The main story, still under construction
-
Last edited:
Hubris and Greed: The Island of Monsters
- Thread starter Luxicato
- Start date
- Original Fantasy
Main Story
- Created
- Status
- Ongoing
- Watchers
- 31
- Recent readers
- 0
- Threadmarks
- 5
-
Statistics (3 threadmarks, 3.7k words)
User Total Luxicato 3 Threadmarks Reader mode -
Loading…
Introduction
Luxicato
nº1 Squid Fairy
- Location
- Star sea
Some people would call me crazy for doing this… And they are right.
I have two other quests that need my attention, but lately, I've been wanting to write something different. Something more combat-based… And that's why we are here. My other quests are 90% social and 10% battle. I want this one to be at LEAST 70% battle.
This quest's idea started as a pseudo-Monster Hunter quest, but as I was adding more and more stuff I realized that the Monster Hunter quest was just in the way… And that's how I created this. It uses my original setting (First public story using it) and will be my testing grounds for it.
The hunters will still be called hunters because I'm a hack writer.
This setting will be based on your typical medieval fantasy but with my own twist on races, magic, and civilizations. You will be playing as a hunter sent by the Merchant's Guild to a remote island where they are extracting a valuable resource. There you will complete missions, try to get enough money to live while protecting the settlements and maybe even form your own adventurer's guild!
… But of course, there are things on the island. Dangerous things. That's why you are there… To fight them when no one else can or dares to do it.
Most stuff here will be experimental. From the mechanics to the setting. I don't want this to get in the way of my other two quests so it might get updated less regularly than the other two.
But who knows what will happen in the future. For now… Enjoy the quest.
I have two other quests that need my attention, but lately, I've been wanting to write something different. Something more combat-based… And that's why we are here. My other quests are 90% social and 10% battle. I want this one to be at LEAST 70% battle.
This quest's idea started as a pseudo-Monster Hunter quest, but as I was adding more and more stuff I realized that the Monster Hunter quest was just in the way… And that's how I created this. It uses my original setting (First public story using it) and will be my testing grounds for it.
The hunters will still be called hunters because I'm a hack writer.
This setting will be based on your typical medieval fantasy but with my own twist on races, magic, and civilizations. You will be playing as a hunter sent by the Merchant's Guild to a remote island where they are extracting a valuable resource. There you will complete missions, try to get enough money to live while protecting the settlements and maybe even form your own adventurer's guild!
… But of course, there are things on the island. Dangerous things. That's why you are there… To fight them when no one else can or dares to do it.
Most stuff here will be experimental. From the mechanics to the setting. I don't want this to get in the way of my other two quests so it might get updated less regularly than the other two.
But who knows what will happen in the future. For now… Enjoy the quest.
A Rough First Day
Luxicato
nº1 Squid Fairy
- Location
- Star sea
"Fuck!"
"FuckFuckFuckFuck!"
Your name is Grey and you are having what most hunters would call a bad day.
For normal people, it probably looks like you are running for your life through a forest. Escaping from a bunch of naked hairless men with claws as long as your arms and no face, swearing loudly every time you feel like they are getting closer, almost tripping with every root and branch in the way while they practically glide through the terrain. For most people, your lack of weapon, supplies, and armor would be disturbing and make you seem borderline suicidal… But what normal people don't know is that you have a plan to hunt those things. A plan where your hunter companion looks for the weapon you dropped gods know where while fleeing from a pretty similar group of foes and brings it to you. Something that…
"… SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED BY NOW!" You shout, turning your internal monologue into an external one.
Of course, you get no answer or reaction from your companion because she isn't here. The things chasing you don't have the decency to at least grunt in acknowledgment while you talk, they only care about your sweet, sweet human flesh. Rude.
You skip over roots and branches but with each step, your muscles start to ache more and more. It's not like you are not used to this kind of activity, you passed the Guild's test too… But the things behind you are kind of dampening your performance!
Finally, you reach a little clearing. Things like these are usually a blessing because the Lurkers don't like leaving the cover of the trees. This time it isn't because the small clearing is bordering a vertical stone wall. Some kind of ruins of one of the many old settlements lost to the Pale ones. Kind of a bummer because now those things have you trapped.
You rush as far away from the trees as possible and put your back to the wall. The forest is dense, dense enough that you missed the ruins until you entered the clearing. It's dark but you can kind of see at least five humanoid figures crawling behind the closest trees. They could reach you in a couple of seconds with a good sprint… and the wall behind you seems to be surprisingly solid. Of course, you found the only ruins in the whole island that were well built enough to stand without holes or crumbling. Running along the way could work, maybe you could find an entrance… But if it's dark in there… Can Lurkers see in the dark? You are not sure, they don't even have eyes. If they usually can't these five probably will because fuck you Grey, the universe doesn't want you to live today.
The creatures seem to become braver, crawling into the light and leaving the cover of trees and bushes. You've been chased by them, you've been terrified since you lost your weapon… But now that you see them in the light, the fear is a bit deeper. More chilling and numbing. They are unnatural. They are not animals, they are not sapient species, they are not normal monsters… No one knows exactly what they are and you will probably never know because they are going to eat you.
Definitely a bad day by hunter standards.
You close your eyes and raise as one of them starts to sprint. You kind of want to punch it but also not look at it so you end up being in a kind of useless position. Can't think straight. Too scared. Where is your stupid…?
"…GRAAAAY!" You hear from behind you… From on top of the building. Theeere she is…
Did she waste time climbing a building to make an entrance while you were maybe getting eaten by Pales?
[] An arrow pierces the Lurker about to jump at you, killing it. The others seem to take a step back for a second.
[] A girl lands in front of you, twin blades at the ready, carving the closest creature in half.
[] A point of light appears between you and the Pale, suddenly turning into an explosion that almost catches you. The others seem intimidated. The one attacking is destroyed.
Next to you something heavy lands…
[] A longsword. Standard hunter weapon but a good mix between offense and defense. You can fight most things once they get close. You still have no money for a shield or armor.
[] Your rifle. Demon made and customizable. Magic runes allow it to shoot transmuted pieces of metal at high speeds when the magazine is empty. Will be much stronger once you get money for different kinds of bullets.
[] A staff tipped with a violet orb. The staff helps you canalize your magic to use it more effectively. Without it, your magic is much weaker and expensive. You were panicking so much that… You kind of forgot you know magic.
"FuckFuckFuckFuck!"
Your name is Grey and you are having what most hunters would call a bad day.
For normal people, it probably looks like you are running for your life through a forest. Escaping from a bunch of naked hairless men with claws as long as your arms and no face, swearing loudly every time you feel like they are getting closer, almost tripping with every root and branch in the way while they practically glide through the terrain. For most people, your lack of weapon, supplies, and armor would be disturbing and make you seem borderline suicidal… But what normal people don't know is that you have a plan to hunt those things. A plan where your hunter companion looks for the weapon you dropped gods know where while fleeing from a pretty similar group of foes and brings it to you. Something that…
"… SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED BY NOW!" You shout, turning your internal monologue into an external one.
Of course, you get no answer or reaction from your companion because she isn't here. The things chasing you don't have the decency to at least grunt in acknowledgment while you talk, they only care about your sweet, sweet human flesh. Rude.
You skip over roots and branches but with each step, your muscles start to ache more and more. It's not like you are not used to this kind of activity, you passed the Guild's test too… But the things behind you are kind of dampening your performance!
Finally, you reach a little clearing. Things like these are usually a blessing because the Lurkers don't like leaving the cover of the trees. This time it isn't because the small clearing is bordering a vertical stone wall. Some kind of ruins of one of the many old settlements lost to the Pale ones. Kind of a bummer because now those things have you trapped.
You rush as far away from the trees as possible and put your back to the wall. The forest is dense, dense enough that you missed the ruins until you entered the clearing. It's dark but you can kind of see at least five humanoid figures crawling behind the closest trees. They could reach you in a couple of seconds with a good sprint… and the wall behind you seems to be surprisingly solid. Of course, you found the only ruins in the whole island that were well built enough to stand without holes or crumbling. Running along the way could work, maybe you could find an entrance… But if it's dark in there… Can Lurkers see in the dark? You are not sure, they don't even have eyes. If they usually can't these five probably will because fuck you Grey, the universe doesn't want you to live today.
The creatures seem to become braver, crawling into the light and leaving the cover of trees and bushes. You've been chased by them, you've been terrified since you lost your weapon… But now that you see them in the light, the fear is a bit deeper. More chilling and numbing. They are unnatural. They are not animals, they are not sapient species, they are not normal monsters… No one knows exactly what they are and you will probably never know because they are going to eat you.
Definitely a bad day by hunter standards.
You close your eyes and raise as one of them starts to sprint. You kind of want to punch it but also not look at it so you end up being in a kind of useless position. Can't think straight. Too scared. Where is your stupid…?
"…GRAAAAY!" You hear from behind you… From on top of the building. Theeere she is…
Did she waste time climbing a building to make an entrance while you were maybe getting eaten by Pales?
[] An arrow pierces the Lurker about to jump at you, killing it. The others seem to take a step back for a second.
[] A girl lands in front of you, twin blades at the ready, carving the closest creature in half.
[] A point of light appears between you and the Pale, suddenly turning into an explosion that almost catches you. The others seem intimidated. The one attacking is destroyed.
Next to you something heavy lands…
[] A longsword. Standard hunter weapon but a good mix between offense and defense. You can fight most things once they get close. You still have no money for a shield or armor.
[] Your rifle. Demon made and customizable. Magic runes allow it to shoot transmuted pieces of metal at high speeds when the magazine is empty. Will be much stronger once you get money for different kinds of bullets.
[] A staff tipped with a violet orb. The staff helps you canalize your magic to use it more effectively. Without it, your magic is much weaker and expensive. You were panicking so much that… You kind of forgot you know magic.
Archer pros:
- Almost perfect aim.
- Will never friendly-fire and can use magic arrows.
- Most Pales can be killed with a precise shot to their core.
- Precise shoots to limbs can incapacitate them.
Archer cons:
- Practically useless for anything that isn't shooting.
- You kind of need to know where the core is inside their body before shooting.
- You also kind of need those cores for money to buy food.
- Sometimes Pales have more limbs than she has arrows.
- Magic arrows are not cheap.
Twin blades pros:
- Stupidly fast and agile.
- Stealthy.
- Twin blades are usually REALLY sharp.
- Can kill most things without armor easily.
Twin blades cons:
- Weak. Uses twin blades because she can't lift a heavier weapon.
- Heavy armor just shrugs her damage.
- She likes expensive stuff. Her living costs are increased.
- Finds Pales really gross. Doesn't like getting close to them.
Mage Pros:
- Explosions.
- Really high magic potential.
- Absurd mana pool.
- With enough training can learn different kinds of magic.
- Highest damage of all options. Actually able to kill bigger things.
Mage Cons:
- Explosions.
- Failed mage school, shouldn't be using magic by law.
- All kinds of co-lateral damage.
- Shameful Megumin expy in honor of my first quest.
- A chunni.
- Believes she doesn't need more training.
- Almost perfect aim.
- Will never friendly-fire and can use magic arrows.
- Most Pales can be killed with a precise shot to their core.
- Precise shoots to limbs can incapacitate them.
Archer cons:
- Practically useless for anything that isn't shooting.
- You kind of need to know where the core is inside their body before shooting.
- You also kind of need those cores for money to buy food.
- Sometimes Pales have more limbs than she has arrows.
- Magic arrows are not cheap.
Twin blades pros:
- Stupidly fast and agile.
- Stealthy.
- Twin blades are usually REALLY sharp.
- Can kill most things without armor easily.
Twin blades cons:
- Weak. Uses twin blades because she can't lift a heavier weapon.
- Heavy armor just shrugs her damage.
- She likes expensive stuff. Her living costs are increased.
- Finds Pales really gross. Doesn't like getting close to them.
Mage Pros:
- Explosions.
- Really high magic potential.
- Absurd mana pool.
- With enough training can learn different kinds of magic.
- Highest damage of all options. Actually able to kill bigger things.
Mage Cons:
- Explosions.
- Failed mage school, shouldn't be using magic by law.
- All kinds of co-lateral damage.
- Shameful Megumin expy in honor of my first quest.
- A chunni.
- Believes she doesn't need more training.
Longsword pros:
- Standard weapon means easy replacements and repairs.
- Works well with a shield.
- Only non-magical melee option.
- Can be later enchanted for magical effects.
Longsword cons:
- Everyone uses it so it's going to be hard to stand out.
- Needs armor to not die and that costs money.
- The strongest Pales are at least three times your size and crush anything that gets too close.
Rifle pros:
- Demon made with the highest quality materials. Will last forever with good maintenance.
- Can shoot any kind of bullet in the market. That includes all the powerful magic ones.
- Weapon with the longest reach. Kill enemies from safety.
Rifle cons:
- If something breaks you will need to buy expensive new parts.
- Standard ammoless shots are weak. You need money to make the weapon truly shine.
- Sometimes enemies find you before you find them. You are kind of slow carrying this thing.
Magic pros:
- Can use magic to fight close or long-range.
- Almost infinite utility. There is magic for everything.
- Highest damage ceiling. Most stuff relies on magic to truly damage the stronger Pale Ones.
- Most people is willing to hire a mage for extra work outside official missions.
Magic cons:
- Magic system needs you to know runes to work. It takes study to learn new runes.
- When you run out of mana you start using life force for spells. If you are not careful you die.
- Once you are out of mana you are kind of useless.
- Unlicensed mage. You technically shouldn't be doing this.
- Standard weapon means easy replacements and repairs.
- Works well with a shield.
- Only non-magical melee option.
- Can be later enchanted for magical effects.
Longsword cons:
- Everyone uses it so it's going to be hard to stand out.
- Needs armor to not die and that costs money.
- The strongest Pales are at least three times your size and crush anything that gets too close.
Rifle pros:
- Demon made with the highest quality materials. Will last forever with good maintenance.
- Can shoot any kind of bullet in the market. That includes all the powerful magic ones.
- Weapon with the longest reach. Kill enemies from safety.
Rifle cons:
- If something breaks you will need to buy expensive new parts.
- Standard ammoless shots are weak. You need money to make the weapon truly shine.
- Sometimes enemies find you before you find them. You are kind of slow carrying this thing.
Magic pros:
- Can use magic to fight close or long-range.
- Almost infinite utility. There is magic for everything.
- Highest damage ceiling. Most stuff relies on magic to truly damage the stronger Pale Ones.
- Most people is willing to hire a mage for extra work outside official missions.
Magic cons:
- Magic system needs you to know runes to work. It takes study to learn new runes.
- When you run out of mana you start using life force for spells. If you are not careful you die.
- Once you are out of mana you are kind of useless.
- Unlicensed mage. You technically shouldn't be doing this.
Last edited:
Daily Grind
Luxicato
nº1 Squid Fairy
- Location
- Star sea
The thing was getting closer while you wondered if your companion values more theatrics than you not having your face bitten off. You almost don't see the point of light forming between you and the creature… Maybe a bit too close to you.
"Oh… no." You say before jumping to your feet and running away perpendicular to the monster along the wall totally not screaming. You don't have much time to do anything else before you hear your companion shouting something and then a big explosion throwing you to the ground. Little rocks and some debris lands around you as the smoke rises from a crater close to where you were a moment ago. Little pieces of the Pale are scattered all around the clearing, slowly dissolving and seeping into the ground. As you slowly stand up again you can see the Lurkers retreating to the cover of the trees leaving you alone with the crazy explosions girl.
Something heavy lands next to you… DID SHE JUST DROP YOUR WEAPON?! You rush to grab your super expensive rifle to check it for damages. It seems okay. You kind of ignore the little monologue the girl is making about no needing to thank her for saving you or something like that. Then she lands next to you, jumping from on top of the wall. It wasn't too much of a drop but you can see her legs tremble. She clearly miscalculated how much the landing would hurt… She still tries to pose and look cool.
"I-I'm h-here to save you!" Megumin, your companion, declares through the pain. You, of course, ignore because there is a scorch mark on the barrel for some reason.
"Wait, why does it have…? Did you explode Iris?!" You shout giving her a betrayed look. She hurt your baby. She changes her expression to one of annoyance and puts her hands on her hips.
"Your stupid weapon was on a tree. How was I supposed to get it down!? How did it even end up there? Where you using them to move like some sort of monkey again?!" She was clearly mad after having to spend a while looking for your weapon. You are the one who should be mad because the Pales were chasing you and not her.
"First of all:" You say in a more calm tone. "Iris is not stupid, she is beautiful. Second of all… It's called TACTICAL MOVEMENT and getting into ADVANTAGEOUS POSITIONS. I need high places to fire better." You explain to the girl who clearly doesn't understand the art of sniping your foes without being seen. While you talk, the Pales start to feel braver again and inch closer, walking into the clearing but still far away.
"But why did you leave your weapon up there?!" She asks dumbfounded. It was rare for you to just leave your weapon behind like some piece of junk.
"… I didn't know they could climb trees." It's the only thing you say after remembering how you ended up in this situation. That answer doesn't seem to satisfy her but she can't keep asking, the Pales start screeching and moving in your direction for real.
All bravery leaves her face and she clings to you, grabbing your clothes and using you as a wall between them and her. "W-what do we do now?!" She asks. This was her first time seeing Pales so close… It also was your first time, so you were as terrified as her. Taking this as your first mission was a horrible idea. Your weapon wasn't made for close combat.
"Well, I'm a ranged fighter and you are a mage with no close quarter spells so…" You start saying almost sounding calm and as if you had a great plan. You can see hope in her eyes as the creatures get closer wanting to probably eat you. "… WE RUN!"
You fold your weapon and put it on your side, grab Megumin by the scruff of her neck and start running faster than you've run in your whole life. You are practically dragging your companion while she screams and says things that aren't nice to you, the monsters and the island.
For any hunter, this is clearly a bad first day on the job.
"… And that's when I killed at least five of them. Sadly, an Alpha appeared and we had to make a strategic retreat. We should get paid even more than what we agreed for this mission." You said finishing your slightly embellished mission report.
After running for almost an hour you and Megumin managed to reach one of the safe bases and from there you traveled back to the coastal settlement. The main base of operations in this half of the island. It was called a settlement but this place was basically a small city filled with all kinds of workers and hunters.
You were now sitting in a surprisingly comfortable chair in front of a seriously expensive desk belonging to the Global Merchants Guild liaison in this settlement. Basically he was the GMG's will in here and because 99% of the population are GMG workers, kind of a big deal and your boss. He looked at you with a bored expression as if he didn't believe your tale. You would feel offended if it wasn't so clear you were bullshiting most of what you said. You still had to give some sort of token excuse for your failure.
With a sigh, he reached into one of the drawers of his desk, grabbed a piece of paper and placed it on the desk in front of you. "Grey, tell me. What is this?" He asked condescendingly.
You looked at it and… Oh, yeah, you see where this is going. "The… Mission registration form." You said. It had the description of the mission, who offered it (the GMG, it was an official one), the recommended level of experience (Medium, kind of skipped that part) and the objectives.
"Good… And what does it say here?" He asked in the same tone, pointing at the objectives section.
You sighed and started reading in a monotone and dejected voice. "The objective of this mission is to thin out the Lurker population around site 22. The minimum required is five Lurker confirmed kills with a bonus of 200cr for every additional one." You said before pushing back the paper, not wanting to look at it anymore. It was a great mission. 1000cr for only killing five things… And you even keep the cores to sell them after, that's at least 3000cr in one day!
"And I guess you know that «Confirmed» means you need to show the fresh cores, right? Then what's this?" He pointed at the other stuff on the table. A glass jar containing two grape-sized fleshy spheres. They were black and pulsed slightly like a really slow heart. One of them seemed burnt and didn't move as much.
"… Two cores." You finally replied giving up on the mission's reward. You would need to go into another mission without ammo… Or you could just eat less for a week.
"One and a burnt mess." He said with finality before standing up and taking the paper to a metal cabinet with the word «Failure» on the side. There goes your first mission. The great start of your career as a hunter. Your boss then walked to a chest close to the back wall and opened it. It was… full of bags. Coin bags. After checking for something he grabbed two, approached the desk and emptied them in front of you.
Coins. Many many coins that made your eyes shine.
"You still get your weekly pay, of course. Here is yours and your friend's. A thousand crests each… You are not getting the 250cr fee you paid to accept the mission though… But on the other hand, you can keep the cores and sell them to research… You might get five hundred for the intact one… Don't know if they will want the burnt core." He talked as you fill your bag with the money. You kept Megumin's part too because you both decided you were the leader and the leader keeps the money… But also pays for everything.
He kicked you out shortly after, having to hear the report of a more successful hunter. You were happy about having your pay. Two thousand crests in total. It would be even better if bed and food at the GMG owned hunter's lodge didn't cost exactly that, funneling all the money the company pays you back into the system.
It's almost as if they did it on purpose or something.
You sigh as you walk back to the hunter's lodge. After paying for this weeks rent the bartender will probably have something warm to eat… And Megumin probably wants to know how much money you didn't make.
The coastal settlement was surrounded by high cliffs making a natural barrier. The main GMG building was at the top of one of the clifs, the only way to go there was a wooden elevator working on steam and magic. As the elevator went down you had time to look at the sea and think about… stuff. Stuff like how there were no boats because any boat that isn't as big and reinforced as the GMG in the sea of monsters gets eaten by… Well, monsters. That makes you think about how the only way in and out of the island is using that boat and how you are not the one who decides who uses it. This place feels like a prison island where only the most desperate hunters go to work. The pay is shitty, the missions are shitty and the people are shitty too.
And everything just to collect Black Gold… What is that stuff anyway? You only know it's used to power machines, make medicine and is a great magic conduit… As years pass more and more people use that black liquid for important stuff. It's no wonder it's so expensive if they can only get it here… But you don't get its value. It's not as if you used it for anything in the orphanage. You didn't tinker with machines or chemicals or even magic.
Why are you even here? Why did you drag Megumin here with you?
Good question… Why are you here? (When voting pick two. One will be the main reason and, if it makes sense, the other will be a secondary reason.)
[] Researcher: You want to discover what the pales really are. You heard about them when looking for something to do on the mainland. The tales of the mysterious island in the middle of the forbidden sea filled you with questions… Questions that need answers. (Research at least twice each month. Build a base with a lab. Discover the region's secrets.)
[] Millionaire: Accumulate a fortune of 100.000.000cr in any way possible and return to the mainland. Live the rest of your life without having to work again… But that doesn't mean you can't live the big life there too. This island is where people who know what they are doing get rich after all. ( Reach 100.000.000cr to accomplish this goal or live with an opulent living standard and a mansion built for at least two years.)
[] Adventurer's guild: The people at the orphanage were your family. You miss that sense of community. You still have Megumin but that's not enough. You need a big family… All working together. Maybe you can make this shithole better for everyone. (Build a base and recruit at least 100 people. Turn your guild into the main power of the region even above the GMG.)
[] Businessman: Everyone needs a job. You are a hunter because the GMG is always hiring more muscle to throw at the pales to protect their benefits… But you are more inclined to take the benefits for yourself. You always had an eye for business after all. (Acquire control of the Black Gold trade with the mainland on your own or reach an important management position in the GMG.)
[] Explorer: The island is big. Big enough to have deserts, colder areas, mountains, and valleys. There is no real map of the whole island, just bits and pieces. You always wanted to walk where no one else walked before and explore further than anyone. This place is perfect for that. (Map the island in full and explore the ancient ruins found near the center. Be the first to discover what awaits at the deepest part of the central chasm.)
[] Champion: You like to read a lot. You read about warriors and their deeds. How they save innocent, how they can overcome any obstacle and defeat any foe. You want to be like one of those warriors of legends. This is the perfect place to get stronger. (Become the strongest fighter on the island. Your skills should be able not only to defeat any pale but also any enemy of the sapient races.)
[] Hunter: It's your job. You hunt creatures that people with money want dead and you plan on being damn good at it. You were planning on hunting at least one monster of each kind one day… And Pales are only found on this island. (Hunt one of each kind of common pale. Explore the island, discover all the «greater» pales… and kill them too.)
[] Lost nobility: You are a noble, dammit! You know you are a noble even if you were raised in an orphanage. It's not even delusion, your family knows too, but they can't just accept you and admit that they lost a kid years ago. After insisting again and again they decided to test you to "prove" you are part of the family. They might be trying to get rid of you by sending you here. YOU WILL SHOW THEM! (Become renowned as one of the greatest hunters on the island. Let the news travel to the mainland.)
Extra meta vote: Stats.
Stats are divided into Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Charisma, and Wisdom. They uses are all pretty evident even if I didn't explain the mechanics yet. Constitution is for anything that requires body resilience. It's your "defense" and your "health". Wisdom is the same but for your mind. It's your mental defenses and your "mana". It also counts as the luck stat, so it might be useful even if you don't plan on learning magic.
Vote for a best and worst stat for Grey.
Best:
[] Str +
[] Dex +
[] Con +
[] Int +
[] Cha +
[] Wis +
Worst:
[] Str -
[] Dex -
[] Con -
[] Int -
[] Cha -
[] Wis -
Well, this vote is kind of a mess. If it's not clear you should vote for two objectives, a best stat and a worst one.
There are a ton of setting stuff and mechanics I should explain and I will... Soon. Before the next main update for sure.
Fleeing scene graciously provided by Xelta. Linking to her DA because she forgot to sign the drawing.
"Oh… no." You say before jumping to your feet and running away perpendicular to the monster along the wall totally not screaming. You don't have much time to do anything else before you hear your companion shouting something and then a big explosion throwing you to the ground. Little rocks and some debris lands around you as the smoke rises from a crater close to where you were a moment ago. Little pieces of the Pale are scattered all around the clearing, slowly dissolving and seeping into the ground. As you slowly stand up again you can see the Lurkers retreating to the cover of the trees leaving you alone with the crazy explosions girl.
Something heavy lands next to you… DID SHE JUST DROP YOUR WEAPON?! You rush to grab your super expensive rifle to check it for damages. It seems okay. You kind of ignore the little monologue the girl is making about no needing to thank her for saving you or something like that. Then she lands next to you, jumping from on top of the wall. It wasn't too much of a drop but you can see her legs tremble. She clearly miscalculated how much the landing would hurt… She still tries to pose and look cool.
"I-I'm h-here to save you!" Megumin, your companion, declares through the pain. You, of course, ignore because there is a scorch mark on the barrel for some reason.
"Wait, why does it have…? Did you explode Iris?!" You shout giving her a betrayed look. She hurt your baby. She changes her expression to one of annoyance and puts her hands on her hips.
"Your stupid weapon was on a tree. How was I supposed to get it down!? How did it even end up there? Where you using them to move like some sort of monkey again?!" She was clearly mad after having to spend a while looking for your weapon. You are the one who should be mad because the Pales were chasing you and not her.
"First of all:" You say in a more calm tone. "Iris is not stupid, she is beautiful. Second of all… It's called TACTICAL MOVEMENT and getting into ADVANTAGEOUS POSITIONS. I need high places to fire better." You explain to the girl who clearly doesn't understand the art of sniping your foes without being seen. While you talk, the Pales start to feel braver again and inch closer, walking into the clearing but still far away.
"But why did you leave your weapon up there?!" She asks dumbfounded. It was rare for you to just leave your weapon behind like some piece of junk.
"… I didn't know they could climb trees." It's the only thing you say after remembering how you ended up in this situation. That answer doesn't seem to satisfy her but she can't keep asking, the Pales start screeching and moving in your direction for real.
All bravery leaves her face and she clings to you, grabbing your clothes and using you as a wall between them and her. "W-what do we do now?!" She asks. This was her first time seeing Pales so close… It also was your first time, so you were as terrified as her. Taking this as your first mission was a horrible idea. Your weapon wasn't made for close combat.
"Well, I'm a ranged fighter and you are a mage with no close quarter spells so…" You start saying almost sounding calm and as if you had a great plan. You can see hope in her eyes as the creatures get closer wanting to probably eat you. "… WE RUN!"
You fold your weapon and put it on your side, grab Megumin by the scruff of her neck and start running faster than you've run in your whole life. You are practically dragging your companion while she screams and says things that aren't nice to you, the monsters and the island.
For any hunter, this is clearly a bad first day on the job.
⁂
⁂
⁂
"… And that's when I killed at least five of them. Sadly, an Alpha appeared and we had to make a strategic retreat. We should get paid even more than what we agreed for this mission." You said finishing your slightly embellished mission report.
After running for almost an hour you and Megumin managed to reach one of the safe bases and from there you traveled back to the coastal settlement. The main base of operations in this half of the island. It was called a settlement but this place was basically a small city filled with all kinds of workers and hunters.
You were now sitting in a surprisingly comfortable chair in front of a seriously expensive desk belonging to the Global Merchants Guild liaison in this settlement. Basically he was the GMG's will in here and because 99% of the population are GMG workers, kind of a big deal and your boss. He looked at you with a bored expression as if he didn't believe your tale. You would feel offended if it wasn't so clear you were bullshiting most of what you said. You still had to give some sort of token excuse for your failure.
With a sigh, he reached into one of the drawers of his desk, grabbed a piece of paper and placed it on the desk in front of you. "Grey, tell me. What is this?" He asked condescendingly.
You looked at it and… Oh, yeah, you see where this is going. "The… Mission registration form." You said. It had the description of the mission, who offered it (the GMG, it was an official one), the recommended level of experience (Medium, kind of skipped that part) and the objectives.
"Good… And what does it say here?" He asked in the same tone, pointing at the objectives section.
You sighed and started reading in a monotone and dejected voice. "The objective of this mission is to thin out the Lurker population around site 22. The minimum required is five Lurker confirmed kills with a bonus of 200cr for every additional one." You said before pushing back the paper, not wanting to look at it anymore. It was a great mission. 1000cr for only killing five things… And you even keep the cores to sell them after, that's at least 3000cr in one day!
"And I guess you know that «Confirmed» means you need to show the fresh cores, right? Then what's this?" He pointed at the other stuff on the table. A glass jar containing two grape-sized fleshy spheres. They were black and pulsed slightly like a really slow heart. One of them seemed burnt and didn't move as much.
"… Two cores." You finally replied giving up on the mission's reward. You would need to go into another mission without ammo… Or you could just eat less for a week.
"One and a burnt mess." He said with finality before standing up and taking the paper to a metal cabinet with the word «Failure» on the side. There goes your first mission. The great start of your career as a hunter. Your boss then walked to a chest close to the back wall and opened it. It was… full of bags. Coin bags. After checking for something he grabbed two, approached the desk and emptied them in front of you.
Coins. Many many coins that made your eyes shine.
"You still get your weekly pay, of course. Here is yours and your friend's. A thousand crests each… You are not getting the 250cr fee you paid to accept the mission though… But on the other hand, you can keep the cores and sell them to research… You might get five hundred for the intact one… Don't know if they will want the burnt core." He talked as you fill your bag with the money. You kept Megumin's part too because you both decided you were the leader and the leader keeps the money… But also pays for everything.
He kicked you out shortly after, having to hear the report of a more successful hunter. You were happy about having your pay. Two thousand crests in total. It would be even better if bed and food at the GMG owned hunter's lodge didn't cost exactly that, funneling all the money the company pays you back into the system.
It's almost as if they did it on purpose or something.
You sigh as you walk back to the hunter's lodge. After paying for this weeks rent the bartender will probably have something warm to eat… And Megumin probably wants to know how much money you didn't make.
The coastal settlement was surrounded by high cliffs making a natural barrier. The main GMG building was at the top of one of the clifs, the only way to go there was a wooden elevator working on steam and magic. As the elevator went down you had time to look at the sea and think about… stuff. Stuff like how there were no boats because any boat that isn't as big and reinforced as the GMG in the sea of monsters gets eaten by… Well, monsters. That makes you think about how the only way in and out of the island is using that boat and how you are not the one who decides who uses it. This place feels like a prison island where only the most desperate hunters go to work. The pay is shitty, the missions are shitty and the people are shitty too.
And everything just to collect Black Gold… What is that stuff anyway? You only know it's used to power machines, make medicine and is a great magic conduit… As years pass more and more people use that black liquid for important stuff. It's no wonder it's so expensive if they can only get it here… But you don't get its value. It's not as if you used it for anything in the orphanage. You didn't tinker with machines or chemicals or even magic.
Why are you even here? Why did you drag Megumin here with you?
Good question… Why are you here? (When voting pick two. One will be the main reason and, if it makes sense, the other will be a secondary reason.)
[] Researcher: You want to discover what the pales really are. You heard about them when looking for something to do on the mainland. The tales of the mysterious island in the middle of the forbidden sea filled you with questions… Questions that need answers. (Research at least twice each month. Build a base with a lab. Discover the region's secrets.)
[] Millionaire: Accumulate a fortune of 100.000.000cr in any way possible and return to the mainland. Live the rest of your life without having to work again… But that doesn't mean you can't live the big life there too. This island is where people who know what they are doing get rich after all. ( Reach 100.000.000cr to accomplish this goal or live with an opulent living standard and a mansion built for at least two years.)
[] Adventurer's guild: The people at the orphanage were your family. You miss that sense of community. You still have Megumin but that's not enough. You need a big family… All working together. Maybe you can make this shithole better for everyone. (Build a base and recruit at least 100 people. Turn your guild into the main power of the region even above the GMG.)
[] Businessman: Everyone needs a job. You are a hunter because the GMG is always hiring more muscle to throw at the pales to protect their benefits… But you are more inclined to take the benefits for yourself. You always had an eye for business after all. (Acquire control of the Black Gold trade with the mainland on your own or reach an important management position in the GMG.)
[] Explorer: The island is big. Big enough to have deserts, colder areas, mountains, and valleys. There is no real map of the whole island, just bits and pieces. You always wanted to walk where no one else walked before and explore further than anyone. This place is perfect for that. (Map the island in full and explore the ancient ruins found near the center. Be the first to discover what awaits at the deepest part of the central chasm.)
[] Champion: You like to read a lot. You read about warriors and their deeds. How they save innocent, how they can overcome any obstacle and defeat any foe. You want to be like one of those warriors of legends. This is the perfect place to get stronger. (Become the strongest fighter on the island. Your skills should be able not only to defeat any pale but also any enemy of the sapient races.)
[] Hunter: It's your job. You hunt creatures that people with money want dead and you plan on being damn good at it. You were planning on hunting at least one monster of each kind one day… And Pales are only found on this island. (Hunt one of each kind of common pale. Explore the island, discover all the «greater» pales… and kill them too.)
[] Lost nobility: You are a noble, dammit! You know you are a noble even if you were raised in an orphanage. It's not even delusion, your family knows too, but they can't just accept you and admit that they lost a kid years ago. After insisting again and again they decided to test you to "prove" you are part of the family. They might be trying to get rid of you by sending you here. YOU WILL SHOW THEM! (Become renowned as one of the greatest hunters on the island. Let the news travel to the mainland.)
Extra meta vote: Stats.
Stats are divided into Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Charisma, and Wisdom. They uses are all pretty evident even if I didn't explain the mechanics yet. Constitution is for anything that requires body resilience. It's your "defense" and your "health". Wisdom is the same but for your mind. It's your mental defenses and your "mana". It also counts as the luck stat, so it might be useful even if you don't plan on learning magic.
Vote for a best and worst stat for Grey.
Best:
[] Str +
[] Dex +
[] Con +
[] Int +
[] Cha +
[] Wis +
Worst:
[] Str -
[] Dex -
[] Con -
[] Int -
[] Cha -
[] Wis -
Well, this vote is kind of a mess. If it's not clear you should vote for two objectives, a best stat and a worst one.
There are a ton of setting stuff and mechanics I should explain and I will... Soon. Before the next main update for sure.
Fleeing scene graciously provided by Xelta. Linking to her DA because she forgot to sign the drawing.
Last edited:
How to get bonus dice through feedback
Luxicato
nº1 Squid Fairy
- Location
- Star sea
I've been thinking a lot lately about my quests, about why I sometimes feel like something is missing when I write. I sometimes don't have motivation to write and others I spend days and days writing nonstop.
I realized that the answer was feedback.
I asked myself why do I write and what do I get from writing a quest. I don't have a patreon and people don't ask me for commissions or specific writing in exchange of money… Then I realized that what I get from this is practice. Practice in making stories and characters. What I get from quest is experience. I know I'm kind of decent at writing, that's why people keep reading, but…
I don't want to be a decent writer. I want to be a GREAT one. That's why we are here.
They say you need to practice 10.000 hours to be an expert at something but if you are practicing the wrong way you will only be an expert at doing stuff wrong.
I need feedback to know what exactly I'm doing right. Real feedback. I usually pester people on my discord until someone tells me what they liked and not from the update to shut me up, but that's kind of not a great way of doing it.
Then I had an idea.
I will give bonus to rolls in exchange of that sweet, sweet feedback.
You know when some people just quote their favorite parts of an update with a little comment of how they liked/disliked that part? That works. I need to know if a joke lands or falls flat, if an emotional moment causes feelings or people just kind of read it and keep going. Sometimes I even divide the update into two clear parts, but people only say something about one of them. Sometimes I have an interaction I find really funny in the first half and something more serious later. The more serious part overshadows the less serious one so I'm left wondering if it was funny or it wasn't and should change how I do that kind of interaction.
I like the likes and I'm grateful for them, don't get me wrong. 50 likes in a MHA update? I love that. Everyone likes the internet points, but they don't actually help me get better at this. They help in the sense they tell me I'm doing something right, but not WHAT exactly.
So… Yeah, I plan on giving bonus to dice to each person that gives me feedback, even if it's not much. This is how it works:
And that's all. I will post this to all my quests and see how this little experiment goes. If it goes well not only I will get better at writing much quicker but also would give me more motivation to do it.
I realized that the answer was feedback.
I asked myself why do I write and what do I get from writing a quest. I don't have a patreon and people don't ask me for commissions or specific writing in exchange of money… Then I realized that what I get from this is practice. Practice in making stories and characters. What I get from quest is experience. I know I'm kind of decent at writing, that's why people keep reading, but…
I don't want to be a decent writer. I want to be a GREAT one. That's why we are here.
They say you need to practice 10.000 hours to be an expert at something but if you are practicing the wrong way you will only be an expert at doing stuff wrong.
I need feedback to know what exactly I'm doing right. Real feedback. I usually pester people on my discord until someone tells me what they liked and not from the update to shut me up, but that's kind of not a great way of doing it.
Then I had an idea.
I will give bonus to rolls in exchange of that sweet, sweet feedback.
You know when some people just quote their favorite parts of an update with a little comment of how they liked/disliked that part? That works. I need to know if a joke lands or falls flat, if an emotional moment causes feelings or people just kind of read it and keep going. Sometimes I even divide the update into two clear parts, but people only say something about one of them. Sometimes I have an interaction I find really funny in the first half and something more serious later. The more serious part overshadows the less serious one so I'm left wondering if it was funny or it wasn't and should change how I do that kind of interaction.
I like the likes and I'm grateful for them, don't get me wrong. 50 likes in a MHA update? I love that. Everyone likes the internet points, but they don't actually help me get better at this. They help in the sense they tell me I'm doing something right, but not WHAT exactly.
So… Yeah, I plan on giving bonus to dice to each person that gives me feedback, even if it's not much. This is how it works:
- You don't need to do much to get the bare minimum. You can just quote your favorite four or five lines saying "This was funny/sad/epic" or your least favorites saying "This was dumb/too weird/uncomfortable" and you already get a +1 to a roll of your choice.
- If you quote something and just say "I liked this" it… works but I would prefer if you add something more even if it's just "I liked this because it was funny". Giving me a reason for you liking it makes the feedback 200% more useful.
- For the feedback to give a bonus it needs to have a minimum depending on update length. If in a 4k update you quote only one sentence with the bare minimum comment about it… I will be grateful but I can't give bonus for that. If you do that but with 4 or 5 bits you liked then sure. I will not ask much.
- You will get bonus for each time you give me feedback. That bonus is yours and you can use it whenever you want. I will ask before an update with a roll if someone wants to use their bonus and how much of it. I will have a list of people with bonus and how much they have. The bonus is individual so, if you want a roll to have a huge bonus, you will have to make sure everyone uses their points.
- I will give 1 to 5 bonus for each feedback comment. I might change it depending on how this goes, but that's the standard. 1 is for feedback where you just quote and comment the bare minimum. 5 is for something like actually analyzing the update in-depth, a character or something crazy like that. Something worthy of being almost an omake.
- IMPORTANT: I don't want just ass-kissing and ego-stroking feedback. Negative feedback is as important as positive. If something about an update was bad I would love to know so I can improve it.
But if you give me negative feedback my ego would appreciate if you pair it with something you liked too… Unless it was so bad you didn't like anything in the update.
And that's all. I will post this to all my quests and see how this little experiment goes. If it goes well not only I will get better at writing much quicker but also would give me more motivation to do it.
Dice Bonus Bank
Luxicato
nº1 Squid Fairy
- Location
- Star sea
Here we have the people with accumulated bonus to dice. If you are in this list, you can ask to use your bonus whenever you want before an update. I will always tell after a vote if the next update will have a dice roll or not. You can use your 10 points to give a +10 to the roll or wait until you somehow accumulate 100 points and straight up make the next roll a crit because you can do that.
- @Nevill — 5 bonus