Running down the hill toward the sounds of battle, Max saw a half dozen Skeletons advancing into the thicket. Max chased them, loaded a bullet to his catapult, and shot an enhanced bullet into the back of one of the Skeletons charging.
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> Max attacks Skeleton causing minor damage.
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The Skeleton turned on Max, Anita and Elderon on either side of him. Anita launched the bullet from her sling and struck the Skeleton right in the center of his forehead. The skull fell from the body, and the bones collapsed in a heap. Max kept moving, loading another bullet into his catapult. He paused briefly to take aim and then shot the bullet into the back of the next Skeleton.
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> Max attacks Skeleton causing major damage.
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The Skeleton turned to face its attacker. Anita launched a sling bullet and struck the Skeleton in the chest, failing to stop it and only delivering minor damage. Max walked forward, loading a bullet and catching his breath. The Skeleton came on quickly, its club raised above its skull. Max shot his bullet.
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> Max attacks Skeleton causing minor damage.
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> Skeleton has been defeated.
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The last of the Skeletons disappeared into the thicket before Max could attack another. He hooked his catapult onto his belt and drew his sword. Anita called for Max and Elderon to hold their advance, and she cast an attack and defensive Bonus on the party. Max felt his sword arm imbued with Bonus power. He knew he could not miss. He pulled his Mage Book out of his satchel and checked out the new spell. It was still unfamiliar to him, but after a quick look at the incantation, he was confident he could cast it. The words were still unfamiliar, and he stumbled through them, turning his hands as he did so. He felt the spell growing, and then with the final syllable and the final gesture, he cast Strength.
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> Max casts Strength.
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Max felt his physical power improve. The sword felt lighter in his hand, and he swung it with a Strength that was not his alone, boosted by the Second Level Strength spell that Elderon had given him just the night before. He had to check his stats to be sure.
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> Name: Max Lightfoot
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> Class: Mage
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> Level: 2
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> Health: Full
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> Strength: 18
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> Stamina: 16
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> Agility: 18
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> Intelligence: 17
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> Wisdom: 12
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> Charisma: 16
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Yes, his Strength really was improved. He was almost as strong as anyone could be, at least temporarily. Max advanced with the party, filled with confidence. Elderon cast a Shield spell on Max as they walked into the thicket, and Max saw the shimmering blue Shield spell descend over him and hover over his skin.
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> Elderon casts shield on Max.
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Max and his party moved into the trees. The group of four Skeletons were advancing on the lone Warrior dwarf. He was standing surrounded by broken Skeletons, his axe hanging at his side, and he was pausing for breath. The Skeletons neared him, and he rushed through the trees toward them, yelling a deep growling battle cry. He swung his axe above his head and smashed the nearest Skeleton to smithereens. The three remaining Skeletons surrounded him and attacked him with their clubs. The clubs bounced off the dwarf’s armored shoulders with a dull clang. His heavy metal helmet protected his head from a blow aimed there. He fended one blow off with his axe. He swung the axe and took the legs out from under a Skeleton and then brought the axe down, crushing it utterly. It fell apart into a formless pile of bones.
As the dwarf made ready to receive attacks from the last two Skeletons, Max and his party fell on them from behind. Max attacked first.
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> Max attacks Skeleton causing extreme damage.
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> Skeleton has been defeated.
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Elderon swung his sword and cut a Skeleton in two, delivering critical damage with a single swipe of his sword. The final Skeleton raised its club and moved toward the dwarf. Anita jabbed it in the back with her staff and sent it tumbling forward where it met with the dwarf’s swinging axe. The heavy axe smashed the ribs. The Skeleton collapsed, a bunch of bones falling to the ground.
“Looks like you needed a bit of help with these Skeletons,” Max said with a smile.
“I don’t need any help,” the dwarf said. He held out a thick hairy hand and cast it about, showing off the scattered bones on the ground all around him. “I’ve taken down twenty of these cursed things. Another six would have been no problem.”
“I can see you are a powerful Warrior,” Max said. “But if you don’t need our help, then we will be on our way.”
“Why don’t you do that then, youngster,” the dwarf growled. “Be on your way and take your friends with you.”
Elderon stepped forward and sheathed his sword. “Master Dwarf, I am Elderon, Master Mage of the Mage Council of Essillt. Your people have always been friends to the Mage Council. Let us honor that tradition and be friends now.” Elderon held out a hand. The dwarf grumbled and ran his fat hairy fingers through his big beard.
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“Very well then, Master Mage,” the dwarf said. He held out his hand. It was huge given that he was only about four and a half feet tall. “I am Jahrod. Warrior dwarf.”
Max quickly checked the stats on Jahrod.
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> Name: Jahrod Irongut
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> Class: Fighter
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> Level: 12
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> Health: Full
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> Strength: 16
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> Stamina: 16
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> Agility: 12
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> Intelligence: 10
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> Wisdom: 12
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> Charisma: 9
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> Abilities:
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> • Immunity to poison
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Jahrod did indeed have high Strength but not as high as Max’s magically enhanced Strength. But his Health was much higher than Max’s thanks to his many levels, and he was extremely well armored. Max knew this dwarf would be tough to take down in a fight. The dwarf’s Charisma was very low, which was probably why Max had instantly found him to be rather grumpy.
“We came to aid you, but we can see you are very capable, so we leave you in peace. Well met, Master Dwarf, and farewell.” Elderon stepped back.
“We are in the area waiting on the Mage Stone,” Anita said. “If you need assistance, signal to the sky. I will be watching.”
“Listen, Druid,” Jahrod said, “I don’t need you spying on me. I won’t be calling for assistance, so you can save your Druid tricks and keep your distance. I am on a mission to save a family member.” He looked at Max and sucked his teeth. “So I don’t need a novice low-level Mage getting under my feet.”
Max was offended. “I just made Level Two,” he said proudly.
“Yeah,” Jahrod said so dismissively, it cut like his axe. “You look it.”
Max was about to attempt a clever comeback and crushing putdown when he heard something in the trees. The sound of clattering bones and a rattle of metal.
“Did you hear that?” Max said.
A group of Skeletons appeared, and these were taller than the group they had just defeated by a foot and a half. They were wearing partial armor, some with breastplates, others with helmets, and they were armed with either sword or spear.
Max checked their stats.
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> Name: Skeleton Warrior
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> Status: Hostile
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> Attack: Melee weapons
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> Threat level: Aggressive
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Max heard them closing in on all sides. “Looks like we’re not done helping you out, dwarf,” Max said.
“Looks like you are lucky to have me around to help you out,” Jahrod countered. “We will defeat these Skeleton Warriors more easily if we work together, and then you can return to the Mage Stone all the quicker and let me go my own way.”
“Are you offering to join our party?” Max said.
Jahrod let out a low grumble and stepped up, ready to meet the incoming Skeleton Warriors.
Max shot a bullet at the nearest Skeleton Warrior.
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> Max attacks Skeleton Warrior.
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The bullet bounced off the helmet the Skeleton wore.
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> Attack blocked; no damage done.
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“Ha!” Jahrod laughed with a single contemptuous burst. “Ineffectual youngster. And you want me to join your party?”
Anita stood ready with her staff, and she cast Summon Roots. The roots grew rapidly out of the ground and from the branches, entangling all around the Skeletons advancing on one side. The roots held them fast, slipping through the gaps in the bones and through the armor.
Three Skeleton Warriors advancing on Max’s left came slowly, but their swords looked brutal, rusty, and cut with notches along the blade. They were not sharp but would deliver a devastating, crushing blow.
Elderon cast a Magic Missile. The nearest advancing Skeleton took major damage but still came forward.
Max tucked his catapult away and drew his sword, ready to meet the Skeletons, but at that moment, the Strength spell faded. Max felt his Strength return to its normal levels. The sword suddenly felt heavy, so he slipped it back into his scabbard. He might need it soon, but not yet.
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> Max casts Magic Missile on Skeleton Warrior causing minor damage.
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Max didn’t need Strength to be effective and seeing his Magic Missile deliver damage boosted his confidence. He immediately cast a second Magic Missile into the same Skeleton.
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> Max casts Magic Missile on Skeleton Warrior causing minor damage.
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Max felt his heart sink as the second Magic Missile only did minor damage. The Skeleton was critically wounded but not yet defeated. Max cast his final missile.
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> Max casts Magic Missile on Skeleton Warrior causing heavy damage.
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> Skeleton Warrior has been defeated.
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Max rolled his eyes in frustration. If he’d done heavy damage with his first missile, he’d have finished the Skeleton off with the second. He was all out of spells now. They got used up so quickly! Maybe he should have chosen to be a Bard after all. He drew his catapult and shot one of the advancing Skeletons with an enhanced bullet, but again, the bullet bounced off the Warrior’s armor. The two Skeleton Warriors closed in with a final rush of speed to deliver their attacks.
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> Skeleton Warrior attacks Max causing major damage.
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Max felt the heavy blade slam into him. The shield Elderon had cast on him took some of the blow, but it still delivered damage to his Health. He managed to swiftly step aside so the blow glanced off his jacket, cutting the cloth, and he saw blood.
Max drew and struck with his sword. At least he still had the benefit of Anita’s attack Bonus.
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> Max attacks Skeleton Warrior causing heavy damage.
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Anita and Elderon were holding back the other Skeleton. Anita took a blow. Elderon attacked with his sword. Together, they held the Skeleton back.
Max jumped out of the way of the second sword blow aimed at him. Jahrod stepped in and swung his axe into the Skeleton Warrior’s breastplate, delivering heavy damage and sending the Skeleton staggering backward. But the Warrior recovered and came back, swinging its sword at Jahrod. The blow landed on the dwarf’s plate armor. Jahrod was unbalanced by the heavy blow, and he staggered. While the Skeleton was focused on delivering a follow-up attack on the staggering dwarf, Max ran in.
He skidded over the ground and swept his shortsword at the knees of the Skeleton.
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> Max attacks Skeleton Warrior causing minor damage.
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> Skeleton Warrior has been defeated.
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The damage was minor, but enough to defeat the Skeleton. It crumpled to the ground.
Jahrod swung his axe down on the defeated Warrior and crushed the skull.
Max rushed to aid his friends and saw a Skeleton was focused on Anita as she defended herself with her staff against the swinging sword.
He moved behind a tree, slipped into the shadows, pulled up his hood, and activated his Sneak ability. He crept around the back of the Skeleton battling Anita and attacked it on its rear.
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> Max attacks Skeleton Warrior with Sneak Attack causing critical damage.
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The Skeleton turned on Max, a horrible grin and dark empty eyes. Anita and Elderon both struck and delivered heavy damage. The Skeleton collapsed.
Max kicked the bones apart and walked over to the root tangle created by Anita’s Summon Roots spell.
“Don’t get too close, Max,” Anita said.
Max observed the Skeletons. They were moving slightly, inching forward, but the roots kept growing and shrinking away, holding them in place. He sheathed his sword and drew his catapult. He loaded an enhanced bullet, took careful aim, and shot.
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> Max attacks Skeleton Warrior causing minor damage.
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Anita shot bullet after bullet. Max shot one after another. The nearest Skeleton Warrior struggled to advance but took a number of hits, eventually succumbing to the attacks. Its limbs fell away and collapsed to the ground with the skull and ribcage held up in the tangle of roots.
Two more remained, and Elderon dispatched one with powerful magic attacks: a Magic Missile dealt critical damage to the Skeleton, and the second Magic Missile defeated it.
Then the Summon Roots spell expired, and the roots shrank away, leaving the remaining Warrior free to advance.
Max prepared his Sneak ability, not sure it would work again, but the shadows of the trees and the tangle of branches gave him plenty of cover, and the bonus from the Hood of Sneaking let him vanish from sight.
Anita attacked with her staff, Elderon with his sword before moving swiftly out of range of the retaliatory attack. Jahrod swung his mighty axe and delivered critical damage.
Max came behind the Skeleton and emerged from the shadows to deliver a Sneak attack.
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> Max attacks Skeleton Warrior with Sneak Attack causing major damage.
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> Skeleton has been defeated.
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The skeleton fell into a crumpled heap at Max’s feet.
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> Max gains experience points.
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Max looked over the pile of bones at Jahrod and grinned at him. Jahrod grumbled and leaned on his axe.