- Location
- Mississippi
[X] No, let's get in a training session with Hero's Shade first.
Children of Hades (DanMachi)
- Thread starter Cyberweasel89
- Start date
- Location
- UK
- Pronouns
- They/Them
ADeshantis
King on the Chromium Throne
- Location
- United states
[X] No, let's get in a training session with Hero's Shade first.
Let's get down to business,
To defeat
THE HUNNNNNNNNNNS!
Let's get down to business,
To defeat
THE HUNNNNNNNNNNS!
- Location
- USA
[X] No, let's get in a training session with Hero's Shade first.
- Location
- USA
[X] No, let's get in a training session with Hero's Shade first.
Chapter 2: Part 15
- Location
- New York
[X] No, let's get in a training session with Hero's Shade first.
"I'm going to go train with Hero's Shade," you explain.
Urist nods. He turns to Ian. "You. We train while wait."
Ian turns to Tessa, who shrugs, then turns back to Urist and shrugs himself.
You all head back upstairs to see Hero's Shade sitting at the bar, kicking back a comically oversized mug of ale.
"Drinking at this hour?" you ask, walking up beside him.
He chuckles. "Is only my second glass, lass."
You glance at his mug, which is easily larger than one of those big gulps at gas stations back on Earth. He's already kicked back one of those?
"Uh... Mentor, would you train me? Please?" You ask.
He pauses mid-chug. The old man sets the mug gently down on the bar counter, then turns slightly to give you a side glance, a smirk on his face. "Oh? The li'l kitty wants th' man who's a shadow a' his former self t' train her?"
You grimace at the smell of alcohol on his breath. "Are you drunk?"
"He is Drunk." You jump at Flora emerging from the kitchen. "That is a statement absent temporal context. Hero's Shade is Drunk. Dionysus thinks this guy should've been cut off five drinks ago," she explains, grinning.
The old man chuckles. "Relax, lass. Drunken Master. Skill I got. My Basic Abilities raise the drunker I am, without impairin' my mental skills."
He stands and quickly chugs the remainder of his mug, then slams it on the counter and belches loudly. "C'mon, lass. Let's see what ya got."
Hero's Shade leads you out of the guild and around the building. You've got your armor, spear, and buckler, but aside from his black leather armor, the Shade doesn't have any equipment. Is he an unarmed fighter? You can't help but wonder where he's leading you, but this soon becomes apparent.
Behind the Underworld Dormitory is a yard with training dummies and targets. It's just large enough for weapons tests, sparring, and possibly even testing spells. The Shade stops at one end of a circle drawn in the dirt with chalk. You face him at the other end, and also take your time to examine him properly, now that you have a chance to get a good, long look at him.
Hero's Shade is a tall Human standing at over six feet tall. He's old, but he looks like a man who's clearly taken care of himself over the years. Wrinkles blend with scars on his face. He's completely bald, his head covered in yet more scars, though a stubble remains on his lower jaw. His eyes are gray and carry in them the years of a man who's seen more than his fair share of hardships. His skin looks bronzed by work in the sun while his build is quite muscular for a man of his advanced age, likely in his seventies. He's wearing a pair of thick brown leather boots, black breeches, and thick black leather armor over his upper body and groin, covering every inch of his torso and arms. His hands have leather fingerless gloves and he carries no other equipment besides a satchel at the back of his waist, which you suspect holds rations, potions, and, knowing him, a flask of potent alcohol... or two.
"Now, lass, I'm abou' to start chantin' my spell. Don't interrupt. Need t' cast it to train ya. Got it?"
You nod. The Shade takes a deep breath and begins chanting, his eyes closed.
"I am th' master a' my domain. I hold power over th' worlds I create. Convince yourself it's no' real. It is, anyway. I control this world. What ya're seein', this world I control. That c'n be as real as any pain. A flower inna mirror. The moon's reflection in th' water. Th' counter stroke of a paintbrush. Your mind makes it real. My mind makes it reality. Welcome to my world..." He opens his eyes. "Thought Projection."
You look around, but you don't see any kind of magical effect. What exactly did that spell do? You look back to Hero's Shade, smirking at you. He holds out his hands and before your eyes, a spear and buckler appear in his arms in a shimmer of light.
"How... did you do that?" You stammer.
"Heh heh heh! This's me spell, Thought Projection. It's a combination illusion 'n' barrier spell. By makin' illusions and coverin' them in a thin but tough barrier, I c'n make temporary constructs. As for how I c'n fight with these... Me Skill, Armory, lets me fight masterfully with anything built with th' intention of bein' a weapon. So as ya c'n see, I'm uniquely suited t' trainin' young Adventurers."
Wow. You bow to the Shade respecfully. "I would be honored to train with you, Mentor."
"Good. Then get ready, 'cause I'm comin' at ya, lass. Don't worry, I won't hurt ya." He grins. "Much."
"I'm going to go train with Hero's Shade," you explain.
Urist nods. He turns to Ian. "You. We train while wait."
Ian turns to Tessa, who shrugs, then turns back to Urist and shrugs himself.
You all head back upstairs to see Hero's Shade sitting at the bar, kicking back a comically oversized mug of ale.
"Drinking at this hour?" you ask, walking up beside him.
He chuckles. "Is only my second glass, lass."
You glance at his mug, which is easily larger than one of those big gulps at gas stations back on Earth. He's already kicked back one of those?
"Uh... Mentor, would you train me? Please?" You ask.
He pauses mid-chug. The old man sets the mug gently down on the bar counter, then turns slightly to give you a side glance, a smirk on his face. "Oh? The li'l kitty wants th' man who's a shadow a' his former self t' train her?"
You grimace at the smell of alcohol on his breath. "Are you drunk?"
"He is Drunk." You jump at Flora emerging from the kitchen. "That is a statement absent temporal context. Hero's Shade is Drunk. Dionysus thinks this guy should've been cut off five drinks ago," she explains, grinning.
The old man chuckles. "Relax, lass. Drunken Master. Skill I got. My Basic Abilities raise the drunker I am, without impairin' my mental skills."
He stands and quickly chugs the remainder of his mug, then slams it on the counter and belches loudly. "C'mon, lass. Let's see what ya got."
-o-
Hero's Shade leads you out of the guild and around the building. You've got your armor, spear, and buckler, but aside from his black leather armor, the Shade doesn't have any equipment. Is he an unarmed fighter? You can't help but wonder where he's leading you, but this soon becomes apparent.
Behind the Underworld Dormitory is a yard with training dummies and targets. It's just large enough for weapons tests, sparring, and possibly even testing spells. The Shade stops at one end of a circle drawn in the dirt with chalk. You face him at the other end, and also take your time to examine him properly, now that you have a chance to get a good, long look at him.
Hero's Shade is a tall Human standing at over six feet tall. He's old, but he looks like a man who's clearly taken care of himself over the years. Wrinkles blend with scars on his face. He's completely bald, his head covered in yet more scars, though a stubble remains on his lower jaw. His eyes are gray and carry in them the years of a man who's seen more than his fair share of hardships. His skin looks bronzed by work in the sun while his build is quite muscular for a man of his advanced age, likely in his seventies. He's wearing a pair of thick brown leather boots, black breeches, and thick black leather armor over his upper body and groin, covering every inch of his torso and arms. His hands have leather fingerless gloves and he carries no other equipment besides a satchel at the back of his waist, which you suspect holds rations, potions, and, knowing him, a flask of potent alcohol... or two.
"Now, lass, I'm abou' to start chantin' my spell. Don't interrupt. Need t' cast it to train ya. Got it?"
You nod. The Shade takes a deep breath and begins chanting, his eyes closed.
"I am th' master a' my domain. I hold power over th' worlds I create. Convince yourself it's no' real. It is, anyway. I control this world. What ya're seein', this world I control. That c'n be as real as any pain. A flower inna mirror. The moon's reflection in th' water. Th' counter stroke of a paintbrush. Your mind makes it real. My mind makes it reality. Welcome to my world..." He opens his eyes. "Thought Projection."
You look around, but you don't see any kind of magical effect. What exactly did that spell do? You look back to Hero's Shade, smirking at you. He holds out his hands and before your eyes, a spear and buckler appear in his arms in a shimmer of light.
"How... did you do that?" You stammer.
"Heh heh heh! This's me spell, Thought Projection. It's a combination illusion 'n' barrier spell. By makin' illusions and coverin' them in a thin but tough barrier, I c'n make temporary constructs. As for how I c'n fight with these... Me Skill, Armory, lets me fight masterfully with anything built with th' intention of bein' a weapon. So as ya c'n see, I'm uniquely suited t' trainin' young Adventurers."
Wow. You bow to the Shade respecfully. "I would be honored to train with you, Mentor."
"Good. Then get ready, 'cause I'm comin' at ya, lass. Don't worry, I won't hurt ya." He grins. "Much."
Chapter 2: Welcome to the Familia
End
End
Last edited:
ADeshantis
King on the Chromium Throne
- Location
- United states
... He's a drunk, Scottish Archer.
I don't know what to make of that.
I don't know what to make of that.
- Location
- New York
Yeah, but I have fairly specific ideas of what these characters look like.
Fate/Stay Night Archer, or FX show Archer?
ADeshantis
King on the Chromium Throne
- Location
- United states
The former, but he drinks like the latter
Ample Accelerate
Gotta stab fast
- Location
- Texas
Can FX Archer make weaoons out of thin air and has a reality marble? You already know the answer to that question.
- Location
- New York
Pffft! Then, bring on the GAR!
Awww, thanks!
Garm352
Bearer of the Stars of Creation
- Location
- The Void Between Stars
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Can I just say that this is the greatest thing ever? I just want to say that.
This is the greatest thing ever.
- Location
- New York
That one was my co-writer @SpokenSoftly 's idea. XD
Though it's based on a quirk of Hades that I have yet to touch upon in-story. The man loves cats. He tends to adopt strays off the street in the dozens, to the point that Hades Familia Adventurers tend to find cats stashed in nooks, crannies, and containers all over the Underworld Dormitory. XD
SpokenSoftly
(Verified Fruity) (Potassiest Write-Tan)
- Location
- The nearest fruit bowl
Of course the Dorf would use a catsplosion as his primary defensive method, what else is there?
- Location
- New York
I updated the first post with our protagonist's character stats. I was gonna write the next part today, but... I'm absolutely exhausted after an insomniac-riddled all-nighter, so... Sorry, everyone. Tomorrow, promise. X_X
Chapter 3: Part 1
- Location
- New York
"Okay, one last time. Weapons, armor, short provisions. You have everything?"
You nod along with Ian and Tessa for the third time, having gone through this individually, then as a group, and now once more on reaching the entrance to the Dungeon. Urist nods, hands on his hips, then turns to the Dungeon and points at the entrance. "Good. We will go to first floor only today. Tutorial level. First time will help you gain experience."
Ian lets out a sigh, to which Tessa responds by reaching over and patting him on the arm. "Relax, Ian. We'll go deeper next time. Plus, you're still tired after the ringer Hero's Shade put you through."
And how! Hero's Shade's training is like being put through a meat grinder. He'll work you to exhaustion, then keep going, but he'll at least stop before injuring you. Right after you finished going through basic spear moves and forms with him, he sent you to take a breather in the Underworld Dormitory's first floor tavern, then pointed at Ian and said "You, next." You tried to shake your head at the Werewolf, but he just shrugged and followed the Shade outside. He came back looking about as haggard as you were. Tessa had shrunk, expecting Shade to call her next, but he just went to sit at the bar. You suppose, as a Supporter, Tessa won't really be engaging in direct combat much.
After that it was a walk through town with Urist to Babel and now here you are, at the entrance to the Dungeon.
The entrance to the Dungeon is on the first underground floor of Babel. In the center of the room is a ten meter long hole that leads straight into the Dungeon. Within the circular room are multiple columns at equal intervals and above is a beautiful azure painting of the sky that resembles the real sky. Along the circle are gentle stairs that spiral down into the Dungeon.
"Good. We go now. Start by going down Beginning Road. Is wide hallway on first floor. Good starting point," the Dwarf explains as he begins his walk down the spiral staircase. You follow along just behind him. Ian lines up behind you, then Tessa in the back.
"This backpack is kinda heavy..." the girl complains.
"Not for long. You are Support, will gain Skill to help. Or will gain muscle in shoulders. Or will gain back pain. Probably Skill."
He's probably talking about Artel Assist. It's pretty much the Supporter Skill of DanMachi. It compensates for carrying a heavy load by buffing Ability scores.
You emerge from the staircase onto a cave tunnel that you recognize from the anime. The walls are light blue colored, though you suppose they're influenced by the light blue lights embedded in the walls, which look to be natural. While the lights are a bit dim, you don't think you're going to need a lantern. At least not on this floor. And well... you especially don't need one. You can see in the dark.
"On first floor, find only small fries. Goblins and Kobolds. Drop only Magic Stone shards. Not sell for much, but Guild will still buy," Urist explains as you walk.
You reach a wide hallway that you suspect is Beginning Road and it isn't long before you spot some Goblins up ahead. You recognize it from that time in the street. There's two of them. One points and screeches, getting the other's attention.
"Strike to Magic Stone in heart will kill monster in one hit and ruin stone. Loses money. Still, good last resort."
It doesn't look like Urist is going to help, so you rush in. Ian quickly overtakes you, unsheathing his sword and cutting a slash across a Goblin's chest, then resheathing it. The goblin staggers back, but the Werewolf doesn't let up, kicking it and rushing in for another slash. You thought he'd be a tank, but he looks more DPS right now.
As for you, how should you handle your Goblin? What's your general strategy?
Reader Choice
[ ] All-out offense. Thrust rapidly and repeatedly, don't give the greenie time to react.
[ ] Fight defensively. Block and parry and strike only when the Goblin is off-guard.
[ ] Precision is key. Time your blows to hit vulnerable points, but don't hit the heart.
[ ] Dodge-tank it. Jump and weave around its blows and try to get behind it.
[ ] No time to fool around. Strike at its Magic Stone core and fell it in one blow.
[ ] Write-in.
You nod along with Ian and Tessa for the third time, having gone through this individually, then as a group, and now once more on reaching the entrance to the Dungeon. Urist nods, hands on his hips, then turns to the Dungeon and points at the entrance. "Good. We will go to first floor only today. Tutorial level. First time will help you gain experience."
Ian lets out a sigh, to which Tessa responds by reaching over and patting him on the arm. "Relax, Ian. We'll go deeper next time. Plus, you're still tired after the ringer Hero's Shade put you through."
And how! Hero's Shade's training is like being put through a meat grinder. He'll work you to exhaustion, then keep going, but he'll at least stop before injuring you. Right after you finished going through basic spear moves and forms with him, he sent you to take a breather in the Underworld Dormitory's first floor tavern, then pointed at Ian and said "You, next." You tried to shake your head at the Werewolf, but he just shrugged and followed the Shade outside. He came back looking about as haggard as you were. Tessa had shrunk, expecting Shade to call her next, but he just went to sit at the bar. You suppose, as a Supporter, Tessa won't really be engaging in direct combat much.
After that it was a walk through town with Urist to Babel and now here you are, at the entrance to the Dungeon.
The entrance to the Dungeon is on the first underground floor of Babel. In the center of the room is a ten meter long hole that leads straight into the Dungeon. Within the circular room are multiple columns at equal intervals and above is a beautiful azure painting of the sky that resembles the real sky. Along the circle are gentle stairs that spiral down into the Dungeon.
"Good. We go now. Start by going down Beginning Road. Is wide hallway on first floor. Good starting point," the Dwarf explains as he begins his walk down the spiral staircase. You follow along just behind him. Ian lines up behind you, then Tessa in the back.
"This backpack is kinda heavy..." the girl complains.
"Not for long. You are Support, will gain Skill to help. Or will gain muscle in shoulders. Or will gain back pain. Probably Skill."
He's probably talking about Artel Assist. It's pretty much the Supporter Skill of DanMachi. It compensates for carrying a heavy load by buffing Ability scores.
You emerge from the staircase onto a cave tunnel that you recognize from the anime. The walls are light blue colored, though you suppose they're influenced by the light blue lights embedded in the walls, which look to be natural. While the lights are a bit dim, you don't think you're going to need a lantern. At least not on this floor. And well... you especially don't need one. You can see in the dark.
"On first floor, find only small fries. Goblins and Kobolds. Drop only Magic Stone shards. Not sell for much, but Guild will still buy," Urist explains as you walk.
You reach a wide hallway that you suspect is Beginning Road and it isn't long before you spot some Goblins up ahead. You recognize it from that time in the street. There's two of them. One points and screeches, getting the other's attention.
"Strike to Magic Stone in heart will kill monster in one hit and ruin stone. Loses money. Still, good last resort."
It doesn't look like Urist is going to help, so you rush in. Ian quickly overtakes you, unsheathing his sword and cutting a slash across a Goblin's chest, then resheathing it. The goblin staggers back, but the Werewolf doesn't let up, kicking it and rushing in for another slash. You thought he'd be a tank, but he looks more DPS right now.
As for you, how should you handle your Goblin? What's your general strategy?
Reader Choice
[ ] All-out offense. Thrust rapidly and repeatedly, don't give the greenie time to react.
[ ] Fight defensively. Block and parry and strike only when the Goblin is off-guard.
[ ] Precision is key. Time your blows to hit vulnerable points, but don't hit the heart.
[ ] Dodge-tank it. Jump and weave around its blows and try to get behind it.
[ ] No time to fool around. Strike at its Magic Stone core and fell it in one blow.
[ ] Write-in.
- Location
- Florida
[X] Dodge-tank it. Jump and weave around its blows and try to get behind it.
We're pretty agile, might as well make use of it.
We're pretty agile, might as well make use of it.
- Location
- UK
- Pronouns
- They/Them
We're apparently no more agile than we are tanky. Looking back at the vote, being a cat person simply allows Agility and Dexterity to grow at an accelerated rate rather than start higher.
I still agree with your vote though
[X] Dodge-tank it. Jump and weave around its blows and try to get behind it.
- Location
- Florida
We're a cat person and automatically more agile and dexterous than a normal human. Of course this assumes things being equal. Obviously a level 4 human is likely more agile/dexterous than us.
Ultramandalore
Errant Quester
- Location
- just south of Parts Unknown
[X] All-out offense. Thrust rapidly and repeatedly, don't give the greenie time to react.
- Location
- New York
Status, and thus all those I0's, do not take into account baseline ability. Rooster is more agile and dexterous than a human, but only a bit more so. However, at Level 1 and I0 across the board, her Status is adding nothing to that.