Extract from the -{ Tome of the ‘Forgotten One’ }- Divine scripture of the Church of the ‘Forgotten One’.
"From the shadows, I weave the threads of destiny, correcting the wrongs of ages past. In the darkness, I mend the fractures of time, for justice is the loom upon which all fate is spun." ( The Promise of Restoration- 5:1 )
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[Rocky Simian Primate (Tier 1): The Rocky Simian Primate is a formidable beast, often found in rugged terrains where its natural abilities are best utilized. Known for its remarkable physical strength, this creature can effortlessly lift and hurl boulders several times its own weight. Its skin is as tough as rock, providing exceptional protection against physical attacks and making it a difficult opponent to injure.
Rocky Simian Primates are typically solitary creatures, fiercely territorial, and highly aggressive when provoked. Their strength enhancement not only boosts their raw power making their attacks extremely destructive.
In battle, their rock-hard skin can deflect most conventional weapons, making them especially challenging to combat without specialized equipment. Their presence is often heralded by the rumbling of rocks and the powerful strikes of their fists against the ground, a sound that sends shivers down the spines of even the bravest adventurers.
Current status: Content, tired ]
Asher and the horrors observed the Rocky Simian Primate for the next few days. The beast demonstrated a specialization in physical strength, relying on brute force rather than any sophisticated abilities. The most notable skill it used was covering its body with an armor made of rocks, which provided substantial protection against the claws and attacks of its opponents. While its level of pure strength was impressive, capable of lifting and hurling boulders with ease, the creature lacked speed and agility, moving in a slow, lumbering manner. Additionally, its dexterity was minimal, with movements that were powerful but not particularly precise.
The Rocky Simian Primate was perfect prey for them. They used the fog and shadows to decrease visibility and bind the enemy, while Jormu’s contracted wraith served as the perfect bait. The wraith could lure the simian into the fog, keeping it distracted and engaged. Asher and the horrors would then wear it down gradually. Given that it was a pure strength-based tank with no apparent healing abilities, their strategy seemed foolproof. Asher’s conclusion, based on their observations, was that they could outmaneuver and outlast the beast, ultimately bringing it down through attrition.
Asher decided to wait for complete nightfall, positioning himself and his companions a safe distance from the monkey’s den. They observed the beast as it returned to its small cave, moving slowly to avoid detection. Under the cover of darkness, the abilities of Inky and Jormu became even more lethal, making them the perfect hunters. Asher and the horrors found a tree high enough to keep sight of the cave's entrance and settled in, resting while they waited for the right moment to strike. The darkness deepened, enhancing their advantage, and they prepared for the hunt that lay ahead.
Asher meditated to sharpen his perception and prepare himself for the hunt mentally, he found this method made it so that he could remove any hesitation in his movements and fight more efficiently. Soon he was woken up by Jormu, signaling that it was time to make their move.
The night had completely descended in the forest, Inky had long grown bored of waiting and took a nap in his lap. Asher poked and prodded the little Kraken to wake him up gently, it soon moved around lazily and tried to get the drowsiness out of its body by wiggling its arms around.
“Is it time for the hunt”, Inky asked still half asleep.
"Yes, let's wrap this up quickly so we can go back and have a proper rest," Asher whispered to the two as they agreed and started the hunt, as soon as the wraith guarding the surroundings came back, following the command of Jormu. He then briefed the two on the plan he thought up to take down the beast.
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It had been another successful day of hunting for the primate. It had dispatched all competitors in its territory and now ruled as the undisputed overlord. The memory of terrified beasts crushed beneath its mighty strength still lingered, their futile claws a testament to its dominance.
Savoring today's hunt, the primate delighted in the thought of claiming its domain and finding a mate. Steam wisped from its nostrils as it emitted sounds of anticipation.
"Ooh Oh OH"
After a satisfying meal, it sprawled on the ground, envisioning conquering the entire forest and building a mighty family that would revere its strength. With excitement for the next day's hunt and dreams of a prosperous future, the primate drifted into sleep.
Yet its rest was abruptly shattered by a haunting wail.
"IIIIiiiieeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHH"
A ghastly wail shattered the ape's peaceful slumber, prompting it to notice the dense fog outside its cave. Ignoring the mist, the ape's only concern was quelling the source of the eerie sound. With a thunderous roar of anger, it stormed out of the cave, determined to confront whoever dared disturb its rest. In the haze, it spotted a slender, blue-hued figure and immediately charged. Without hesitation, the ape raised its massive arm high, bringing it down with crushing force upon the unsuspecting foe, pulverizing it into a shapeless mass.
The ape felt the ground crack beneath its fists and was certain its attack had crushed the enemy. However, the silhouette remained unharmed; the ape's strikes passed right through its ethereal form. Confusion clouded the primate's mind momentarily, but anger soon consumed it. Ignoring the futility of its efforts, the ape relentlessly attempted to strike the enemy. Each blow passed through the blue silhouette, which stood unperturbed in the same spot, despite the ground now bearing the marks of the ape's relentless assault.
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From a distance, Asher observed the wraith engaging the ape amidst the dense fog. Despite the obscured visibility, his heightened perception allowed him to discern the unfolding events. As anticipated, the ape's physical assaults proved futile against the specter in its translucent state. Likewise, the wraith could not retaliate against the ape, however, Asher doubted its claws would have been effective against the rocky shield that covered the ape's body.
With a determined aim, Asher readied his spear and signaled his two companions to initiate their attack.
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The ape's rage intensified as the battle wore on, driving it to consider using its empowerment skill to obliterate the entire area. Yet, just as it prepared to unleash this devastating attack, a chilling sensation swept over its body, causing goosebumps to rise on its skin and fear to grip its heart.
Beneath its feet, the ground turned pitch black, mirroring the encroaching fog that enveloped the surroundings. Sensing imminent danger to its life, the ape attempted to retreat from the darkened zone, but its movements were sluggish and ineffective.
Pitch-black tentacles emerged from the darkened ground, ensnaring the ape's feet with an iron grip. Meanwhile, the fog coalesced into spectral figures that launched ethereal assaults, though their attacks phased through the ape without inflicting harm. Oblivious to this, the ape fortified its defenses wherever it perceived threats, draining its stamina rapidly in the process. The collected pneuma in its body getting used up rapidly.
Desperate to break free, the ape tore at the tentacles coiling around its lower body, only to find them swiftly replaced by new tendrils emerging from the darkness. Suddenly, a sharp pain jolted through its back, prompting the ape to whirl around and unleash a thunderous roar, slamming its fist where the blue silhouette had appeared. Yet again, its attack passed through the figure, crashing futilely into the ground.
Soon, one of the ape's hands was ensnared by the shadowy arms that coiled around it from where it touched the ground, slowly creeping up its body. From the opposite side, a massive figure swiftly approached—the ape turned to face it and saw a large snake-like form made of mist hurtling towards him, mouth agape. With a thunderous roar, the ape consumed substantial amounts of pneuma in its body and used its free hand, shielded by a layer of rock, to push back the misty snake. As before, the snake figure dissipated into the fog upon contact with the ape's body.
Suddenly the ape felt something else approaching him from his front, the ape hesitated a bit because of all the fake attacks, yet the ape was mistaken this time, this was a real attack as the bone javelin traveled right towards its head, piercing the ape's right eye. The ape let out a crazed roar as it took the bone javelin out of its eye, the ape's vision grew even more restricted and the blood and pain were making it go crazy.
In a blind fury, the ape thrashed at the shadowy binds coiled around its limbs, roaring with primal rage. The onslaught of fog-formed figures persisted, confusing the beast as it swung wildly at any shape that moved. Asher seized every opportunity to hurl more disposable spears at the beast, each finding a mark and inflicting minor wounds. Yet, the ape had now fortified its defenses, shielding its vital parts, particularly its head, from further injury.
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Asher looked on at the scene of carnage, as the ape decided to boost it's defense. Undeterred, Asher retrieved one of his sharpest spears and pressed deeper into the enveloping fog. It was time to bring an end to the creature's torment.