With all four of my damage over time spells on the boss, my essence barrier from my necromancer ring would be powering up with each tick of damage. Until those spells wore off, which I wasn’t about to let happen, ten percent of those spells' damage would create a similar absorption barrier as my empowered aegis.
{Necromancer’s Bone Ring}. Crafted for the bone of a long-deceased tyrant and infused with necrotic energy, this ring draws essence from the damage dealt to foes to, in turn, shield you from physical attacks. Rarity: Rare. Slot: Finger. Durability: 828/1000. Effects(s): Plus 1 intelligence, plus 1 constitution, and gain the passive effect ‘Essence Barrier’.
Essence Barrier – When an enemy suffers from your damage over time spells, 10% of the damage dealt is converted into a protective barrier that shields the wearer against physical attacks. The barrier stacks over time and lasts 12 seconds when the wearer's final damage over time spell ends.
While my aegis ability had absorbed some of the damage from Weatherly’s initial shot, my essence barrier would be shoring up my defenses further with each passing second. Two days earlier, Stella and I had a conversation over a bowl of chili, the sun shining above our heads. I wanted to know the interplay between these two magical effects. She assured me, “Essence barrier will be the first to absorb any physical attacks. Once it’s spent, then your aegis will pick up the rest. Keep in mind, that the effect from your ring only works on physical attacks. Anything magical in nature will bypass it entirely.” Seeing how much force the mad-giant was putting behind each swing though, even as I did my best to evade and backpedal, I could probably only count on my necromancer ring to absorb blow every half minute. It would need time to rebuild if, and likely when, Gnawbone finally connected.
Diving on instinct, Weather’s blade flew scant inches over my head. Thankfully it was not enough to hit either of my defenses as they usually stopped attacks a single inch above my body. As his curved saber flew by harmlessly over my head, I was barely able to avoid the boss’s heavy body as he barreled past me. Once more, the half-giant had put too much exertion into his charge in an attempt to smother me. If he were able to knock me down and get his hands around me, it would be all over. Same as last time though, his momentum had him crashing past. He crashed through a pair of wooden crates lining the top rail, showering the deck with splinters as they disintegrated.
Twice now his attempt had been foiled, though barely. My mind convinced Weatherly would continue the strategy as even a single success would win him the fight. Perhaps I could use his supposed advantage against him. Hopefully, I would think of something in time. As the behemoth reached his feet, Frostrend whistled in the air towards his exposed back, tumbling end over end. It sunk between his shoulder blades with a meaty whump.
How he howled!
Excitement flooded my chest when I saw the flash freeze effect trigger but, unlike previously, the initial rush of frozen crystals stopped before traveling more than a few inches from the impact site. Being a boss, as well as being combined with a troll’s natural regenerative gift, my weapon’s special effect couldn’t take hold fully. Even as Weatherly attempted to dislodge the offending weapon, the frozen tissue was receding at a visible rate.
Calling Frostrend back to my hand, I spied a drop of good fortune from my attack. The wound wedged between Weatherly’s protruding shoulder blades was not healing over. I had expected the troll’s regeneration to quickly repair the damage, yet it didn’t happen. Careful inspection showed a ring of frost remained from where my axe had landed. Viscous blood continued to flow down the boss’s back, though it was more of a sludge. Likely a result of Frostrend’s special effect. I would take it, though it was hardly enough to win me the battle as easily as Weatherly could.
“Goddammit,” I said as my adrenaline-tinged brain made a connection. The boss was a troll! My thoughts careened back to defeating the troll on a bridge outside of Winterfalls from what felt like forever ago. As Weatherly tilted forward, readying another charge, Frostrend disappeared from my hand. As the giant’s massive footfalls vibrated the ship’s deck, I raised both hands. Seeing me make no attempt to dodge, Weatherly grinned in anticipation of victory. His happiness was short-lived however.
“You’re a damn troll,” I cried out right before flames washed over the boss, engulfing his entire upper torso and blasting him full in the face.
What had been a terrifying howl earlier when Frostrend slammed into his back, now, with flames from my dual cast flamethrower biting over his vulnerable troll flesh, the sound that burst from Weatherly’s throat was more akin to a wail.
The pirate king held up his hands, attempting to shield his face, even as his charge turned in a spastic twist and wrenching of his massive body as he tried to dislodge the rolling flames. Unable to escape the torrent, Weatherly made a move to the edge of the deck, clearly thinking of jumping into the river to end the searing agony he was experiencing. But, a quick step to my right blocked his path, my unrelenting flames never wavering even as my mana pool dropped at a precipitous rate.
The half-troll was so disoriented, his leap only succeeded in landing him further away from the water. The unyielding fire continued to blaze down upon his unprotected skin. The boss attempted to crawl away, but only made it a few paces before curling into a fetal position, doing anything he could to protect his blistering hide.
The boss defenseless, all his will to fight fleeing before the onslaught, I shut down my spell. Before I could ask for his surrender, Stella whispered at my side, “Two percent.” She likely had been calling out the troll’s health for a while now, though I hadn’t picked up her voice through the raging inferno my flamethrower spell emitted. Especially when it is dual-cast. Something in her tone caught my attention through, it had been laced with what I would have called defeat. It made no sense, we had clearly won, so I turned to her. Understanding dawned and I turned my panicked eyes back to Weatherly.
Then the boss’s health reached zero as another round of my DOTs ticked over, eating into what little health had remained. Like a volcano erupting in all directions, scalding vaporized troll blood rocketed away from his detonating body. My boil blood special effect had triggered at the moment of his death. Stella realized this before I had, understanding there would be no pirate king prisoner.
Bursts of superheated liquid arced in all directions as if heat-seeking missiles. Several pirates were within range, I realized with a start, but the sizzling blood passed harmlessly between every single person. The blood landed on wood planks and shipping crates. Some even went over the railing to splash the water below. Nothing so much as touched human flesh before it sizzled away into nothingness, leaving behind only tiny singe marks to record its passing.
With a sigh of relief, I turned to Stella. “It only targets hostile foes,” I said as I turned to men even as enemy weapons clattered to the floor. Seeing their leader helpless, the battle lost, the will to fight had fled what remained of the invading pirates. Meaning the magic of the spell had nothing to hone onto. Their decision to stop had likely saved many of their lives, such as it was. They were pirates after all and I doubted they would be shown leniency from Captain Larsa. Not after the loss of life we surely endured this day.
Quest Update: ‘Turn the Tide’ has been successfully completed. Please review your quest log for additional information and your rewards. Congratulations!
Not a single voice split the silence lingering from the death of the pirate king and the near-death experience of my spell’s final effect. The only sound to carry across the deck was the steady clip of the river, sails bending in the breeze, and the creak of the beached ship. Everyone had gone deathly silent.
Then, the sailors of the Moon Siren raised their weapons high in the air and let out a bellowing victory, “Huzzah!”
The battle was over.
In all, the crew of the Moon Siren lost eight good men to the raid, with another half dozen seriously injured but quickly on the mend courtesy of my regeneration spell. Only twelve of the nearly three dozen waylaying pirates had survived. More men had been on both sides of the narrow river way, archers the lot of them, though nothing now stirred to either side. Along with my single fireball, Tallos’ many arrows ensured no enemy bowmen. Only the body’s pin cushioned with arrow shafts remained there, the bodies lying unmoving.
Looking to the crow’s nest to check on my elven friend, I couldn’t make him out at first. The circular platform was littered with downward-angled arrow shafts, all jutting out in a chaotic mix. I was about to make my way up to check on him, when Tallos leaned over the rail yelling an “All clear” to his captain. Tallos still had an arrow notched, his keen gaze sweeping to cover all three hundred and sixty degrees.
Over the course of the next few hours, Captain Larsa and his men subdued the remaining enemy force, locking thick manacles on each before leading each down into the ship’s brig. Then came the tedious work of freeing the proud Moon Siren. Many sails were torn and badly damaged, though each was quickly replaced from ship stores, as well as sails plundered from the enemy vessel. While at first glance its sailing days looked to be long over, closer inspection confirmed it was only made to appear that way at a distance. Nothing damaged couldn’t be repaired, though the lost lives on our side were hard felt.
Larsa assured his men there would be time to grieve. “Right now, we must untangle the Siren and make our way upstream in haste. We can ill afford more enemies stumbling upon us in our immobile and, thereby, defenseless state. Cut and run, men. Shipmaster, I expect a clean bill of health within the hour.”
Ripley and I assisted in dealing with the tightly wound ropes holding our ship in place. Careful use of my flamethrower spell helped make short work of it, though I needed to be careful to avoid setting the flammable sails ablaze.
The enemy vessel, aptly named the Sickle, wouldn’t be made sea-worthy ever again. After hauling over what initial loot was aboard, we discovered, tucked away in a cleverly hidden pirate’s hold, containers full to the brim with ill-gotten gains, including a quite valuable set of blacksmithing equipment. The pirate ship was then summarily set aflame.
Larsa answered my questioning gaze with the practice of, “Scuttling captured pirate vessels is the customary response, in these kinds of situations.” The Sickle would soon find its way to the bottom of the river, with only the odd piece of tarnished lumber drifting downstream to mark its final voyage.
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The surviving pirates all bore indignant scowls, or so I was told, upon hearing the crackle and popping of wood as fire obliterated their ship. Stripped of their gear and weapons, not to mention their freedom, they could do nothing locked behind reinforced steel bars. Above deck, Larsa told me, as captain, he had the right to call for the summary execution of those men. Before I could respond, he turned to me, his eyes showing no hint of the direction he was leaning. “What do you think we should do with those men,” Larsa asked me. “Do we end their lives here and now, or turn them to the authorities in Allerton?”
I hadn’t expected the man to ask me, let alone seek counsel on what to do in the matter, so I hesitated. “Why would you ask me? You are the captain,” I finally responded. I had seen enough men slain this day and, regardless of their murderous intent, I didn’t want more blood on my hands.
“Without you and your friends, the battle would have likely ended with my men imprisoned,” Larsa answered. As he spoke, he gazed out over his deck, his eyes appraising his men as they went about their tasks. “I would probably be dead at the hands of that unpleasant giant. So, while yes, I do have the final say as captain, I would like to know your thoughts.”
“Enough blood has been spilled today,” I replied after a long exhale. “They surrendered, so that should count for something. Otherwise…” My eyes turned downwards as I paused. The grain of the tar-stained planking beneath our feet catching my attention. “Next time they won’t. With death on either end of a bargain, nothing would motivate such villainous men to drop their swords in the face of defeat.”
“It would cost more lives, our lives,” I said confidently as my gaze returned to Larsa. “So, let’s turn them over to the capital. At least, that’s what I would do.”
“A fair reasoning,” Larsa responded. “That will be the way of it. Number one,” he called out, the first mate snapping to attention. “As soon as the Moon Siren is able, take us upstream. We continue to the capital. Our prisoners will be taken ashore, clapped in irons, to receive final judgment.”
“Aye aye, captain.”
Before sinking Weatherly’s ship, I had removed his possessions, adding them to my inventory. Not much of his gear was magical except for his pistol, sword, and several pieces of leather armor. The armor was only lightly enchanted and was no upgrade for either me or Stella, so it remained tucked away to be sold at the first opportunity. The heavy curved sword was particularly enchanted and increased the damage, not to mention the force imparted, by its attacks. It now appeared on Ripley’s hip, though she wouldn’t use it until we found her a suitable shield to match the blade.
The final piece of loot, the pistol, was all mine.
{Crescent-Moon Flintlock Dueling Pistol}. This flintlock pistol is one of a pair of magically enchanted flintlocks specifically created for dueling. Combatants stand back-to-back before walking forward ten paces to then face one another. The fury of these weapons then thunders out across the distance like an avalanche.
Unlike mundane flintlock pistols, which are exceedingly rare in a Prime World, this weapon does not have the slight delay normally associated with it. Like mundane flintlocks, however, these beauties back one hell of a punch. Note - This enchanted weapon will automatically reload itself after a short amount of time. Further, this weapon is capable of piercing most magical and non-magical means of defense. Quality: Superb. Rarity: Epic. Type: Firearm (Piercing). Slot: Primary or Secondary. Durability: 9,128/10,000. Speed: Very Slow.
Effect(s): Adds 250 to 600 physical damage per attack. This weapon automatically reloads itself after firing in 30 seconds. Note – The bearer does not need to supply any components, nor take any steps for this effect to happen. Once the gun is automatically reloaded, the hammer can be fully cocked and will be ready to fire.
Secondary Effect(s): This weapon has a high chance to pierce through all but the most powerful forms of magical and non-magical defenses. Damage is drastically increased if such a defense is penetrated.
Note – This weapon has a maximum effective range of 20 yards. Any distance beyond this will have its accuracy severely hindered.
“That’s a beauty to be sure. May I?” Larsa asked as he reached out a hand. Nodding my assent, I passed him the weapon.
Larsa held the weapon close to his face, inspecting every detail as he turned the firearm in hand. Admiration showed in his expression as he examined the intricate golden filigree running down both sides of the barrel. Intricate scrollwork, in flowing lines, played gracefully across the weapon’s golden lock plate where the cocked hammer, as well as other bits I didn't know the name of, protruded proudly. The weapon’s hickory wood was stained so dark it was almost black. In all, the golden accents contrasted beautifully across the weapon’s length.
“A very rare weapon,” Larsa said appreciatively, holding his arm out as he sighted down the barrel. “I’ve seen a few in my lifetime, though the last when I was but a young sailor. Though none as elegant as this. It’s magical too, you say? You could likely sell this for a chest full of gold, if not more. I’m tempted to make an offer myself.”
He smirked before handing back the firearm. “A weapon earned in combat should stay with its rightful owner though,” Larsa continued as his eyes remained on the pistol for several more heartbeats. He huffed, “Even if you were willing, I would make no such offer.”
As I stretched out my hand, sighting down the barrel as Larsa had, he chortled a laugh. “I don’t believe you’ve fired it yet. Would you care to learn? While I never actually held one before, I studied how to use one. They are magnificent weapons.”
“Please, I would be happy to learn,” I replied. Larsa moved us to the nearby rail, prompting me to extend my arm out over the open space.
“Alright, we’ll need to reload it. So, take the wooden ramrod, there, under the barrel,” he instructed. “Oh, that reminds me. Did you find a gunpowder horn in Weatherly’s possessions?” As my fingers touched the gold-tipped ramrod, a System message popped up in my vision.
Notice: Your Crescent-Moon Flintlock Dueling Pistol has already been reloaded. Do you wish to unload the weapon? Yes/No?
“Right,” I muttered, pushing the wooden dowel back in place. “Sorry, I forgot to mention, the pistol automatically reloads on its own. One of its magical properties.”
“Fascinating,” Larsa breathed out. “Sure thing, my friend.”
Over the course of the next pair of minutes, we learned a little more about how to fire the weapon. Larsa explained I would normally need to place a primer on the mechanism called the ‘frizzen.’ As it were, all we needed to do was pull back the hammer, the ‘cock,’ and squeeze the ornate trigger.
At Larsa’s direction, after calling out a warning to the men on deck, I took aim. The barrel pointed toward a row of young saplings at the edge of the river bank. Sighting down the barrel, I pulled the trigger. Larsa had earlier advised the gun wouldn’t fire immediately when the hammer struck, reminding me about the item's description stating the normal delay wouldn’t be present with the epic gun. His appreciation only grew.
With a loud BOOM, the weapon bucked in my hand. A young tree, perhaps fifteen yards away, shattered into splinters.
The pistol’s kickback was manageable and the pistol felt secure in my grip. Better yet, we discovered the normally thick smoke discharged from the barrel, which often hung in the air for several minutes, immediately vanished. “It’s an added bonus,” Larsa said. “Normally the smoke would obscure your vision, not to mention give away your position. Such a fantastic, and civilized, instrument.”
Congratulations! New Skill Unlocked: Firearms.
You have gained the ability and proficiency to use all types of firearms. While using a firearm, gain plus 2% damage, and plus 1% accuracy per skill level.
Thrilled with the oomph of my new weapon, I pulled back the hammer, eager to fire another shot. An error message showed in short order, reminding me of the thirty-second cool down. “Stella,” I said, turning to my companion. “Can you place a timer in my vision to show the cool down whenever I fire it?” In short order, an unobtrusive countdown appeared in my heads-up display. “Thanks, Stell,” I said as I holstered the pistol. Larsa had asked a crewmember earlier to fashion a leather sheath, proportioned to fit the weapon. It was a thoughtful gift, I had said as I shared my appreciation to the craftsman. The weapon was a nice addition to our non-magical repertoire.
I struck a heroic pose as I gazed over the ship's railing. Stella snickered.
As evening fell, Larsa invited the entire crew to the deck to remember and pay respects to the men lost. While the impromptu wake began somber, the mood, and a generous amount of ale, quickly changed to a celebration of friends lost. Captain Larsa thanked his crew, assuring the families of the men who lost their lives would receive their loved one's contracted rates. Most raised a mug in response. When Larsa said each man would receive double their customary rates, all mugs were raised.
Larsa invited me to his cabin before he retired for the night. Stella followed along as Ripley remained with the helmsman, her watchful gaze ever-present. Lowki, for his part, was back below deck. Likely taking up the entirety of the bed once more. As Larsa removed his weapon belt, he explained the combined bounties from our prisoners, along with the goods taken from the enemy ship, he would be making significantly more coin than expected from this trip. “Still, I’d rather trade all that silver and gold to have my men back,” Larsa said with a regretful sigh. “Before you take your leave, I wanted to say thank you, once more. Our fortunes would be quite different had you and your team not been here.”
Bidding each other a good evening, Stella and I returned to our cabin. To my surprise, Lowki was only taking up half of the small cot, so I was able to lean back and get comfortable. Before my eyelids could drop further, I finally allowed the barrage of System notifications which had been blinking away in a vain attempt to grab my attention. Turning to look at Stella resting on my shoulder, I mentally clicked on the icon. One by one, the messages washed over me.
Experience Awarded: Pirate Brigand x 14 (level ranges 12-15)
Experience Awarded: Defeating Mongrel Troll Cutlass, Weatherly ‘the Fierce’ Gnawbone. (Level 19 - Rare Boss)
Congratulations! You have successfully completed the quest ‘Turn the Tide’.
Objective One: Help the crew of the Moon Siren defeat the pirate ambush. COMPLETED
Objective Two: Help prevent as many deaths of the crew of the Moon Siren. 12 of 20 crewmembers survived (60%)
Objective Three: Help prevent the death of the captain of the Moon Siren, Garrin Larsa. COMPLETED
Object Four: Slain or incapacitate the Pirate King, Weatherly ‘the Fierce’ Gnawbone. COMPLETED
Calculating Rewards… Please stand by.
Notice! Quest rewards have been increased due to the survival of at least half of the Moon Siren’s crew.
You earned 11,250 experiences (Base 7,500)
Congratulations! You have earned a quest reward, the title ‘Pirate Slayer’.
Congratulations! Your renown and reputation in the surrounding lands have improved.
The experience gains shot me straight up to level nineteen, just one point away from choosing my tier three Hunter class. For the moment though, I was quite content with the spell selection appearing in my vision for making level eighteen.
Level Up! You have earned enough experience to advance to level 18 and 19. Tier 2 class characteristic attributes have been applied. You have 14 attribute points to distribute.
Wisdom Threshold Reached (30). Benefits: Plus 9% increased mana regeneration and magical resistances.
Congratulations on reaching level 18. As a Warlock, you are able to choose one of the following class-appropriate skills or spells. Please know that it is possible any skill or spell not selected may be found elsewhere in the World. Additionally, when level 20 is reached, a tier 3 class will be available. Choose wisely.
Option 1: Spell [Lesser Unending Darkness] – You call forth the shadow of twilight to leech up from the ground to encircle and grasp a target’s feet within range. This effect slows the target’s movement speed significantly and does an average amount of damage over time.
Option 2: Spell [Lesser Undeath] – Upon casting on a recently deceased target, unholy power revives the target to serve you for a short period of time. The target retains most of its health, and mana, as well as some skills and abilities it had. This is an undead creature and is not truly revived back to death. The creature lasts until destroyed, or when the spell duration ends.
Option 3: Spell [Lesser Force Bolt] – A bolt of brilliant energy shoots from your palm to strike a target of your choosing. This bolt hones in on the target and is nigh-impossible to dodge. Additionally, as an unaligned spell, this effect is able to bypass most resistances and magical barriers.
“Interesting options,” Stella said as she hovered in the air next to me as we reviewed the selections.
“They most certainly are,” I replied with a smirk.