors."

You nod, thanking them for their advice.

Magic, huh? You never really thought you'd have the aptitude for it.

As you get out of your chair and start to leave, the youngest man calls out.

"You can get your beginner's book from dear Rachel!"

Rachel?

Seeing your confused expression, the oldest shakes his head.

"The receptionist!"

Your eyes widen and a blush claws onto your face.

That's embarrassing. You never even asked her name!

You thank them and then leave, making sure Eddy and Teddy are alright in the process.

-------------------------------

On your way out, you grab the book, thank 'Rachel' for her help and then pay your licence fee.

She said that if you had tried running, your I.D card would have shocked you silly.

"Have a nice night!" These are her final words.

Smiling, you return the kind gesture.

Now, all you need to do is find a hotel.

-------------------------------------------------
Perception DC: 2
Perception Roll: 2d6 = 2, 1 = 3 PASS!

Thankfully, finding a hotel is a lot easier at night. Mabe, it was the lights, but you certainly didn't get lost.

Still, you're not one to go to the first place you find.

Looking around you found several other places, one of which had a lower price per night.

Landing on a soft, cushiony bed, you fall asleep almost instantly.

Tomorrow is the first day of your new life.

A part of you is scared and nervous. But, a larger part is excited and overflowing with joy.

Untill then, you sleep.

------------------
Cunning Perk
-----------------
(Choose 1)

[][2 Cun] A Cunning Mind
+All Cunning Rolls Gain 2 extra D6 added to them.

[][2 Cun] Quick Learner
+When you level up, gain an extra Skill Point to distribute.

[][2 Cun] An Adept Mind
+You can add 25% of your Cun to Combat Rolls.

[][2 Cun] A Keen Eye
+You can add 25% of your Cun to your physical Damage.

------------
Soul Perk
------------
(Choose 1)

[][3 Soul] Ether Novice
+When crafting spells, you gain an extra 2D6 to the roll.

[][3 Soul] Ether Sense
+You can sense the flow of Ether much better than a normal person.

[][3 Soul] Spell Slinger
+Your spells are stronger than they would normally be.
+Instead of adding just Soul to their DMG, add Soul x 1.2

[][3 Soul] Ether Pool
+For the purpose of your internal Ether Poll calculation (Mana), you gain an extra +5 Ether.

AN: So, for spells, your 'Soul' is your mana pool. Spells cost mana to cast, so, the more you have, the stronger and more spells you can cast.
Also, aside from the very basic spells, you'll have to make your own. Each person actually casts spells differently and it depends on your soul, so to 'make' these spells, you have to roll for them.

------------------------

Your eyes snap open. The loud noise of a rooster has woken you up.

Groaning, you get off from the silky, comfortable sheets.

That was the most relaxing sleep you've had in years!

You feel great!

There's a lot of things to do today, so you should probably get ready to go!

--------------------------
David's Daily Actions
--------------------------

Mood: : )
+3 Actions available due to a happy mood.

(Choose 3)

[][4 Day] Weapon Shoping!
+Papa needs a new whip!
+Also, maybe you can buy a bow or something? Having a ranged option is always good!

[][4 Day] Read "A Beginner's Guide To The Dungeon"
+You'd best prepare yourself.
+

To Cun

[][4 Day] Magic? What's That?
+See if you can find someone that knows about magic.

[][4 Day] The Dungeon!
+Try and find the dungeon!

[][4 Day] What Now?
+You really should have asked Rachel what to do now...

[][4 Day] Explore!
+Have a look around town. See what you can find?

[][4 Day] Food!
+You're starving!

[][4 Day] Write-In?

AN: This should be it! Character creation, done! Also, you have 500 'Gold'.

Thanks/Mentions
-Thank you for reading and voting.

LostGhost · May 6, 2018

Day 1 Part 1: "The First Steps"
-----------------------------------

----------
[Stats]
----------
Cun: [10] ▷▷▷▷
Age: 18

----------
[Perks]
----------
Quick Learner: You've always been quick to pick things up. It's probably one of the reasons you managed to survive so long.
+When you level up, gain an extra Skill Point to distribute.

Ether Sense: Some people are more naturally receptive to Ether, the invisible and intangible gas which powers all magic. You are among these people.
+You can sense the flow of Ether much better than a normal person.

--------------------------
David's Daily Actions
--------------------------
Mood: : )

----------------------
Weapon Shoping!
----------------------

To say that you'd be insane going into the dungeon without a proper weapon would be an understatement.

Sure, your rusty knife has saved you on countless occasions, and you could use it in a pinch to defend yourself. Still, it's not really up to scratch.

Technically, you could stab someone and give them tetanus. If you think of it like that, your little knife is beyond terrifying!

But no, you need a proper weapon.

You have 500 Gold coins. Well, technically they aren't actually gold, just a similarly coloured mineral. What gives it it's worth is the royal seal stamped onto its face.

...

You're not exactly sure why all the kingdoms decided to have that as the universal seal. Maybe one of them was a bit of a joker?

Either way, they all back it as the universal currency, so if you want to dispute their worth you'd have to talk to them.

And that's not something you're going to do! You want to live, thank you very much!

By itself, this amount would normally be enough to get you a decent weapon. Sadly, if you spend it all on a weapon, you'll be lacking in other areas.

Armour, healing potions, all of these are standard for adventurers. You might not know much about the dungeon itself, but you've heard about the equipment required to explore it.

...

At least the basic equipment.

Anyways, after a bit of looking, you find a shop that sells weapons within your price range. The cute sign above its door reads, "Weapon Shop."

That's honestly really surprising, considering it's the only weapon shop to be named 'Weapon Shop.'

The owner is not what you expected, though.

"Welcome to the best weapon shop in all of Lubaika!" A small girl, which you'd definitely call 'cute' greets you as you enter. "Like the name? Took a hell of a lot to make sure no one else could use it!"

That name still sounds odd. Lubaika is the name of the city you're in. It's probably the most advanced and self-sufficient place in the world.

Even if you were to cut off supplies from outside, people can still go into the dungeon and bring back food and such. It's common knowledge

Either way, you're definitely caught off guard.

"Oh? Is something wrong, dear customer?"

So shocked are you, that you stutter out something along the lines of, "Are you the owner?"

The little girl chuckles, amusement painted on her face.

"No, that's my older sister, but she's out right now. Don't worry, dear customer, I know how to run the place!" She shouts, pating her chest.

"I've done it lots of times." She pauses. "Though, if you think you can get one overmy cause i'm a little kid, well, youd better leave right now!"

She huffs.

"Maybe kids born outside of Lubaika are more gullible, but in this city, we have a much better education system!"

You chuckle nervously.

Well, she's certainly got spirit.

Coughing, you introduce yourself.

"So, a nooby explorer? Well, you've come to the best place! I'll even give you a discount on your first weapon! Just come back if you live, ok?"

The way she says that so casually definitely makes you nervous.

Still, you're not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Oh, and sorry about our low selection of goods. We're waiting on some materials to make more stuff."

Time to browse.

(Choose 1)

Total Gold: 500

[Inventory]

Leather Whip
+Cost: 250 Gold
+Dex DMG Multiplier: x1.2
+Base Damage: +4

Chain Whip
+Cost: 400 Gold
+Dex DMG Multiplier: x1.4
+Base Damage: +6

Bladed Whip
+Cost: 800 Gold
+Dex DMG Multiplier: x1.5
+Base Damage: +10

Ether Whip
+Cost: 3000 Gold
+Dex DMG Multiplier: x1.3
+Soul DMG Multiplier: x1.5
+Base Damage: +0

Hand Crossbow
+Cost: 200 Gold
+Dex DMG Multiplier: x1.1
+Base Damage: +7

Bow & Arrows
+Cost: 250 Gold
+Dex DMG Multiplier: x1.6
+Base Damage: +1

Ether Bow
+Cost: 3000 Gold
+Dex DMG Multiplier: x1.3
+Soul DMG Multiplier: x1.5
+Base Damage: +0

[][1 Wep] Buy One Weapon
-[] Leather Whip
-[] Chain Whip
-[] Bladed Whip
-[] Ether Whip
-[] Hand Crossbow
-[] Bow & Arrows
-[] Ether Bow

[][1 Wep] Buy Two Weapons
-[] Leather Whip
-[] Chain Whip
-[] Bladed Whip
-[] Ether Whip
-[] Hand Crossbow
-[] Bow & Arrows
-[] Ether Bow

[][1 Wep] Buy Nothing

[][1 Wep] Write-In?

--------------------------------------------
"A Beginner's Guide To The Dungeon"
--------------------------------------------

Before heading off into the bowls of the dungeon, you thought it smart to read the very book that talks about it.

You'd be an idiot not to, after all.

In any case, the book held an impressive amount of information. Some of it you didn't believe, but why would they give you a book with false information?

In the end, you chose to believe it... for now.

In short, the main points are as follows.

1- The dungeon is separated into different 'Stratums.' These Stratums are comprised of a certain number of 'floors.' For example, the first 'Stratums' is 'The Ancient Forest.' It is called this because it's a heavily forested area with a large number of ruins and hidden secrets. It is comprised of 5 floors.

2- A plethora of different monsters and creatures live in the dungeon. No one really knows where they come from, but it's believed that they are born in the dungeon. They aren't constructs, as when killed, they leave behind corpses and materials.

3- When something dies in the dungeon, it will eventually be claimed by the dungeon. In other words, wait long enough and the dungeon will 'eat' the corses of the dead. It's quite morbid, really. Still, this acts as a perfect janitor, cleaning up the floors.

4- The dungeon has a large amount of Ether in it, allowing mages to more easily cast spells, even if they don't have any more 'internal' Ether themselves.

5- It's unkown why, but every so often, certain special effects will grab hold of a number of floors in the dungeon. These effects are completely random. Somedays you'll find it impossible to cast magic, other days your weapons will literally transform into bread. Sometimes, they'll come to life and talk to you. Truly, there seems to be no limit to the random effects that can suddenly appear. There's a bulletin board by the Dungeon's entrance where you can check the current discovered effects, but if you have money, you can buy specialized magical items that will tell you what the current effect is on the floor you enter.

6- Some floors abide by different laws of reality. In other words, some floors have permanent special effects. An example is the 3rd floor of the Ancient Forest, which makes it so walking around in more armor actually makes you faster. The inverse is also true. If you're naked, you'll feel like a mountain is sitting on your back. Other effects include up being down, walking backward takes you forward, and dying makes you stronger.

7- Every so often, powerful monsters appear in the dungeon. These are much stronger than the normal types and should be engaged with great caution. Aside from these, at the end of every 'Stratum,' there will always be a boss waiting for new Explorers. It's as if the dungeon is testing everyone individually and everyone as a whole.

8- By killing monsters, you absorb their Essence. Once you've gathered enough, you can perform a simple strengthening ritual to 'Level up' as it's called. You need materials for this, though you can buy or find them in the dungeon.

9- It's strongly recommended that you learn magic after passing the first 'Stratum.' Magic is an invaluable tool, and when used in creative ways, it will allow you to hit far above your weight class.

9.5- The materials monsters drop are usually saturated in Ether, so they make great regents and crafting components. A good way to make money is to sell them in town, though, using them for magic or Alchemy is also an option.

10- Anything could happen in the Dungeon. It's a dangerous place and shouldn't be underestimated. When entering it, you should come prepared. Sometimes, you'll be unable to simply as the exit tends to disappear at certain times of the day. For this reason, it's advised to bring camping supplies and other useful utility items.

Overall, you definitely found the book very useful.

-------
Food!
-------

Food, the fuel which drives all life! You're no different.

After a long day of running around town, you decided to grab some grub.

There ware several places to eat, but you eventually found yourself stopping by a bar.

You had seen several armoured individuals walking inside.

Making the connection, you realized that they were probably explorers.

Since it's your goal to ascend the Dungeon, it only made sense to eat here and maybe try to gather some information on the side.

Stepping inside, you saw a bustling bar. So many people around, each dressed differently.

Some had weapons, others held strange devices. You could feel the Ether cling and dance around those trinkets.

Maybe they were some kind of magical items?

Either way, looking around, you decided to grab a seat-

(Choose 1)

[][2 Barrr] By The Empty Table
+You just want food. This way you can more easily feed Eddy and Teddy.
+You can also eavesdrop.

[][2 Barrr] At The Party Of 3
+They seem to be a group of friends.
+Maybe you could ask them for advice?

[][2 Barrr] Next To The Lonely Guy
+He seems to be drinking some milk and eating eggs.
+He's also covered in tattoos.

[][2 Barrr] Next To The Tough Looking Girl
+She has like, 3 swords.

[][2 Barrr] Next To Shy Looking Guy
+He's almost as tense as you...
+He seems to be eating... sardines?

[][2 Barrr] Next To The Lightly Dressed Girl
+Everyone seems to be giving her a wide breatheth. Why are they so scared of her?

AN: Time to begin!

Thanks/Mentions
-Thank you for reading and voting.

LostGhost · May 8, 2018

Day 1 Part 2: "A Blunder"
-----------------------------

Leather Whip
+Dex DMG Multiplier (DDM): x1.2
+Base Damage: +4
Total Dex DMG: 7 = (3*1.2) + 4

--------------------------
David's Daily Actions
--------------------------
Mood: : ) -> :/

----------------------
Weapon Shoping!
----------------------

"The leather whip, huh?" Pausing for a second, the small girl hums in thought.

"Normally I'd say it's a bad weapon for the dungeon, but that isn't just any plain whip!"

Really? Well, you weren't expecting to really cut monsters in half with it, but it looks like a normal whip...

"Ha! I can see that look! you don't believe me!" The little girl huffs, crossing her arms.

Well, to be fair, it does look like a normal whip.

"I'll have you know the leather in question comes form the dungeon! It's from a monster that has a tough hide!" She shakes her head.

Oh! That would make sense. The monsters of the dungeon are sure to be tougher than any normal animal.

"That's why the whip is better. I'm not saying it's easy, but it sure is a lot easier to cut through things with it than a normal whip."

You smile and nod.

"Then i'll take it."

A smile rises to her face.

"Wonderful, dear customer!"

The formalities are quickly finished, and a few minutes later you have a weapon and 250 less gold coins.

As you exit the store, the little girl gets a few more words in.

"And don't you forget the name Lanny! Come back here when you need a new weapon, ok!"

You smile, nod, and wave goodbye.

[Reward: Leather Whip! | -250 Gold]

-------
Food!
-------

You don't know what it is that draws you to her, but you quickly find yourself pulling up a chair and sitting at her table.

The second you do, most of the people in the bar shift their gaze to you. Some are subtle about it, others disregard decency and turn their heads in a wide motion.

And so, the whispers start. You're familiar with this. as an orphan, it wasn't all that uncommon for travelers and the 'high class' to mumble and whisper about you.

This girl, she's like you. At least when it comes to being a social outcast.

"Doesn't he know who she is?"

"Yeah, he should leave her alone."

"Yeah, she killed two guards yesterday.

"I can't believe she reached so far down into the dungeon and let that happen."

Their whispers continue, even as you take another look at the girl.

You chose to sit here because something about her called out to you. But, your objective is still to gather information and eat.

As a waiter passes, you ask for a sandwich and a small slice of cheese.

He hesitates for a second before nodding and going on his way.

Through all this, the girl ignores your presence.

She seems to be very fascinated with her cup.

Wait, that smell. She's drinking wine?

Another round of whispers washes over the bar, though it seems most have moved on and returned to their normal topics.

A normal person would have probably moved on by now. Their whispers, the words they say, all of these are signs that point to someone that doesn't fit in.

But you know how that feels. It's for this reason that you breach out.

"Excuse me?"

You try and grab her attention.

She ignores you, lost in her own little world.

You try again.

Her head raises and her eyes lock onto yours.

"Oh." She speak, and the familiar scent of alcohol smashes into your face.

Your nose scrunches up.

You've never been one for alcohol. If you'd point out a reason, it's probably that time you drank a whole pitcher for some money.

Sure, you got paid and the guy that made the bet was laughing his ass of, but your body definitely didn't like it.

You remember how much your threw up back then. You've been wary of alcohol since.

"Umm, sorry, do you want me to leave?" She asks you. Her voice is meek.

You shake your head.

"No. Actually, are you ok?"

You had no intentions of comforting anyone today, but a bit of kindness can go a long way. A nobody today can be a friend tomorrow, as the saying goes.

"..."

"No. My life is a mess." She sighs, shaking her head.

You ask what happened. She's an Explorer, right?

With a nod, she begins recounting her story. You find this quite weird, actually. Who tells their life story to a total stranger?

Honestly, you think the alcohol might have had something to do with it. She wasn't drunk, but she definitely wasn't completely fine either.

"I... Do you know about the monster that escaped the dungeon recent? The Hellephant?"

Your body stiffens. It feels like death itself is gently cradling your heart.

Remembering your run in with that monster wasn't something you wanted to do.

Thankfully, you're safe now. The feeling passes.

"Yes, i do."

She hesitates.

"I-I was the one who let it out. If it wasn't for me, the guards stationed at the gate would still be alive."

You frown.

So that's why everyone's avoiding her. It's clear no one would want to associate with a murderer.

Even you'd keep your distance from such people. A pretty face won't change that.

However, something tells you there's more to the story than that.

"Did you do it on purpose?" You ask.

He pale, smooth face looks up. The bright fire of rebellion blazes in her eyes.

"Of course not." She snaps. "But... I might as well have. I'm such an idiot." It quickly fades, though. Once again, she falls down into a slump.

Reaching out, she takes another sip from her glass.

The smart thing to do would be to leave.

But, you don't.

Now, you realize that she's nothing like you. Yet, she's still someone down in the dumps.

Sometimes, people simply want another person to talk about their worries. Being alone is something you know all about.

For now, you'll stay by this strangers side and give her a small bit of comfort. Hopefully, someday someone will do the same to you.

And so, you listen.

------------------------------------

Candi, as she's called, is an Explorer. That much was obvious, but she tells it to you anyways.

She was part of a Union, a gathering of adventures that work under one leader.

Was.

That's no longer the case. In order to prevent backlash and fines, she was kicked out.

Her assets were cased and she was made to pay the families of the two guards that died yesterday.

Aside from that, she's also been banned from entering the Dungeon for a time.

Even after all of this, Candi says she got of easy.

If it wasn't for he Union Leader's connections, she'd be in jail.

A parting gift, she called it.

"Now i'm all alone..."

The reason for all of this can be explained in two simple words.

Bad luck.

Like any other day, she had been exploring the dungeon. After a few hours, she decided to head out.

Since she was a mage, she had access to long range teleportation spells.

After a quick check to make sure nothing would follow her, she cast a gate spell and linked two points in space.

She was on the 40th floor and had opened a gate to the first.

As she stepped through, something tackled her, sending her smashing into a tree.

The cries and shouts of the two guards had her jumping into action, if somewhat hurt.

Unfortunately, it was far to late for them.

One had his head torn off, eaten by the Hellephant. The other had his body twisted in half.

It was a gruesome scene.

One she caused.

Somehow, the monster had jumped through and followed her to the 1st floor.

If it had ended there, it wouldn't have been nearly as bad.

But it didn't.

This was one of the rare monsters that could actually perceive the dungeon's exit.

And so, instead of killing her, it burst through and escaped.

"It's my fault... I should have made absolutely sure that there was nothing around. Because i wan't thorough, i killed those two, friendly guards."

By the time she had finished her story, you took note that she was far more intoxicated than before.

In front of you stood a woman, only a few years older than you, and she was convinced that her life was ruined.

Personally, you don't think it was that bad. She said she was banned from the dungeon, but only for a while. Eventually, she'd be allowed back in.

Those deaths would never be washed away, though.

As your meal arrived, you ate in silence, thinking about what to say.

They day got darker, and as you finished, most everyone began to leave.

You-

(Choose 1)

[][1 Barrr] Persuade Her
+She did nothing wrong.
+It was an accident.
+She's not at fault.
+Persuasion DC: 10
+Your Bonus: 1 Dice (Charisma/2) + 1 Dice (Persuasion Skill)
+ to Cha (On success)

[][1 Barrr] Try And Cheer Her Up
+Things will get better.
+You think she's a good person.
+Speech DC: 5
+Your Bonus: 1 Dice (Charisma/2) + 1 Dice (Speech Skill)

[][1 Barrr] Stay Silent
+You don't know what to say.

[][1 Barrr] Write-In?

Anyways, after everything is said and done, it's time to go home.

Candi is completely drunk by this point. From the conversation you had with her, this is the first time she's ever actually drunk alcohol.

Should you take her home? Take her to your hotel? Or let her go on her own?

(Choose 1)

[][2 Walk] Take Her Home
+She's kinda not sure where she lives.
+Going to have to roll a Perception Check to see if you find her home.

[][2 Walk] Take Her To Your Hotel
+Much easier.
+She'll probably have a lot of questions in the morning.
+She's also probably capable of killing you just by thinking. She's a mage, after all.

[][2 Walk] Leave Her Alone
+She can get home fine, right?

[][2 Walk] Write-In

AN: Doot.

Thanks/Mentions
-Thank you for reading and voting.

LostGhost · May 9, 2018

Day 2 Part 1: "Smiling Sun"
-------------------------------

--------------------------
David's Daily Actions
--------------------------
Mood: :/

What wakes you up is a familiar and annoying pain flowing through your back.

You groan and begin rolling out of bed. Only, you're not in bed. You're sleeping on a sofa.

Well, you can't complain, it's much better than sleeping on the floor.

Still, even though it's only been one day, you already miss the comforting and smooth feeling of a mattress below your back!

As you run a hand through the mess that is your, Eddy and Teddy squeak. They hop out of your shirt pocket and run around.

You blink, slightly confused at their erratic behaviour.

What are they-

Your eyes snap open.

Oh, right. Everything's coming back to you.

Speech DC: 5
Roll: 1, 5 = 6 PASS!

You remember your meeting with Candi and how you somehow managed to cheer her up. A real miracle that. Then again, you've always been good at raising peoples spirits with your stories.

All you did was try and turn those talents onto more... realistic targets. You tried to reassure her and told her that she wasn't a bad person. She clearly felt extremely regretful about her actions.

She didn't buy it at first, but after a bit more time, you eventually managed to get a smile on her face.

Though, you're not sure if that was because she was drunk or if your emotional speech had reached her.

Sighing, you stood up.

Well, time to see how she's doing. Hopefully, she doesn't get the wrong idea. She shouldn't, as you left her a note. Still, best to be cautious about this.

---------------------------

Candi, it seems, was already awake. When you opened the door, you saw her staring out the window, a thoughtful expression on her face.

Since she was a perfectly rational adult, she didn't scream or suddenly attack you.

Thank god! If something like that happened, you wouldn't know what to do.

You suppose it makes sense, though. Supposedly she's reached far into the dungeon, so she's bound to have a certain maturity to have survived for so long.

She also remembered you and the conversation you had.

"I... thank you for that. Most wouldn't be so kind to a stranger. Even less would have the patience for someone like me." She had chuckled.

You had simply smiled and told her that small kindnesses like that can go along way. A simple greeting can mean the world to someone having a bad day.

"Yeah.. you're right." Once more, she had gazed out at the city.

Eddy and Teddy's sudden squeaking had drawn her attention.

You were prepared to intervene and stop her, even if it might have cost you your life.

If there's one thing you know, it's that girls hate mice. And a girl with magic could probably kill them with a wave of her hand.

Her reaction surprised you, though.

Instead of recoiling in shock, she smiled and stared down at the closest thing you could label as 'family.'

"These are yours, right? I remember you sneaking some cheese for them at the bar."

Without reservations, she gently lifted your tiny rodents.

"They're cute." She said, scratching their little heads.

Well, if they're fond of her, she really can't be a bad person. Those two rodents are excellent judges of character!

Putting them down, she shifted her gaze to you.

"I'd like to apologize for my... unsightly behaviour yesterday." She said, letting out a small cough.

A light shade of pink slid onto her cheeks.

"Once more, thank you for trying to cheer me up." She paused. It was clear to you that she was very embarrassed about showing that side to others.

"It was my first time drinking, so iI think I got a bit lost in it. Either way, I'd also like to thank you for making sure I found a nice bed to sleep in without being harassed."

As Eddy and Teddy returned to you, a smile rose on your cheeks.

"It was no problem. Are you feeling better?"

-------------------------

Thankfully, it looked like Candi's mood had risen since last night. Whether your words had anything to do with that, you're not certain.

She did say you helped, though.

In any case, Candi had left shortly after. Apparently, she still had a lot of official matters to discuss with the Explorer's Guild.

She needed to sort those out first before she could do anything else.

With one last thank you, she prepared to leave.

But, as she reached the door, she paused.

She turned and gave you an offer.

If you wanted to learn magic, you could stop by the Explorer's Guild today and find her. It seems she easily discovered that you were new to the city.

"Have you ever been to the dungeon?"

With a blush of your own, you had shaken your head.

She nodded.

"I will teach you if you wish."

Unfortunately, you'd need to pay her. With most of her money lost due to her 'negligence,' she was now almost flat broke.

However, she promised to give you a special deal. She would teach you the basics for 50 gold coins.

And if you really wanted to learn how to use magic, she'd teach you for 100 gold coins.

"It won't be easy, though."

Apparently, actually learning magic was different than learning a spell.

You weren't really sure what the difference was, a fact that she quickly picked up on.

"The difference is like if I gave you a knife that can shoot a fireball or if I taught you how to bend reality so that you can make fireballs."

With those words, she left.

...

Today was a new day.

What should you do with your time?

[Reward: Candi's View on you has Risen! 'Basic' Social Link Get! 1/10]

(Choose 3)

[][1 Day] Armor Shopping!
+Papa need some armour!

[][1 Day] Schools?
+While walking around, you heard that there's apparently a school for new Explorers nearby? See if you can find it?

[][1 Day] Visit Candi
+Take up her offer for magic lessons.
+Minimum of 50 Gold, Max of 100.

[][1 Day] Magic? What's That?
+See if you can find someone else that knows about magic.
+Always good to find more than one source.

[][1 Day] The Dungeon!
+Try and find the dungeon!

[][1 Day] What Now?
+You really should have asked Rachel what to do now...

[][1 Day] Explore!
+Have a look around town. See what you can find?

[][1 Day] Visit Lanny
+See how your favourite weapon shop owner is doing. (Only weapon shop owner, lol.)

[][1 Day] Write-In?

AN: Poot.

Thanks/Mentions
-Thank you for reading and voting.

thebebb · Sep 10, 2018

The great(self-proclaimed) dungeon explorer Dustran Berghest, a man who has soloed every floor in the dungeon he’s been to so far, cut through swathes of monsters with skill and technique that could only come with raw talent and training along with speed and strength that could only come with a high level.

“Come on! Come on!” Dustran shouted. “Ten, twenty, hundred, it doesn’t matter how many of you there are. I’ll cut you all down!”

Swing, a monster’s head fell off. Swing, a flying monster lost its wings. Swing, a monster’s eyes went dark and hollow.

Swing, swing, swing.

Corpse of monsters littered the ground, each one having a single cut that ended their lives. At the center of these corpses with a single man. Dustran Berghest stood there, his sword planted in the ground with his chest heaving.

“That took more out of me than I expected” Dustran said between his haggard breaths.

Still, despite how exhausted he was, he knew that as long as he kept moving, as long as he kept swinging his sword, then his opponent will die. For if there’s one constant, one universal law, then it’s whatever he cuts dies. No exceptions.

Not bothering with the corpses of the fallen, Dustran carried on forwards, his sword at the ready despite his doubt of needing it yet.

“Finally found it” Dustran smiled as he saw the staircase going upwards. “The stairs to the next floor”

Who would have thought it would be hidden away in a hard to notice passage and guarded by a literal horde of monsters? Definitely not Dustran but he’s not one to scoff at luck when it shines upon him.

Dustran climbed the stairs and finally entered the next floor after weeks of searching.

…

The moment Dustran stepped foot onto the next floor, the staircase behind him vanished.

“That’s odd” Dustran mumbled to himself, all the solo exploring giving him a habit of talking to himself. “I never heard of that happening”

From the intel he gathered on this floor, that was definitely not supposed to happen. Was his intel wrong? Did someone purposely feed him wrong information? Or was this just dungeon shenanigans?

Regardless, he’s not going to stop here just because his path of retreat has disappeared. All he can do is face forward, never look back.

With that mindset, Dustran glanced around the room he was in. The first thing that registered in his mind were the four doors that most likely lead further into the dungeon floor. The second was a table with a bag on it. The third was a writing on the wall behind the table.

Dustran first instinct was to try the doors but knew that if a floor has rules then it’s best to follow them.

Walking up the writing on the wall, Dustran began reading it.

“You who has entered this floor. Upon the table is a bag of marbles. Take at least two” Dustran opened up the bag and took two, a red and a purple one.

“You need the eyes matching the colour of those marbles in order to pass onto the next floor”

Oh, so it was a monster hunting floor, Dustran’s favorite. No annoying gimmicks, just some good ol’ fashioned hunting. With that in mind, Dustran put the two marbles back in the bag and took the entire bag itself.

“Well, it did say to take at least two” Dustran mumbled to himself. “There’s no limit on how many”

Pocketing the bag, Dustran carried on reading through the rules.

“If you wish to turn back then forfeit up your eyes and the path back shall be opened up to you”

Forfeit up your eyes? What did that mean? At that point, Dustran noticed the small mirror next to the writing on the wall. All it did was reflect his own image but that image itself has something that he was entirely unfamiliar with.

“My eyes…” Both his eyes were a colour he has never seen them be before. Granted, his eyes don’t change colour so any colour from blue was a colour he hasn’t seen before. “Are Green and red”

His left eye turned into an emerald green while his right eye became blood red.

“So that’s how it is” Dustran smirked as he realised the meaning behind the rule. “If you want to turn back then gouge out your eyes right?

“Sorry but I kinda like my eyes” Dustran punched the mirror, shattering it. “I can only advance forward huh”

With glee of being able to kill more monsters and the rules in his head, he chose a door and prepared himself to kill.

…

Dustran stepped into the corridor, a hand on his sword in case of any monsters appearing. While he may be a thrillseeker, he’s not stupid enough to drop his guard just because it seems like there’s no monsters about.

*Glint*

All it took was a small glint of light and his sword was drawn, his body working on pure instinct as it blocked the object threatening to sink into his throat.

*Clang*

“Eh?” Dustran exclaimed as he cut the object out of the air. “I know that feeling”

That wasn’t the feeling of his sword cutting through a monster but the feeling of steel on steel, weapon on weapon, blade on blade.

A feeling he has experienced time and time over as he sparred with other explorers. He has to keep his skills sharp when he’s not exploring the dungeon after all.

“A person?” Dustran mumbled. It could be that another explorer mistook him for a monster and attacked. “No, a humanoid monster”

The attack was aimed right at his throat. There’s no way another explorer would be able to aim for such an exact weak spot and not realise he was human. The only other explanation was that it was a monster. A humanoid monster to be exact. It’s not common for humanoid monsters to wield weapons after all.

Dustran gave a quick glance to the weapon he intercepted as he got into a combat stance. A dagger huh? So he should expect fast and sneaky, god he hated those types.

Another glint and another swing, a second dagger intercepted. But where is it coming from? Dustran’s eyes purveyed the battlefield that was this narrow corridor and found a figure up ahead. It was a bit hard to see but that silhouette had to be his enemy.

“Found you” Dustran grinned as he dashed towards the figure.

The figure seemed to panic as more and more daggers were thrown but Dustran was ready for them, parrying each and every one.

“That won’t work!” He yelled as he swung his sword at the figure, slicing right through it only for the figure to vanish in a wisp of smoke, leaving nothing behind.

“What the…” Instincts screamed at Dustran. Dodge! Dodge now!

He rolled forward, barely dodging the dagger that swiped at his neck.

“Damn that was close” He swore as he recovered from his roll and got into a fighting stance to face whatever monster.

“You…” Dustran paused when he saw the monster he’s been fighting. The creature had feminine curves, long curly brown hair, a pair of purple eyes and a sadistic grin that sent shivers down the spine. “You’re human”

The woman didn’t bother to answer Dustrans accusation in favour of staring at his eyes.

“Green eye, it’s a green eye” The woman licked her lips. “Oh, how long I’ve waited for a green eye”

“Eyes…” Dustran let out. Why is he going on about his eyes? “Wait… so that’s how it is”

Dustran grit his teeth as realisation hit him like a brick. The marbles, those rules, sudden change in eye colour, it all made sense. He wasn’t supposed to hunt and collect monster eyes. No, he was supposed to collect human eyes. Eyes of his fellow explorers that managed to reach this floor.

“My hands…” Dustran said the moment he saw the edge of his sword vibrate ever so slighty. “They’re shaking”

To kill another person to advance, that’s what this floor means. Then he, who grabbed the entire bag, has to kill that many people to advance. Could he do such a thing? Cut down a human just so he can get further into the dungeon?

He didn’t know. His resolve was wavering.

“Eyes, give me your eyes!” The woman yelled as she pounced on him, bearing a dagger.

“Shit!” Dustran desperately parried the dagger, only years of experience and pure instinct driving him.

“Eyes! You’re eyes!” The woman screamed, saliva flying everywhere as if she was in a frenzy.

“At this rate..” Dustran’s eyes sharpened. He’s not killing this woman out of selfish gain. It’s self defence, survival of the fittest, that’s all. “It’s self defence, nothing more. Just swing like you always do”

The sword in hand blurred as it went on a straight coarse to the woman’s neck.

“Eh?” The woman exclaimed as she saw the blade coming for her neck.

There was no time to parry or dodge yet against all odds, the woman managed to move. Despite this unimaginable movement, she didn’t attempt to block the blade but pulled out a marble? No, that’s an eye. An eye with a deep blue iris.

Her hand clenched around the eye the moment his blade sunk into her neck. Then, she vanished.

“Eh?” Dustran exclaimed. “She’s gone? Another shadow thing?

“No, that can’t be” Dustran looked at the edge of his blade. A thick crimson liquid rand down it. “That was a real person”

…

The woman suddenly appeared in a small room.

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” The woman screamed as she stomped on the floor repeatedly. “That piece of shit made me use my last blue eye!”

The woman paced back and forth, rage clear in those purple eyes of hers.

“I’ll get him, I’ll get him for this” The woman muttered. “I’ll slowly pull out that beautiful green eye of his, letting feel every second of it”

*Clack*

The woman stopped in her tracks and turned to the source of the sound.

A little girl curled up under a table, hugging a pillow as she quivered. Her round pink eyes threatening to shed tears at any moment as her long blond hair tangled around the table’s leg as if someone tied her to it.

The woman’s face turned into a sadistic grin as a plan worked itself together in her mind.

…

Dustran carried on through the hallways, checking around corners and making sure rooms were clear before entering.

There’s no way of knowing when someone like that woman will show up again, especially in a floor like this where killing fellow explorers were encouraged.

His hand tightened around his sword. Just the thought of such a thing made him sick in the stomach.

Regardless, he had to carry on. He has only one path, even if that path had to be made by the bodies of humans.

“A room” Dustran noted as he saw the door.

Hopefully there’ll be supplies in there. He doesn’t know how long he’ll stay here but he assumed that it’ll be a while with the amount of marbles he’s got.

Slowly pushing the door and peering inside, it seemed like an ordinary room. There was another door leading somewhere, a bed, a chair, a table and a small little girl.

“What?” Dustran blinked and rubbed his eyes, making what he saw wasn’t a trick of the light or something.

He didn’t see wrong, under the table was a small little girl hugging a pillow.

“What the hell is this?”

Dustran couldn’t believe his eyes. A crazy ass woman he could understand being in a place like this but a little girl? It didn’t make sense. Who in their right minds would bring a little girl to a hell like this?

There had to be some sort of catch here. Something he’s missing. There’s no way that can be a normal kid.

Glancing around, no apparent traps could be seen and no ambush in sight. All that was in the room was the little girl and her puffy purple eyes that looked like they were going to leak at any moment.

“Damn my soft heart” Dustran chastised himself as he walked up to the small girl and sheathed his sword.

“It’s all right” He spoke in a calming voice as he slowly approached. “I’m not going to hurt you”

Crouching down next to the table, he held a hand out to her.

“What’s your name?” Dustran gave as much of a friendly smile as he could.

“...Ranni” The girl spoke in very unsure voice, as if he would lash out at her at any moment.

“Ranni? That’s a nice name” He complimented her, hoping it’ll open her up a bit. “I’m Dustran”

“Dustran?” The girl cautiously asked.

Dustran nodded as he moved ever so slightly closer to the girl.

“Ranni, do you want to get out of here?”

Ranni slowly nodded her head.

“Then do you want to come with me?”

Ranni hesitated for a moment before nodding again and reaching out for his hand.

“Don’t worry, you’re safe now” Dustran patted the little girl on her head, slowly stroking the curly brown hair on top of it.

As soon as the girl looked calm, Dustran let her go and drew his sword once again. He’s not just fighting for himself anymore but this little girl, he can’t possibly end it here.

The pair slowly moved over to the door yet to be opened. Dustran raised a finger to his lips towards Ranni and slowly opened the door.

The room inside was dark with the only light coming from the slight opening in the door. Dustran listened for any movements but didn’t hear anything.

“I’ll be heading in, stay here until it’s safe” He whispered to Ranni before taking cautious steps into the room.

With the door now fully opened, it was much easier to see the entire room now. The room was quite barren with only a single bed resided within.

Narrowing his eyes on the bed, he noticed a small child-sized lump in the blanket.

“Another one?” Dustran muttered to himself.

A second child in this hell hole? At the rate this is going, he’s gonna be breaking out of this floor with flock of children.

“Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you” He slowly moved up to the bed while sheathing his sword. “It’ll be alright”

Eventually he moved right up to the bed yet there were no signs of movement.

“I’m trying to help you” Dustran spoke yet there was still no response and still no sign of movement.

“Please” Dustran reached for the blanket and pulled it off. “I’m just trying to-!?”

On the bed laid a child. Her skin pale and clumps of blonde hair torn from her scalp. The most apparent was her eyes, or the lack of them. Eye sockets completely barren of eyeballs.

“What...” Dustran brought a hand to his mouth, desperately trying not to throw up. “What the fuck is this!?”

A child, an innocent child, killed in this fashion. It tore him up inside. Pity welled up for the child in front of him, anger bubbled for the fact that someone would do such a thing and pure unbridled rage rampaged at the person who did this.

“Whoever did this” Dustran clenched his fist and gritted his teeth, taking all he has to not lash out at everything in sight. “I’ll make them pay”

“Mister” Ranni’s voice broke him out of his rage. That’s right, there’s still Ranni. He can still protect her. “You said that you’ll help me get out of here right?”

*Shlick*

“Eh?” Dustran blinked as pain blossomed in his side. “Wha-what”

He turned around to see Ranni there and a knife embedded in his side.

“Then you’ll die for me right?” Ranni’s voice changed as her form morphed, becoming taller, more feminine.

“Y-You!?” Dustran spoke almost incomprehensibly as he witnessed the scene in front of him.

The small little girl he vowed to protect turned into a curvaceous woman with a sadistic grin on her lips.

“Don’t worry” Ranni, no, the woman, raised a dagger. “I won’t let you die so easily.

“I can’t after the girl was so helpful to donate a rare pink eye”

“No…” Before he could speak anymore, a dagger came down on his arm, making it useless even if he could somehow unsheathe his sword.

Thus, the great(self-proclaimed) explorer Dustran Berghest comes to a slow torturous end and the vile Ranifel Nixal was set loose upon the world

This omake is based off a dream I had last night. There were 5 floors in my dream with each one having it's own gimmick but dream me died on the first floor so I didn't get to see them

LostGhost · May 10, 2018

Day 2 Part 2: "Preparations"
---------------------------------

--------------------------
David's Daily Actions
--------------------------
Mood: :/->

--------------
What Now?
--------------

Your eyes snapped open. The first rays of the sun streamed through the window and washed over your face.

It was the warm, comforting feeling of a new day!

Getting out of bed, you pulled what little food was left in the fridge and had a nice breakfast.

A tomato sandwich isn't very filling, but it certainly is delicious. The fact that Lubaika seems to have a lot more access to salt makes your breakfast taste even better!

When you finally raise enough money to buy a house or something, you'll definitely set up a small fruit and vegetable garden.

*Squeak!*

Ah, how could you forget!

With a bright smile, you tore off a bit of your limited morning meal and shared it with E and T.

Starting the day with a somewhat full stomach is a must from now on!

Speaking of-

Today, on the top of your 'to-do list', was learning more about Explorers and what exactly they do.

Sure, you know that they explore the dungeon, but what about formalities? Do you need to report anything? Are there rules for exploration?

You haven't set foot in the dungeon, so you think this is the perfect time to ask.

Rachel should know more. Besides, you have to go to the Explorer's guild later to meet up with Candi anyways.

----------

Finding your way back to the guild was quite easy. As you walked the busy streets, you saw people wearing all sorts of odd and unique outfits. Some held weapons which you've never even heard about before.

There were, of course, regular people too.

Anyways, you were a bit disappointed to find that Rachel wasn't in this morning. It looks like she works afternoon shift.

Thankfully, the receptionist that took her place was happy to answer any questions you might have.

After a session of curious questions, you learned what was expected of you.

Right now, it was advised that you team up with other, new explorers. It makes it much easier to fight monsters that way.

"You should focus on building a foundation. Gain experience fighting monsters and slowly grow stronger."

Like you learned before, after killing monsters, your absorb their 'essence.'

Once you've gained enough, you can perform a small ritual to strengthen yourself using this essence.

The guild provides the required reagents and materials for the first two 'reinforcements', but after that, you're expected to gather them yourself.

Some other useful tidbits of information were the Request Board, The Bounty Board, and the Guild missions.

Basically, there are a few places around town where citizens place requests for the Guild. Any interested adventurer could take these requests, meet with the one that posted it, and then fulfil their needs.

Payment is expected, of course, but you shouldn't anticipate many rewards. These are, after all, just requests from normal citizens. Though, this is probably the best way to make friends and build connections.

Next up is the Bounty Board. These can be found in specially designated bars and in the Guild Hall that you're in right now. These 'bounties' are requests put out by the Guild itself.

Payment is much higher than that of the Request board, and sometimes, the Guild gives out items and such as well.

And finally, there Guild Missions. These are special missions assigned by the leaders of the Explorer's Guild. They can be addressed to every abled Explorer or they can be specifically assigned to one explorer.

One thing's for sure, though. those that complete these missions are rewarded handsomely and their name spreads across Lubaika like wildfire.

Your early dungeoneering days will probably have you fulfilling requests and selling off monster materials.

After learning everything you could, you thanked the receptionists and headed off to the Armor shop.

You still had some time, after all.

[Reward: Learned of the Request Board, Bounty Board, and Guild Missions]

---------------------
Armour Shopping!
---------------------

"Welcome. If you're here to browse, do it quickly. If you want anything, let me know."

The first thing you noticed when you stepped into the shop wasn't the burly mass of muscle that was the shop owner. No, it was the heat rolling off his forge.

Is that safe?

Somehow, even though he was facing away from you, he knew you were just standing there.

His hand stopped and he turned around.

"Well? Are you going to buy anything?"

It's no surprise that you were a bit nervous. The guy could probably snap your neck like a twig!

Still, you had to say something.

Coughing, you quickly looked around, eyeing every available piece of armour in the shop.

Your face paled. Everything was so expensive!

Considering the amount you'd have to pay Candi for lessons, you didn't have enough to buy anything.

"I know that face. You have no money." The man huffed and pointed to the door. He then turned around and returned to hammering whatever he was working on.

You were a bit annoyed at that, but leaving empty-handed wasn't something you were about to do.

"Is there anything I could do to bring down the price of your cheapest set of armour? I only need another 10 gold to buy it."

His hand stopped and his head swivelled in your direction.

"Got a Dire Rat in the basement. Get rid of it and I'll sell it for 130. You'll have 10 left over."

You considered his offer.

"I'm not sure what a Dire Rat is? Do you mind if I take a look before making a decision?"

The man shrugged.

"Basement's that way. If you lose a finger, I ain't paying for your bill."

Taking a small gulp, you followed his directions.

As you stepped down the dark steps, you found a pair of crimson eyes staring back at you.

Oh dear... it's the size of a large dog.

You think you'll-

(Choose 1)

[][1 Deal?] Kill It
+You get some leather armor!
+You have 110 Gold Left Over
+You gain combat XP!

[][1 Deal?] Talk It Out!
+You get some leather armor!
+You have 110 Gold Left Over.
+Ask it to leave.
+Animal Handling DC: 8
+Your Bonus: 3 Dice = +1 (Cha/2) + 1 (Animal Handling) + 1 (Eddy/Teddy)

[][1 Deal?] Nope!
+Just leave.
+No armor for you.
+You keep your money, tho.

[][1 Deal?] Write-In?

-------------
Visit Candi
-------------

After finishing all of your other business, you finally go look for Candi.

Like she told you, she was in the Explorer's Guild.

"So what, I'm homeless now?"

That, of course, was not what you expected to hear when you walked up to her.

She wasn't talking to you. No, she was speaking with Rachel.

"I'm sorry miss Mannm, but your lodgings were inside Union grounds. Since you left your Union, that means you forfeited all ownership of the Union house."

Candi's calm expression betrayed her eyes. You could tell exactly how annoyed and frustrated she was with this.

"What about my things?"

"They'll be mailed to your new place of residence. Just let us know where that is."

Taking a deep breath, Candi nodded.

"Very well. I shall do so as soon as I find somewhere to sleep."

"Thank you. I'm quite sorry about the trouble."

As always, Rachel replies in a perfectly professional tone of voice. It lacks any real emotion.

She's the perfect receptionist, you think.

Eventually, Candi does turn. She sees you and her grimace slowly shifts into a small smile.

With a small greeting, she neared.

"Ah, so you've decided?"

"Yes. I'd like to learn from you."

A small, relieved breath left her lips.

"Thank you. That gold's really going to help me a lot."

With that, she beckoned you to follow. Apparently, she was going to take you somewhere quiet to teach you.

-----------------------------

The calming sound of running water and the fresh air sliding across your face is a great motivator.

Candi definitely made the right call, setting up your lesson by the giant lake that surrounds the city.

"So, you already know about Ether, right?"

You recall the last few days, eventually nodding at her question.

"Good." She smiles. "Now, there's a difference from learning magic and learning spells."

Rather than ask pointless questions she'd answer anyways, you remained silent.

"Anyone with a decent aptitude for magic can learn spells from others, but the thing is, those spells will be weak. Some Explorers are fine with this, using these 'spells' to give them a slight edge."

She sighs.

"But that's not what a mage is. A mage is someone that studies magic, its effects on the world, and then make their own spells." She grins, no doubt proud to be among these people.

"When you make your own spells, you can improve them, combine them, and take them to heights you'd never imagine. The difference between a mage and someone that uses spells is like night and day." She pauses.

"Let me tell you an example. Say I make a fireball spell. When I first craft it, It starts out as a small ember that can burn your skin, but after some hard work, I improve it so it can burn down a giant monster in a single cast. Impressive, no?"

You nod.

"Well, if I were to teach you the later spell, it would be at around the level of when I first created it, maybe a bit stronger and more useful. But since you're not a mage and don't know how to make or improve your own spells, you'll never have that fireball spell do anything more. Do you understand?"

Once more, you nod. You can definitely see the advantages of learning how to craft your own spells. Though, that brings into question why everyone doesn't do it.

Catching your furrowed brow, Candi smirks.

"Confused as to why everyone doesn't learn to do this, yes?"

You blush.

"Yeah. I mean, magic seems very useful. I heard it was hard to learn, but you'd think putting in the time and effort would be worth it, no?"

She nods.

"You'd think so, right? But the truth is often harsh, just as it is now." She gives you a calm and controlled expression.

"Not everyone is adept at magic. Perhaps it's their soul or personality, but some people just can't cast spells efficiently, no matter how much they train."

You hesitate, a small bit of panic rising onto your face.

Candi chuckles at your expression.

"Don't worry, I can feel that you have the talent for it." She smiles. "You'll do fine so long as you actually try."

Your heart slows down.

That's a relief.

"Now, back to the matter at hand. Today I'll teach you the basics of Ether and Ether manipulation. Aside from that, we'll also try to see if you can learn an Ether Formula."

Your confusion must have been very easy to spot.

"Worry not, I'll explain everything. Now, pay close attention to my words."

Oh, you definitely will! Magic seems like something fun and powerful!

----------------------

Your first lesson mostly entails basic Ether Theory and how you can use your soul to manipulate it.

When crafting a spell, there are 2 main steps.

First is the design phase.

Here, you try an design a spell based on 3 'ingredients.'

The first ingredient is the intent. What do you want the spell to do?

Usually, everyone just forms a word in their mind. So, something like "Offence", "Defence" and "Support."

Next is an 'Ether Formula.' Basically, these are specific calculations and movements made with the Ether inside and outside your body. When designing spells, you mix Ether with your soul to produce supernatural effects.

Most of these basic 'effects' are broken down into formulas.

For example, the 'Flame Formula' is specific for fire based effects.

From what Candi says, there are a lot of formulas. More advanced mages can mix multiple formulas together to make even more varied spells.

And finally, the last part of spell design is catalysts. In short, this is something extra added on. It could be anything from grass, to a hat, to your mother's nose hair. It's not needed, but it adds that extra touch.

These are usually added to have some extra effect unique to your own spell.

All of this helps to customize one's spell, allowing two different individuals to get different spells even though they used the same intent and Ether formula.

Anyways, once you have all three, or just the first two, you can design a spell.

By focusing your intent while mixing Ether and your soul, you can compose it. It's a very strenuous process and often leaves you winded once you finish. But once you do, you'll know exactly what is required to 'make' your spell.

This isn't where it ends, though. After your design is finished, you might be required to gather materials and reagents. Some spells might ask for you to slay a certain type of monster and such.

Honestly, not even Candi knows why some spells have strange requirements like that. The current theory is that it's a variable of the soul, as different people have noted that their requirements for the same spell have been different.

Anyways, after the long lesson, Candi offered to teach you one of the basic Ether formulas.

"It's unlikely that you'll learn it today, though. They're quite hard to pick up."

Nevertheless, you want to learn!

From what she offered, you chose-

(Choose 1)

[][2 Ether] Shaping Mastery
+The ability to shape ambient Ether into physical forms.
+AKA: Making a small ether knife or ether shield.
+You still have to make a spell though, don't expect to be able to do the above just cause you have the formula.
+Cun/Soul DC: 32
+Your Bonus: 5 Dice = +5 ([Soul+Cun]/4) + 0 (Ether Mastery)

[][2 Ether] Aura Mastery
+The ability to coat things with Ether.
+AKA: Making thin aura's around you or other things.
+Cun/Soul DC: 32
+Your Bonus: 5 Dice = +5 ([Soul+Cun]/4) + 0 (Ether Mastery)

[][2 Ether] Flame Mastery
+The ability to turn Ether into fire!
+Cun/Soul DC: 30
+Your Bonus: 5 Dice = +5 ([Soul+Cun]/4) + 0 (Ether Mastery)

[][2 Ether] Water Mastery
+The ability to turn Ether into water!
+Cun/Soul DC: 30
+Your Bonus: 5 Dice = +5 ([Soul+Cun]/4) + 0 (Ether Mastery)

[][2 Ether] Wind Mastery
+The ability to turn Ether into wind!
+Cun/Soul DC: 30
+Your Bonus: 5 Dice = +5 ([Soul+Cun]/4) + 0 (Ether Mastery)

AN: You'll be geting a basic Ether Mastery Skill next update too

Also, taking a specific formula makes the DC lower next time you try to learn that specific one.
Thanks/Mentions
-Thank you for reading and voting.

Q We Climb, One Step At A Time (Dungeon Crawling Quest!)

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