Dungeon Titles

[Lost Star]

"So, to summarize, you were sparked before puberty, picked up brawler in your teenage years, and then got some divine intervention thanks to what was possibly your guardian's soul." The Historian nodded calmly and sipped at her tea.

"That's right." Samael nodded in return as he very calmly chewed a cookie he had been given.

"How would you characterize his fighting Knuckles?" The Historian continued.

"Sort of like brawling, but more contained if that makes any sense. Ain't never got hit. Just so you know, I did party with a few brawlers. There were close calls with them. Not this one." Knuckles pointed at Samael with a nod, and then went back to his teacup with ironclad determination.

"Very good. I might have more questions, but now I have enough information for a small write up. You will both return with of course." The Historian stated with an ominous air.

Both men looked at each other and then turned back to her nodding rapidly. Seemingly pleased the Historian made a gesture and the bindings keeping them seated were released. They both sighed with sincere relief.

"Now, onto your original reason for being here." The Historian set the teacup down with a clink. "What do you know about title origins?"

"I read a guide to Adventuring, Edition two." Samael stated with a shrug. "That's it."

"Nothing." Knuckles replied back with a final air.

"Edition two? What did you…" The Historian paused and winced. "Ah, it's up to edition seven now. Honestly that's not the best book in my opinion. Too focused on noble and ignoble titles and filled with propaganda to push people towards Adventuring. So, history lesson time!" The woman seemed quite pleased to be able to speak on the matter.

"So, the first titles came after the first dungeon according to legend. Way back then, the first dungeon was supposedly a large field full of boars that liked to go out and cause issues with people. To combat this, a group of menfolk got together and started to spear down the boars. Eventually a spark dropped, and one of the men used it.

He became stronger and faster. So when the next one dropped, one of his friends got it. Eventually one of them stated, I am a Spearman. And the world responded back in agreement. That's the tale of the first title, condensed from a few legends of this area.

It was a long time ago, so there's a lot of debate on the exact beginnings. Regional legends say it was a spearman, axeman, bowman, amazon, witch, and so on. What's not in debate is that new titles can form, and old titles can change. There are even regional differences between some titles which can be absolutely fascinating.

And not the subject of this lecture, sorry.

More relevant to you, is Samael's title hasn't been 'set' yet. When someone walks along a new and distinct path, the world notices. Magic notices. That's why if he declared as a brawler it wouldn't work.

He's already actually got a title. It just doesn't have a name. Normally the world would pick up what other people are saying about it, and you'd be able to use that. He's the first though."

The Historian paused and looked at the glazed eyes of her audience, and then rolled her own eyes. A flick of her wrist and two water bullets slapped both men between the eyes. They started.

"Huh, wait, what?" Samael muttered as he refocused on the woman.

"Summarizing it for idiots, Samael has a title. We just need to name it right. I can help with that." The woman stated dryly.

Wiping off the water Samael nodded. "Thank you."

"Now, onto my favor for it." The Historian smiled and a necklace floated into her hand. She passed it to Samael. "Wear this. Don't worry, it won't break or get tangled in things. It will also switch to the Angelic symbol too."

Samael placed it over his head without arguing. Fortunately it was a small thing that didn't look like it would get in the way.

"That will record you when you fight. Bring it back after a few runs and we'll call it all even. Including yours." The Historian nodded to Knuckles.

"And the name?" Samael asked.

"Come with me. I need to setup a bit for it." The woman got to her feet and gestured to the stairs.

Near the top of the library was an empty room. Samael was directed to it, and the Historian gestured at the floor. A circle started to form under Samael's feet.

"Now. You are no longer a brawler. You are not a wild fighter who throws himself into battle regardless of odds. You have discipline and courage." The woman began sedately, her bunny ears drooping down as she concentrated. "You fight without weapons or armor. You are clad in prayer instead. You use order as a weapon, and grace as a shield. " The words flowed quietly as the circle started to get more and more sigils around it.

Samael watched it with wide eyes. Magic was starting to bleed into the visible spectrum again. This time like a net around him.

"I am Bonnie, The Historian. I scribe history. I proclaim that history has been made here and now." The circle was done and the world flexed a bit. Almost like it was waiting. "I proclaim that this man in this circle has become something new and never before seen. He has followed a new path. The new path will lead to new places. So too shall that new path have a name. It is a path using fists, flesh, and faith. Nothing more. Nothing less. I proclaim this path the path of the Monk. One who studies and learns of the divine. Declare yourself Monk."

Samael knew his cue when he heard it. Here it went. "I am Samael the Monk." Grunting with irritation, the man threw his will behind his next statement. "I am Samael the MONK!"

Bonnie nodded at the teen. "There we have it!" She chirped and bounced in place. "I'm going to have so much fun writing this up! Remember I need the necklace back."

"Yeah." Samael nodded firmly. He was more focused on how he finally had a title he could say.

"Also, before I forget. Payment for the story." The Historian grabbed a few coins from her pocket and threw them. "It's not much, but it should help you with starting out."

Samael let out a strangled scream as he looked at the coins. Ten gold coins. Just like that.

"Now, onto other things!" The Historian yelled to herself and ran up the stairs. "Don't steal any books or I'll light you on fire!"

Knuckles looked up the stairs and then down it from his place on the staircase. "I vote we run right now." He stated after a minute.

"Good idea." Samael nodded quickly and threw Knuckles half the coins he had gotten. "Beat you out."

"Hah! Good luck with that!" Knuckles shot back and they both began to run.

 

[Lost Star]

They spent the next few days getting the lay of the land so to speak. Samael first went to the church, which was a rather grand and imposing structure nestled securely in a nook of vines. Knuckles found the local bar and gathering point for the adventurers. Of particular interest was the information on the dungeon. There was a lot of it unfortunately.

Established dungeons were dungeons that had finished growing. Inverted dungeons were dungeons that built up instead of down. You would think this meant that the dungeon would be a know quality, but that was not the case. Established dungeons had identifiable inhabitants yes, but they also had basically setup an 'ecosystem' for lack of a better word.

It was easier to explain by using examples. The Bonepit had identifiable rooms and each room had 'inhabitants.' These rooms didn't interact much. You eventually got patrols, but that was it.

Thornvine's first floor was a massive maze of vines and thorns. It had wandering boars, hand sized winged people known as fairies, and several very large hunting cats as threats. Of them, the fairies were the only 'dungeon' inhabitant. As in they were the only ones that dissolved on death. None of the enemies were consistent, and the fairies were known to aid others if there were some nearby.

Thornvine also had a lot of nasty tricks. There were traps all over, a few poisonous areas, roaming boss monsters, and it 'enhanced' the current temperature somehow. Since it was currently fall and moving to winter, that meant a lot of ice, and howling winds that didn't bother the inhabitants.

It was not uncommon for people flush on success from their beginners dungeon to go right in and be crippled or die. The enemies weren't that much more deadly, but the change in behavior was enough to trip people up. Fortunately, once people figured out things the first floor was apparently a lucrative place to farm silvers.

In particular, there were two items. For one the boar meat was considered a hot commodity, and for two the fairies often tended 'Fairy Fruit', which was a fist sized blue fruit that was very sweet and could only grow in dungeons. Floors after that had more interesting things as well, if you could get there.

Thornvine had ten floors. There were four bosses on floors three, six, and nine. The 'leading boss' on floor ten was a changing one based on the season. You could only fight him if you managed to beat two of the ninth floor bosses due to some sort of locking mechanism. Considering the dungeon was enormous, this took a very long time typically. Those who managed that were considered elite. Most people moved around to other veteran dungeons though. The time and effort required typically meant people wanted to take breaks and do other dungeons for a time.

For Samael all this information sort of changed his initial plans. He had thought to go into the dungeon with Knuckles and get his feet wet so to speak. Instead he was more inclined to get a guide of some sort first, just to be safe.

Fortunately Knuckles been one step ahead in this. He showed that when they met at the beginning of the day with another person. A woman with a wooden mask and long red plaited hair. The mask stood out the most, even if she was dressed in what amounted to breast bindings and tight shorts. It was a smooth thing that had vague colors that moved, swirled, brightened, and faded. The eyes were black and had a vaguely feminine tilt.

"I give my greetings. This one indicated you wished to brave the first floor?" The woman asked in slow deliberate words. There was a vague accent Samael couldn't place.

"Yes. You've been in before?" Samael grinned and nodded in greetings.

"I have. Only once. When my ally was crippled, and they blamed me." There was more than a little bitterness there.

"She's going to be south point." Knuckles chimed in here. "It's not uncommon for those to be blamed when injuries happen. Stupid, but happens. Just so you know, she's a Shaman. They don't tend to heal that well."

"My pact with water is not to heal. It is a…" The woman paused as she searched for the word. "Not nice spirit. It does not like to heal, so I must make do."

"Well it wasn't like we had healing anyway." Samael muttered and shrugged. "So, how do we do this?"

"Well, traditionally we declare to each other and say skills." The Thug chuckled. "Her skills are more in her pacts though, and those don't really get declared. Let's just with with classes." Following his own words, Knuckles began. "I am Knuckles, the Thug."

Very clearly and deliberately the woman spoke next. "I am Seonag the Shaman."

"I am Samael the Monk." Samael followed up last, a bit giddy that he could actually do this.

Seonag peered at him through the eyes of her mask for a long uncomfortable moment. "I do not know that title. You did two man dungeon with that?"

"Yes…?" Samael shifted uncomfortably, and rushed as he saw the woman start to rear back. "I mean I did two man Bonepit with Knuckles over here, but I was sort of going for this title then."

"Ah. Well, if you fail then I just leave your body on ground." Seonag stated casually.

Knuckles interjected before Samael could do more than bristle. "She's already taking a big risk with us. Getting a rear liner is the second hardest spot to fill. We can't be choosy."

"Tail is hard to find, but teeth typically harder. You can go far with teeth and tail. Wings are easy." Seonag agreed as she straightened out. "We going now?"

"Good a time as any." Knuckles muttered. "I need to get into my armor."

"I will." The next two words she spoke were in another language, and Seonag paused. "Ah, I do not know the words."

"Synchronize magic if probably what you're looking for." Knuckles held out his hand. "You too." He directed Samael.

Bemused now, Samael offered his hand. Seonag grabbed it with a casual gesture, and he felt something lurch inside himself as his magic was prodded harshly. The young man winced at the feeling and yanked his hand back.

Seonag tilted her masked face and Samael could swear she was amused. "You not done it before? It make my magic friendly to you. Syn-chro-nize magic means my magic knows you so I can make you better." The woman pulled out what looked to be a wooden stick decorated with strange symbols and wrapped with a few strings. "This my pact with fire." The stick started to dance with little fireflys.

Samael's eyes widened and he felt his blood race slightly. Suddenly his body felt better than it ever had been. More energetic and less tired. Then it was over, and he blinked a few times.

Seonag gave a little laugh. Knuckles grinned at Samael. "You don't find many shamans in Bonepit. They do some nice stuff."

"I can agree with that." The Monk nodded.

 

[Lost Star]

Knuckles probably drew the most stares as they were waiting to be let in the dungeon. Getting the full set of armor from the Bonepit was a serious undertaking apparently. Mostly because the typical four man group would split the heavy armor or sell it. The helmet especially.

Samael was perfectly alright with that to be honest. Less attention on him after all, though they didn't have to wait long thankfully. Apparently the waiting was mostly so that people didn't do something stupid at the entrance to the dungeon proper.

Thornvine's actual entrance was a bit beyond the wooden building that blocked it. It was a large archway of intertwined vines and thorns that lead into what appeared to be a multitude of vine tunnels. This was a sharp contrast to the Bonepit, and had both men pausing.

"Does not matter which one we take." The Shaman of their group stated. "We go, we fight once, and then we leave if team is bad."

"Point. And things change anyway." Samael nodded and picked a tunnel at random.

Knuckles led the way with his absurd shield and both people followed. The tunnels were irregular, moving this way and that, up and down, and widening and shortening at some unseen plan. Frankly it was a bit disorientating.

The tunnels split once and then twice before Seonag gave a sharp whistle. "Behind, sound!"

Knuckles immediately charged behind, raising his shield. Samael skipped to the position he typically took, just to the side of the shield.

"Eye on South. We're three now remember." Knuckles reminded Samael.

The Monk had to practically smack himself to remember what he had to do there. Skipping back a few paces he looked back to be certain he could keep Seonag in his line of sight. First priority was keeping the field between her and Knuckles clear.

Seonag didn't seem to notice the byplay. She tapped two of the sticks she had strapped to her belt with her empty hand, and then picked one off and held it. One of the sticks glowed with fireflies again. The other seemed to shimmer slightly.

Samael felt his body heat. His breath came easier and he felt lighter. The effect made him grin a bit, and he bounced on his heels as he felt the energy surge through his body.

Then the things Seonag had heard charged into the tunnel. Pigs. Almost two dozen of them poured from one of the side tunnels. Two of them were massive beasts almost as large as a man. Four were smaller. The rest were little piglets that might have been cute had they not immediately scattered into and around the tunnel and looked to be angling to bite. Both of the large ones immediately charged at Knuckles as the rest started to move in.

A frisson of almost visible fear swept the tunnel as Knuckles used his intimidation skill. The piglets started to squeal loudly and scattered. The larger ones paused mid charge.

A strange blue mist swept from Seonag's totem and into her other hand. She seemed to blow on it through her mask and it drifted to where the four smaller pigs had paused. The squealed with pain and tried to move, but were blocked by the larger parents in front.

Knuckles took the opening to slam his shield into one of the biggest pig's snout. It squealed and shook it's head. The other one moved to bite, and he smacked it with his mace. That one backed up in pain.

In the meantime, Samael was doing what his job had to be. The piglets were small but their teeth were still sharp. Too low to punch, he had to resort to stomping on their head or literally kicking them into the sidewalls. They were durable little pains though, and seemed to figure him for the best meal due to his actions.

Fortunately dealing with little knee high monsters wasn't that big a deal. Especially with the enhancements. Their teeth weren't even enough to break through his Iron Skin, though it was close.

Another intimidation hit the group. This time the pigs in back seemed to have had enough and turned around to flee with loud squeals. The piglets scattered again, and Samael smashed the ones he could.

One turned to bite Seonag. She didn't seem to notice as it gnawed on her leg. Little flecks of stone dropped to the ground as the piglet tried to draw blood, and Samael took care of the problem with a drop kick. The pig went flying and Seonag gave a nod as she continued to wave her free hand. The mist started to move closer.

The two larger pigs seemed to grow enraged at the actions and attempted to overcome Knuckles with sheer weight. One impacted the large shield and the Thug grunted as he staggered back, but kept on his feet. The other pushed through and charged at Seonag.

The Shaman backed away quickly with very real alarm. Samael moved to intercept it, slamming a fist into it's side. The sensation was practically like hitting a wall. The bone and fat of the pig was so thick that his strike had done almost nothing.

That was fine. Samael kicked out at a short and stubby leg, and the beast fumbled a moment. Ignoring the sharp pain from the attack, the young man continued to punch. Something cracked under one of his strikes, and the pig shifted to look at him.

Then that mist dropped down on it and Samael. For a moment, the young man panicked, but he didn't notice any pain. The pig certainly did. It's eyes started to water and there was a slight hissing sound. Immediately, it tried to move away, but Samael had decided it wasn't going anywhere. He slammed his foot down and into it's skull. Again it was like hitting a wall, but this sort of strike wasn't ignorable. The pig staggered.

A few strikes later it was mostly dropping to the ground and coughing up blood as it's insides were eaten away by the corrosive mists. Then it dropped to the ground.

Samael panted as he looked at the corpse. "Seriously? I could barely hurt them."

"Join the club." Knuckles muttered as he hefted his mace. It was dented, though the other pig's head was crushed.

"Big pigs have big armor. All fat and bone." Seonag stated. "Surprise to most. Why my water is useful." She wiggled the stick she had been carrying. "Inside less armored. Know how to clean?"

"Clean?" Samael asked as he looked at the dead bodies. How did you get something that large back?

"I will do it. Watch entrance. Little pigs can be taken whole. Stick in sack." The Shaman set down her large bag of holding and then pulled out a large knife.

Samael turned a little green as the woman began to cut into the large pig. Well, he supposed that was one way of doing it. The way the guts spilled wasn't exactly pleasant, and fleetingly he wished he was still dealing with skeletons. Then he shook his head and turned towards the dead piglets.

"I wonder how tasty these are?" He held up one of them with a frown.

"Little pigs best!" Seonag called out.

"Just so you know, I'm getting the fruit when we get back." Knuckles stated quietly as watched the entrances.

 

[Lost Star]

Jessy coughed and sputtered as the wave of water crashed into her face. Then spat out the water that had gotten into her mouth. Sure she was soaked anyway, but the water from the wave tasted nasty.

"Keep them off me!" The Priest shrieked as another toad tried to jump at her.

"What do you think I'm doing?!" Jessy ignored the toad that had just splashed her and shot a magic missile at the one after her companion. It exploded in a shower of gore.

"Getting humped!" The Priest shot back, and Jessy scowled as the toad next to her jumped like a miniature missile and bounced off her mage armor. It splashed into the water again, and Jessy felt her mana fluctuate some at the impact. She scowled at it and finally shot it was a missile as well.

"Little help please?" Their pointman asked calmly as the crocodile he was fighting struggled with the shield in it's mouth. He had managed to wedge it such that it wasn't able to bite down, but the way it was shaking him around did not look pleasant.

"Invigorate!" The Priest cast, and a wave of relief washed over Jessy. She sighed as her mana recovered a bit and she looked around the swamp they were in.

"Where's Gerry!?" Jessy called out as she tried to peer through the rain.

The crocodile went limp the second the girl asked as Gerry appeared out of the shadows with his dagger embedded in it's head. Jessy sighed in relief and Jack scowled as he tried to extract his shield from the thing's mouth. He didn't seem to have much luck.

"I'll skin it." Gerry stated with a grin as he helped Jack by pulling back at the mouth.

"I hate this dungeon." Jessy stated dully as she looked up at the sky. "Why is it even called one if it's out in the open?!"

"To be really fair, open dungeons have floors too. They just sort of spread wide and like to have no ceiling." Gerry interjected as he pulled out a few knives and began to skin the crocodile.

"You did want to do summoning dear. This is your own fault." The Priest stated casually as she daintily stepped around the more solid areas and began to pick at the toads with a tool. "Not that I blame you, the one you can get from here is simply lovely."

"Still hate it, and the rain." Jessy muttered sullenly and picked at her waterlogged robes.

The men studiously avoided commenting, but the Priest laughed. "Oh hun, you're going to give in at some point."

"I don't want to hear it from someone dressed in a pair of cups and cloth." Jessy stated flatly.

"Yet I'm the one almost dry in the downpour." The Priest sighed and brushed out her hair as she continued to pick parts out of the toads they had been fighting. Seriously Priests had cheating defensive spells, her hair looked practically dry. "Seriously though, you don't need armor. You need something that is light and breaths because you're going to keep getting into areas like these. You're actually actively hindering yourself with something heavy. Men get armor, women get whatever we like because magic is the best."

"Can we change the subject please?" Jessy muttered sullenly. She knew it was a pet peeve of hers, but dammit she wasn't going to change it. At least she wasn't cold. Mage armor helped with that, if not the water all over.

"Well, we're almost where the clan records state the boss typically hangs out." Jack commented. "Remember, you need to do the magic thing fast after it dies."

"Yes, otherwise we'll have to come out again." The Priest stated dryly. "Much as I enjoy our clan's outings, I'd have to hurt someone if I had to come out here again."

Jessy flushed a bit, though the rain made it hard to tell. "Sorry."

"Dear, it's not your fault. It's just this level of fighting is a bit boring." The Priest shrugged casually with a small grin. "That Captain of yours burned a pretty favor to have me help though, so let's get moving and make this as painless as we can get it."

"Right, done!" Gerry stated as he finished skinning the animal.

With that, all four of them continued onto the swamp. This particular dungeon was an Open Veteran dungeon called Swampville. Frankly it was one of the less popular ones. It rained frequently there, and it was hellish in the winter. It did have a very big draw to fame though. One of it's intro bosses was highly sought after by summoners.

Jessy saw why the second they entered it's territory. A still pool miraculously free of the rain. The second they entered the area, it flowed upwards in a reverse rainfall and formed a bubble around them. The boss was briefly visible in the water before it sank deeper, and all four of them waded further in in formation.

Imagine a cross between a very colorful fish and and aquatic snake. Add streaming fins and a long flowing colorful tail, and you got what the boss looked like. It was an actually lovely and graceful creature.

That was partly why it was favored of course. The rest of it was quickly evident as it swam up the side of the bubble and to the top to start shooting short sharp shots of water at them.

"Hope you remember the spell!" Jack called out to Jessy as he held his shield above his head. One of the shots glanced off the shield and nearly took him off his feet.

"Shield." The Priest intoned, and magic flared around them. "Invigorate." More magic.

Gerry had disappeared into the shadows again, and Jessy inhaled deeply as she focused on the image. This was a popular mage spell for a variety of reasons. Chief among them, annoyances like this. She aimed her staff at the ground and ignored the way the water glanced off the shielding spells. Those wouldn't last long.

Find an area beneath the target. Channel the magic quickly, it wouldn't last more than an instant. Focus on the image. "Earthbound."

The boss and the water around it was pulled out it's perch above them all. It slammed into the water with a splash, and Jack was on it in an instant. He slammmed his shield into the creature, and then used his other weapon. A hook with a chain dug into the creature's body and he grabbed onto the chain with a smooth motion.

Gerald appeared then, stabbing deep. The boss reacted in rage and the water around it exploded in a wash of power. Both men were thrown back crying out in pain.

"Gotta watch that." The Priest stated calmly as she glanced at the men. "Cure. Cure." Both got to their feet uninjured.

"Magic Missle!" Jessy shot out the spell with a bit of rage in her heart. It zoomed into the rapidly submerging creature and drew out a wash of blood.

Jack dove into the water and grabbed at the trailing chain. He pulled hard, and the boss reared up as it was pulled back for an instant. Gerry followed up and threw a dagger at it's eyes. The thing seemed to struggle a bit more, and then started to go limp.

"Now girl. Bind it before it's gone." The Priest orders.

Jessy gulped and ran as the boss started to dissolve. She could feel the magic starting to coalesce. This wasn't an end boss so it wouldn't do a full heal, but it's 'domain' was going to 'pop' anyway. She just needed to bind that power and form into an image.

Her own mana lashed out into the area around the bosses' body. She focused hard on the surging power, and then grabbed mentally. She had been training for this for awhile, but the panic and possibility of messing up was still there.

Fortunately despite it needing a very delicate timing, it wasn't particularly hard. Her grip held as the boss's magic started to surge and buck. Then disappeared, leaving a solid image in her mind, and a small amount of power.

All she had to do now was pour her own power into that image and make the image hers. She did so, and then directed the forming construct into the real world.

A small copy of the boss floated serenely next to her in a bubble as the rain started to fall down again. She gave it a mental nudge and it shifted the rain so that it couldn't hit her.

"Looks good." The Priest nodded. "So, declare yourself."

"I am Jessy the Summoner." The girl stated happy as her new summon did a small backflip in it's bubble, fins trailing beautifully.

 

[Lost Star]

Traditions were interesting. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. Samael was still trying to decide if the one he had been caught in was good or bad. It was a bit up in the air. On one hand, he was getting free food. On the other hand, he was sort of being forced to attend a party. Oh he could leave at any time, but it would be a bad idea. He just needed to avoid the alcohol.

The tradition had started as something simple apparently. New adventurers had often commemorated their first veteran victory by roasting one of the pigs they had caught. Then they had paid for it for their friends. It had evolved and changed into clans getting into the action for recruiting purposes. Now, it was an actual party when a team managed to do a 'successful run.' Which involved no one dying and a decent threshold of money gotten.

Since Samael and his allies had literally filled up their bags of holding, they had been very successful. Therefore, the party had been rather large and most of the local clans had sent higher ranking members to look in on them.

At the very least the piglets looked delicious. A full dozen of them had been gutted, cleaned, and cooked for them. Admittedly there were several with broken bones on most of them, but the cooks were experienced in dealing with that. The smell of honey glazed pork had filled the room and made more than a few people salivate.

"So, what's next?" Samael asked casually as he reclined against his chair.

"Well, first we eat. Then we see about the recruitment pitches." Knuckles muttered and grabbed a slice off the piglet.

"Avoid that one." Seonag pointed towards one of the bored looking women at a table near the corner of the inn. She was dressed in a ragged looking pair of furs, and had feathers in her red hair. "She is from my place, and they not fond of men."

"Amazonia right?" Samael asked curiously. "I know there's something about men with them, but I'm not sure what."

"Men are not allowed to rule. There are more rules, but they are not as en-forced. Sort of like what is done with your non-power women." Seonag explained slowly and then pulled off her mask, revealing a pale and freckled face. She wrinkled her nose and then grabbed some pig for herself. "Also my former sisters went to that clan."

Samael frowned at the explanation as he tried to parse it, but eventually dismissed the implications. So far as he knew, the women could sort of rule. He was sure there had been a queen at some point, and princesses did have some power, but he didn't know the details. History outside of adventuring wasn't his strong point at all.
"Meh, sounds like they're a bunch o' dicks then." Knuckles frowned after he spoke and chewed slowly on his meal. "Or would that be a bunch of cunts?"

Seonag laughed lowly. "I do not know the words, so I cannot say what I care to, but I can accept those labels."

Samael shrugged and chewed on his meal. Then grabbed some of the juice. The sweetness was a bit off putting, but it was non-alcoholic, so that was enough for him.

For a moment there was mostly eating and drinking as people wandered around and talked. Then a familiar woman bounced into one of the empty seats at the table.

"Hi!" Sherry grinned as she sat, and a blue fairy swooped in to land on her shoulder. "So, nice showing you three. Been awhile since a newbie team managed a smooth clear like that." She glanced over the people at the table. "With three too. You're going to get so many recruitment offers."

"Like yours?" Knuckles' voice had a hint of a rumble.

"Oh yes. Full offer from the Wild-makers. We're sort of top dog around here, so I get the first chance." Sherry's grin widened.

In the meantime, Samael was edging a bit away from the fairy. The ones in the dungeon had been green and hadn't glowed, but he really hadn't liked them. Getting needle spears aimed at your eyes was fairly horrific.

Sherry of course noticed it and couldn't seem to help her giggle. "Aww, don't worry. The blue ones are actually relatively friendly for dungeon monsters. They won't attack you if you don't attack them." The woman sobered. "Actually, since you're doing so well, piece of advice? If you see a lot of these little darlings, you're in a safe zone. There are ones on floors four and seven."

Safe zones were places where the dungeon allowed for a 'truce' so to speak. So long as there was no violence, there was no danger. It was actually good knowledge.

"So, Wild-makers?" Knuckles dragged the conversation on track.

"I'd be able to induct you in as junior members. We're primarily setup on this area." Sherry wiggled her finger in a circle to indicate the town in question. "We also handle most of the nearby dungeons and do monthly elite raids. You're a shoe in for those if you want after you hit the boss. Killer dungeons aren't for the faint of heart."

"Killer dungeons?" Samael asked.

Sherry's face went serious and she glanced over the people at the table. "Casualty figures. I'd like not to get into it specifically, but the spikes are when you just start, when you hit veteran, and Elite runs into a dungeon. This is supposed to be a party for you, so let's drop that part."

Samael glanced at Knuckles who gave a shrug. Seonag didn't appear to be paying much attention herself really.

"Moving on! We can arrange housing and have a few people who are expert crafters. Equipment is at a discount, and our dues are typically two silver a month." Sherry shrugged apologetically as she spoke and glanced at the men. "That's for juniors with no other skills but diving."

Considering that they had made roughly two silvers a piece from just this one run, that wasn't that burdensome. Well, assuming you did frequent dungeon delving.

"It's tempting." Knuckles stated. "What are the party rules like?"

Sherry nodded with a grin. "Now there, you're golden. Well that is if your little Shaman wants to join up too." She tilted her head at Seonag. "We tend to be witch heavy, and they're best as East and West. Occasionally you get one who finds a familiar good for point, but that's not our strength."

"I can not make any commitments at the moment." Seonag stated calmly as she looked at the other woman. "I must commune with the spirits and judge if this is a proper path for me."

For the first time Sherry looked almost displeased. "No offense to you, but I've found dealing with spirits rather painful. At least the local ones."

" Poisonous and flighty here. Nearby dungeons they like blood always. I understand these things, but they give me guidance." Seonag stated.

"Keep us in mind then!" Sherry's smile returned

With that the woman got to her feet, and Samael braced himself for the next few groups. It ended up being a fairly long night. At least he got an idea of all the clans in the area.

 

[Lost Star]

The next day was a rest day for Samael. It was typical for any adventuring to be done one day off, one day on. The job was incredibly stressful after all, and the funds you got from a good run were usually enough to last at least a little bit. In this case, he had agreed to rest for a good three days as Seonag wished to do something involving the spirits and would have to be gone for awhile.

Since Knuckles wanted to shop for a new mace and shield, this meant Samael had to find things to do. Which in this case was trying to figure out how to get more information on clans instead of just introductions. They'd all rather blended together near the end.

Samael had two options. First was to try the pubs. The second was to try the Historian. Of the two, he figured the Historian had the least chance of causing him issues.

There was no thump on the ground this time. Instead Bonnie trotted up from the basement in a distinctly different outfit. There were no bunny ears for one, and her glasses were gone too. In their place was a headband that had a large glinting gem in the center of it. Her robe had been changed out for a set of loose pants, and her chest was bound with a tight binding, showing off her navel.

"Sorry, I don't have time for… Oh, Samael!" The girl chirped. "You got me as I was preparing for the Elite raid! Come in, come in!" She waved the young man in happily.

"Is this a bad time?" The Monk asked as he walked in slowly.

"If you want some research done then yes unfortunately." The girl sighed heavily as she drooped in place, and then perked up. "Let me see that necklace!" She grabbed at it, and Samael winced just a bit as he was yanked forward.

"At least let me take it off first." He muttered.

"Maybe when it's done. Still need more data." The Librarian muttered. "Any more visions?"

"Only telling me to practice more." The Monk replied simply. He was thankful for even what he had. He didn't demand.

"For a divine style it's a bit incomplete in my opinion. You likely need to increase your skill. I'd suggest focusing more on the way your magic is flowing." The woman finally released the necklace and Samael sighed in relief. "You didn't come for that though. What do you want?"

"Was hoping I could get a history on clans if it's not too much trouble." Samael stated with embarrassment.

"Haha! Recruitment right?" Bonnie laughed and moved away. "Oh boy, that's a fun one. I'll give you a brief overview. I could spend days talking about clans. Did you know that some have rivaled kingdoms?" She waved her hand. "No, no, I'm getting distracted."

Samael looked for a place to sit, and spotted a stool nearby. He also spotted the rabbit ear headband and he picked it up with amusement. The ears looked rather still though.

The Historian grinned at the man and grabbed the band, then put it on Samael's head. He could feel them start to wiggle. "For instance, these things are made by the Wild-makers. They're worth about say… Twenty gold, depending on demand and stock."

The man froze, and he could feel the ears go straight.

"They're a fashion accessory. Rather popular in parties and adventurers love them in their off time. That's the power of a clan." Bonnie nodded as she continued. "Big clans are big and dangerous things. Fortunately they're also fluid and change a lot. The Wild-makers have only recently gotten control of this area, and will likely keep it for about twenty years based on previous history.

The ones around this area you have to be aware of are the Wild-makers, the Steelguard, the Ballbreakers, the Firestarters, the Whitelights, and the Blacklights. There are several low level clans that are just scrabbling for power, and a few that can't manage the reach to here. You can safely ignore them, and they'll be bad to join up anyway.

You've seen the Wild-makers. They're a witch based group, and do a lot of soft power. If you want to stay in this area they're your best bet if you got an invite. They have the pick of who the like here and they know it. If you want to leave the local area you'd be better with other people.

The Ballbreakers are an Amazonian based group. If you want to go that way, they're your only option. Men can't advance past a certain point in their group, so I wouldn't suggest it. In fact, I wouldn't suggest going to Amazonia in general as a man."

Bonnie paused and nudged Samael to be sure he was paying attention. He was actually doing so this time. Part of it was playing a bit with the ears he had to admit. The Historian looked amused as she continued.

"The Firestarters are a new clan making waves. As you can guess, they focus on fire and other things related to that. They like to blitz dungeons without a care to the damage they take or do. Their leader's in this town even, and he's a decent Elite Swordmage.

The Whitelights and Blacklights are two sides of the same coin. They're church based groups. I'd actually suggest you go to the Whitelights if you're willing to talk about being a Monk. It's probably important to mention that the two clans love to snipe at one another. It doesn't go into outright war, but any chance they have the two will fight each other."

Samael grimaced. "I don't think I like that option to be honest."

Bonnie shrugged and delicately plucked the ears off Samael's head and placed them in a nearby box. "You can join one of the smaller clans. They tend to die off when the leader does. Establishing a clan is hard."

Samael frowned. "You missed Steelguard."

The historian looked actually angry at the name and gave a loud humph. "They're in the pocket of the Duke. One of his ways of keeping his power." She made another sound of irritation. "You get clans like that. They're paid a lot to answer the call. Fortunately most adventurers know to keep out of government policies. It never turns out well for anyone."

"How so?" Samael asked curiously and leaned forward.

Bonnie waved a hand and a book came to her hand. "Archmage's circle, about one hundred years ago. Basically a clan that decided that magic was the way of the future." She opened a page to an illustration of several people around a table. "A group of twelve archmages took over a kingdom and began to run it. Their policies were universal education, magical instruction, and merit based on magical capabilities. In theory the idea was good. In practice, there were limited sparks and they ended up investing in friends and allies rather than talent. The resulting magocracy caused stratification of the social order, and led to serious corruption."

The next page showed a city of spires, and below it a rather horrific looking place of disease. With a few monsters eating people too.

"Decay set in. After about twenty years, those manning the dungeons started to take serious casualties due to excessive mages and lack of support from the Archmages. It's fairly certain that a few world bosses would have emerged had Karl the Assassin not slain the Archmages one by one." Bonnie flipped to a picture of a man with a dagger looming menacingly. "Chaos ruled as other mages tried to take order, were then slain in turn. A King was created and then several parties retamed the dungeons." The Historian snapped the book shut with a shrug. "You get a lot of those. Adventures aren't meant to rule. It ends up bad."

Samael had one question to all that. "What's a world boss?"

"Ho boy. That's a long tale involving a lot of theory." Bonnie grimaced. "Best guess is that it's what happens when a dungeon doesn't get people completing it." The Historian rubbed at her head under the circlet and looked out the window. "I don't have time to give the history on that too. Basically they're big bad bosses that rampage across kingdoms instead of dungeons. They're really rare thankfully. My clan, the Starseekers have been tracing the last one known about fifty years ago. It's part of what we do really. That and chase falling stars, hence the name."

Intrigued, Samael raised an eyebrow. "Starseekers?"

"Sorry Samael, invitation only. We're mostly information seekers. We don't even really do raids. We partner up with other people for them. Like I'm doing real soon." Bonnie grinned apologetically at the younger man.

"How do you get an invite?" Samael asked curiously.

Bonnie opened her mouth, and then snapped it shut and looked at the man. "Would you be willing to teach other people your skills?"

It was Samael's turn to pause for a long while. After a moment he nodded. "If they have the faith, I have no objection."

"If they don't?" Bonnie pointed out.

Samael grimaced and pulled down the casual shirt he wore around town to show off the prayer on his skin. "This requires faith to work right." He stated neutrally.

"Ah, but if we use that technique for other faith based techniques. Would you be willing to do that? The Church of Fire would practically throw money at you for it." Bonnie stated gently. "There are plenty of other clans out there you know. The Whitelights would love to have you."

Samael sighed and rubbed at his head. Something about the idea of chasing stars sort of got him though. It was a bit like what he had prayed for. A miracle. This clan resonated with him bizarrely enough. Plus for some reason he felt very grateful to Bonnie too. Some part of him wanted to spread the knowledge as well.

"So long as people know this came from Heaven first, I don't think I mind developing the techniques more." Samael finally stated. "One of our tenets is generosity when we can afford it. For once in my life I can."

"All right. My clanmate would be willing to evaluate you. He'll be housesitting for me, and will be here when I leave. If you're still interested when he comes by, let him know." Bonnie nodded decisively.

Samael nodded seriously and then frowned. "What about the other people I was traveling with? Can they join too?"

Bonnie shrugged and waved it off. "Honestly it's less hassle to induct and almost full group for us than do individual recruitment. When we recruit it's from people interested in our mandate, or full groups that have impressed us."

"Thank you then." Samael bowed slightly.

"Do well, and then thank me." Bonnie stated dryly. "Now out, I really need to get ready still."

 

[Lost Star]

"Well, I can't say I'd mind trying out the Starseekers." Knuckles muttered after they gathered and Samael had explained what he had found out. "They're not big member wise, but they're respected."

"I must seek out knowledge. Our goals would align." Seonag stated. "The other clans would not have been suitable for me unfortunately, and I would have had to decline to accompany you. Perhaps moved to another area after had it become bad." The woman shrugged.

"Well, sounds like we're in agreement." Samael grinned and clapped his hands together. "Let's see what this evaluation is."

"Usually it's a dungeon run with one of their higher members." Knuckles stated casually as the walked to the library.

"I would not know." Seonag stated.

"Well, if it's a dungeon run, we're pretty good at that." Samael nodded cheerily.

The library looked the same as it always did, except it had a closed sign on it. Expecting this, Samael knocked loudly on the door. After a moment of sound from inside it opened and a man with short red hair looked blearily outside the door. He stared at Samael and the rest for a long moment and then held up a finger. The door closed and there was a loud few seconds of crashing and cursing. Then the man opened up the door again and walked out.

His outfit was… Strange. Typically people wore either armor of some sort, casual clothing, or very little depending on what they used as defenses. This man wore green tights, had a green shirt with a white undershirt under it, and had a jaunty cap atop his head, with a feather sticking out of it. On his back he had a large guitar, and at his side he had a throwing knife and a few bags.

"You must be Samael and friends!" He stated grandly with a grin. "Pleasure to meet you all. I am Robin the Bard." He swept downward in a bow as he introduced himself. "I hope you're ready for a fun day ahead of yourselves! I feel like a good scrap in the dungeon." The man pulled up from his bow and made a punching motion.

A round of introductions came from the other people, and the Bard nodded at each of them, never losing his smile.

"So we have a grand party! Excellent, Excellent." Robin grinned. "Now, normally for evaluations I play at the rear. I'm assuming your Shaman is doing that?"

Seonag nodded silently as she peered at the Bard's hair. At least it looked like that through her mask.

"One moment then you two." Robin turned to Seonag and suddenly began spouting what felt like gibberish to Samael.

The Shaman straightened as if surprised, and then she shot back something in the same language. A long bit of back and forth and then Seonag nodded and immediately took two of the stick-like totems off her belt, then got to her knees and placed them onto the ground. It looked a bit silly in front of the library.

"Your lovely lady has agreed to switch to West point for us while I handle support. Don't worry, I won't let you die, or even get injured. This evaluation isn't about combat ability, and we'll leave it at that." Robin pulled his guitar out and began to tune it. "Bards and Shamans have a bit in common in that we're rather flexible in what we do. Plus, if she switchings to a seeking wind, then we can get to the third level boss and back without wasting the entire day."

"Seeking wind?" Samael asked curiously.

Seonag stood up and replaced the totems on her belt. "My spirit of wind can find paths forward or grant my allies speed. I prefer the first."

Robin nodded agreeably and plucked at a few strings. The notes came out with a twang, and the bard continued to adjust it. "Part of navigating later dungeons is developing a system to get where you want fast. Some use magic, others use stealth, still more just bulldoze through things. You'll pick up what fits best over time."

"Oh, you can change your pacts!" Samael stated in realization. "Wow, that's versitile."

"It depends on the temperament of the spirit. The spirit of water I have pact with is not nice. Will only do fighting." Seonag stated solemnly.

The Bard led the way to the dungeon as they talked. "What she means is it's a vicious backbiting thing that you don't want anywhere near your allies. Speaking of that, let me synch." The man tapped each person as they moved, and Samael grit his teeth and the unpleasant sensation.

"Could you get another water spirit?" The Monk asked curiously.

"Spirits are jealous." Seonag shook her head in negation. "Water for healing is nice, but not required." She tapped her mask in thought. "Would prefer to find a lightning spirit for good healing, or perhaps find a friendly light."

"Lightning's very, very rare for friendly ones." The bard advised. "It is the best for Shaman healing, but frankly Shaman's never been as good as other titles as healing. Light spirits would be possible. You have a good in there." The man pointed to Samael.

"You are holy man?" Seonag asked curiously and peered at Samael

"Huh?!" Samael stepped back with wide eyes.

"Your style is divinely inspired." The Bard stated dryly and then chuckled. "You didn't think you were blessed?"

"Is that even ok? I mean what would I have to do?" Samael asked with bewilderment.

"It's fine. Shaman spirit pacts are beneficial to the spirits. Spirits of light like to linger in churches. You need to take her inside yours, and basically say 'This is my friend, can you speak with her?'" Robin nodded at both of them seriously. "I'd suggest you do it after this run. Light Spirits would help you quite a bit."

"It would be very appreciated." Seonag admitted. "Making pacts takes time and…" She paused and turned to the Bard, asking something in the other language.

"Developing the relationship would be the best phrasing there." Robin stated kindly.

"Developing the relationship. I must bring them gifts or tributes." Seonag rubbed at her mask as she spoke. "Four pacts bare minimum for leaving beginner area. Eight pacts for Elder Shaman."

"One also has to be with a powerful spirit too. The four elemental ones are fairly easy going and relatively weak. They know humans." Robin stated quietly. "Elder Shamans have eight as the bare minimum. Most can have up to twelve, and are not people you want to cross lightly." Grinning again, Robin chuckled. "However, with a good clan like us, and a good party, you shouldn't have any trouble. Actually, the Starseekers are probably best for you. We have practically every Historian nearby in our little group."

"And I could find history and records of where the best spirits are." Seonag nodded.

"Sounds like something in the future though." Knuckles finally broke in, and pulled out a new shield and mace. Both were made of dark, almost blackened wood.

"Ohhh, someone splurged." The Bard said appreciatively. "Those are worth a good six gold."

"Got em for five." The Thug put on his skull helmet too.

"Ok, you I like already!" Robin laughed. "Onto waiting for the dungeon!" He pointed to the wooden building.

 

[Lost Star]

They entered the dungeon and things were almost immediately different for the group. Seonag pulled her wind totem off her belt and began to wave it gently in the air. A barely visible breeze started to flow out from it and go down several tunnels. They waited in the entrance for almost a minute before Seonag nodded and put the totem back.

"That one." The Shaman pointed to the area in question.

Samael glanced at Robin who stepped back and raised his hands. Getting the picture, he spoke up. "It goes to floor two?"

"The wind says path forward up that we can walk if we are quick." Seonag stated. "It also says floor two has open areas. We must move in more for me to find more." She nodded seriously and plucked her water totem from her belt.

Seeing no reason to object, the party headed down the tunnel in question, setting a brisk pace. After a moment they managed to find a winding vine nestled in the corner of a dead end. It stretched up through an opening, and was just wide and straight enough for someone to walk up if they were able to keep their balance right.

Knuckles went up first without a comment, shield up over his head as he moved. Once he reached the top he tapped his weapon on his shield quietly. The knocks made Samael curse under his breath.

"Enemies above, up quietly." Samael stated to the others and then vaulted up in a few quick jumps.

Floor two was a bit weird compared to floor one. It had rooms like other dungeons instead of winding tunnels. They were just always circles and the walls had more than a few thorns sticking out of them. It made it frustrating when the rooms had no way out.

The enemies in question were a horde of fairies tending a fairy fruit bushel near the exit of the area. Probably two dozen of the blasted things were there, and Samael could see each one of them had the needle thin spears.

"I hate these things." Samael whispered irritably. They always went for the eyes, and were fast as well. Fortunately if you were quick they tended to sort of swarm away trying to avoid the attack rather than attack at once.

"The next floor is past this. The winds say a cat lingers nearby." Seonag stated very lowly.

"Ok, I love that function. Can we keep it when you switch back?" Samael grinned just a bit.
"Not the time." Knuckles growled out and started forward.

Samael went right, Seonag went left. The second Knuckles had taken three steps, the fairies immediately seemed to hear him and dart up from the bush they were tending in a cloud. Each one were like little genderless people, and each one carried a spear that could likely double as a knitting needle.

They darted forward to attack Knuckles, a veritable swarm going for his eyes. Seonag's acidic water mist intercepted the mid flight and they recoiled as one and parted.

Casually Robin strummed a tune as the battle began in earnest. The notes did nothing for Samael, but he could see how the fairies started to fly almost erratically.

The party members began to swat the things out of the sky where they could reach. The biggest weakness the fairies had was all it took was one good hit. A few dove to Seonag as she channeled the mist, but they were burned away as a small stream of fire started to circle around the woman.

Suddenly, Knuckles turned around and began to run. Samael didn't even hesitate, covering his position and getting into where the remnants of the fairy swarm was.

There was a yowl of a cat, and then a grunt as Knuckles slammed his shield into a black panther that had been stalking up from behind. His mace flashed out and cracked against the beast's side, and it immediately started to flee. The Thug managed to lung and break it's spine before that happened, and then killed it shortly after.

In the front, Samael had switched to almost full defense, slapping away the fairies attacking him rather than trying to kill them completely. One had managed to stick a painful strike into his arm, but for the most part he had scratches only. Seonag was slowly picking them off with the acidic mist. Their speed made it hard for her to do it as they needed to linger just a bit, but the damage was cumulative enough that they were dropping down quickly.

The last one fell right after Knuckles finished the panther. Samael pulled the needle out of his arm with a grimace, and watched as it slowly dissolved in his hand.

"Be triumphant!" The Bard cheered out and finished his small song. A wash of magic flowed around the party and Samael felt his wounds healing like that.

"I despise fairies." The Monk growled out as he stalked up to the bush and started to pull off the fruit. The things were worth a fair bit, and this was a big bush.

"Don't let the witches hear that." Robin advised with a laugh as he flexed his hand and skipped aside to let Seonag start to skin the cat. "They happen to love their little fairy familiars."

"Why do they by the way? The blue ones are different right?" Samael asked curiously.

"They have a nasty curse that reduces magical resistance on targets. It lasts a good few hours too. It's their only skill, but it's enough to make them quite useful." The Bard stated with a nod.

"So glad they're supposed to be neutral then." The Monk shuddered at the thought.

"Speaking of magic. I wonder what boss we'll find at three. That's where most of the magic starts, and if I remember right, two of the four are hefty magic users." Robin mused.

"You do. Fortunately Samael can handle the magic." Knuckles stated.

"I look forward to seeing it then!" Robin chirped.

 

[Lost Star]

Three fights later, they were on floor three. Samael was actually a bit impressed on the time. Fighting without the speed increase was a bit less fun, but having a direction to go in had made things far faster.

Floor three was particularly bizarre for in indoor area. The vines had somehow smoothed out, and thick and soft dirt had replaced the floor. The ceilings were high and concealed with a covering of open sky. A fake sun shone down harshly in the sky, and the heat increased significantly. The effect made it seem like they were in a large field with rolling hills instead of an actual dungeon.

Seonag muttered some curses as they got there, and pulled some sort of oil out her pack to spread over her pale skin. Robin gave a little chuckle at the two men's questioning looks, but didn't enlighten them. The woman didn't seem like she was going to say anything.

Shaking off the distraction, Knuckles began leading the way again. Cresting a nearby hill, they had a good view of the place. There were pools of water, bushes, what appeared to be valleys filled with plants, and one large vine stretching into the ceiling. That was the only place where fake sky's illusion was broken.

Shaking off bizarre dungeon physics, the party began to move. They had a particular plan in mind for this area, so they were hunting for a very specific enemy.

Floor three was notable for several things, but one thing in particular. It had a massive amount of usable plants on the floor. Chief among those usable plants was a golden wheat that was essential for farming. It surpassed any other sort of wheat breed, and could be grown outside. It alone made Thornvine essential and was worth quite a bit.

Unfortunately for people hoping for an easy bit of gold, there was a new sort of enemy here. A flightless bird that resembled an overgrown turkey. It's most notable feature was the extremely loud noise it made when fighting. The noise was likened to a cross between a hiss and a roar, and would attract the roaming bosses. They were nicknames Alarm Turkeys and were apparently edible.

The plan therefore was to find one of the animals and provoke it into hissing in a favorable area. It was a fairly standard tactic, hindered by the fact you had no idea which boss you would get.

Samael had a good feeling about it, and thanks to Seonag's wind spirit they found one relatively quickly. The tales didn't do it justice really. The second it and the rest of the flock saw them, they all hissed and it was practically deafening.

Their talons were not something to joke about either. The battle had been over quickly, but Samael and Seonag were sporting several large and bloody scratches before they were healed. At that point the only thing to do was kick the bodies away and wait.

"Boss comes." Seonag called out as the wind started to blow.

Samael nodded and everyone took their positions. Knuckles in front. They had setup in what amounted to a small valley free of various hazards and possible traps. The space was best for them really. A complicated plan involving traps just wasn't possible.

"Looks like the Shepherd." The bard stated cheerily as he spotted something walking up.

The Shepherd was a figure cloaked in a white robe with a hood. Only it's hands and a pair of green glowing eyes were visible. The hands were gnarled things of wood, and it clutched a smooth and solid looking wooden shepherds crook. It creaked as it moved and then paused as it saw the party.

Knuckles charged immediately. The boss tapped it's staff twice on the ground as he did so, and two massive creatures made up of twisted plants formed and shaped themselves into a pair of vaguely animal like forms. In the sum total of a second they were fully formed and met Knuckles mid stride.

"Mage tactics!" Samael called out. "On the beasts, I got boss!!" He sprinted forward as the music started to play.

The boss would keep summoning the blasted things if it was unoccupied, and they were incredibly hard to put down. Samael was fortunately perfect for that. He vaulted one of the beasts as it attempted to turn to face him, and then was tumbling towards the boss.

It was too much to hope for that the boss was weak in close range though. Samael felt his blood race as the music shifted into something energetic. He didn't recognize the exact effect, but it did lend him enough speed to avoid the Boss's swinging staff. He didn't like the way it suddenly had thorns and dripped.

Twisting around, Samael slammed his fists at the boss, and found himself unpleasantly surprised as it blocked with the staff, still sprouting thorns. Fortunately he pulled the punch enough that they didn't puncture the skin.

Danger sense warned the Monk as something came from behind. Unable to dodge as pinned as he was, he simply clapped his hands together and breathed. For a second he had control of his space, and he could hear things bounce back.

The man glanced back quickly. The vine beasts had long vines trailing that had formed into large club like things. One had directed itself towards him. Seonag and Knuckles were managing to hold both's attention, but only one was slowly breaking down. He needed room.

Samael opened his hand and gathered the magic right. Breathing and thrusting it forward as the boss began to channel its own magic. The ripple of magic caused the boss to pause a moment. More than enough time for Samael to move around its staff and slam it harshly backward with a series of punishing strikes.

One of the beasts behind creaked as it fell apart, and the music changed again to something revitalizing. It, really didn't do much for Samael, but he assumed the other two needed it. Especially when the music rapidly changed to something harsh that seemed to cause the boss physical pain.

Which turned out to be a bad thing because it provoked it to shriek and drop the hood to reveal an inhuman and frankly disturbing mess of twisted vines. Green mist billowed out from it's skin and created a cloud.

Caught mid strike, the Monk couldn't muster the breath for Grace. He stepped out of the cloud quickly, but could feel some numbness stretching up his fingers. The prayer on his skin burned away quickly to clear it, but the cloud was still there.

Thinking quickly, Samael spun on his heel and shouted. "Seonag fight boss now!" He knew the grammar was bad but he needed to be understood.

Fortunately the point was gotten across as the Monk slammed into the last vinebeast. It was on it's last legs anyway thanks to the mist and the pummeling from Knuckles. A few more hits had it start to crackle and break and then fall apart.

The monk turned back to the boss quickly, and winced just a bit. The green mist had dissipated, but the thing was still up. It's 'flesh' was in tatters, but the thing looked to be channeling a big spell based on what was gathering.

"Try it." Knuckles stated grimly as he walked forward.

For a moment the boss faltered. The spell it was channeling flickered slightly, and as it was cast the effect seemed far less. Which was very fortunate actually, because the spell caused a series of small thorny vines to erupt from the ground around their legs, and then further. Samael hissed as he pulled them off quickly, but they didn't appear to have broken the skin thankfully.

Seonag's mist had never stopped working though, and midcast on the next spell the boss fell to the ground as it's body dissolved itself. Samael could see very well why Seonag considered the spirit so nasty.
The wash of magic that went over the field was small, but it did revitalize the party, and Samael smiled just a bit as he walked to where Knuckles was picking up the item the boss had dropped. It was the white robe it had been wearing.

"Don't think anyone can use this one." Knuckles muttered.

Samael shrugged and grabbed it from the man. He looked at it and then shrugged and pulled it on, then pulled down his pants. He then channeled a bit of magic into it. With some clothing you could adjust it somewhat if you had a good vision.

"Heh. What do you think?" He spread his arms.

The change had been both dramatic and not. Now he had a pair of white pants with gold highlights, an open robe that was held across his chest with a single strap, and a long pair of sleeves, with again golden highlights.

"I approve." Seonag nodded easily.

Robin coughed out a laugh.

 

[Lost Star]

If there was a disadvantage to Seonag's wind scout, it was mostly that the wind couldn't really recognize plants. It could say 'plants this way' but that was about it. They allotted themselves a good few hours to find good plants and other bounties before leaving. Harvesting them was a bit of an issue, but Robin had the knowledge of how to do it appropriate, and he shared it freely.

There were a few battles, but nothing really of note. The biggest problem rapidly turned out to be the heat, and the water on the floor was subtly poisonous. It wouldn't kill you, but it would sap your strength slightly.

After that, they headed back and then everyone turned toward Robin as they reached the exit. The man casually turned the knobs on his guitar for a moment in response, and then seemed to come to a conclusion.

"Samael, you're going to want to find something good for armor piercing. Blunt trauma is fine, but you will encounter some things even more armored than the boars, and you're having trouble with them." Robin began with a flicker of a smile. "Your skills are something we'd want to record and pass on. An independent wingman who can sub in as a pointman for moment is invaluable. You don't require much to assist you, and you really don't need much equipment either. This lets you focus hard on what you do need." The man nodded at the Monk seriously. "Were it just you, I'd say you're in. But you do have allies you want in too, so I had to evaluate them."

Both of the other people tensed. Knuckles seemed to take a breath and then put away his weapons carefully and deliberately. Seonag brushed her fingers across her totems.

"Knuckles. I do actually like you. One thing. Declare yourself please." Robin's smile was rather amused.

"I am Knuckles the Thug." The man responded instantly, and blinked under his helmet. "I am Knuckles the Terror Knight."

Robin chuckled. That turned into a small laugh as Samael slapped him on the back. "Nice man!" The Monk stated with smile.

"Well, Mr Terror Knight, you're in too. You actually impressed me quite a bit. You're a solid pointman and your new title is a brutal one for that role." Robin nodded once he stopped laughing. "I'd actually suggest you learn how to two hand that mace. Sometimes you'll want to drop the shield."

"That leaves me then." Seonag nodded.

"Yes. Now, I'm going to shift to her language for a moment. She's in, but there's a fair bit I need to talk on." Robin nodded at both men and shifted to another language.

The conversation was actually long enough that Knuckles and Samael were shifting a bit in place before they finished. The tone of it had been low and rather sedate apparently, but that meant almost nothing. They finished with Seonag nodding and Robin turning back to the men.

"Sorry about that, I wanted to be certain, and there's nothing like being in the same language to do that." The Bard clapped his hands together. "So, when the Starseekers recruit, we aren't typically looking for more combat power. What we want is either someone capable of adding to our knowledge, or someone willing to seek out knowledge. However, we will take teams if they're well put together and don't have social problems. You three are very good at that. You just need a fourth."

"So we're in now?" Samael asked bluntly.

"You will be added to our register." Robin pulled three small circular coins out of his bag. Each of them had a shining star with a trailing silver lining on top a black background. "These are your clan markers. For now, your duties are to get stronger, and aid Bonnie when she requests at, as she's the senior member."

"No dues?" Knuckles took the coin and placed it in his bag.

"Your dues are giving us knowledge or granting aid to others. Most members are independent." Robin gave a snort. "That means you'll have to handle your own support. We don't have crafters to give you discounts, we don't do housing. You're on your own. What we can give you as a clan is contacts and knowledge. Basically, talk to Bonnie and she can point you at nearly anything you could need."

Samael shrugged. "I don't care much about support to be honest. What you do is more interesting."

"Hah, you're already a Starseeker." Robin nodded. "Now, the reason I spoke with Seonag is you do need a fourth. I was asking if she wanted to be South or West point as she was here. She prefers South. So I can have someone coming for that. You're actually lucky there as we have someone nearly perfect for that place."

"Oh?" Knuckles asked curiously.

"Yes, her name's Camila, and she's an Astrologer. She could be here in about two weeks if you don't mind waiting some." The Bard nodded. "Train up some, get set up and such, and so on. You could all use some polish and I while I can't get you the equipment, I can show you what might be best. The fourth floor and up can get brutal."

"That would be acceptable." Seonag stated quietly. "I require more pacts if I am to support my new clan appropriately."

"I do want to keep the wind scout still." Samael replied back with a grin.

"Now let's get out of here before another team runs over us in their hurry to get in." Robin advised with a laugh.

As they left, Samael moved up to Robin with a curious look on his face. "So what do Astrologers do? I've never heard of them."

"It's a very rare title. You get it by studying the stars and applied the principles of magic to your observations." The Bard wiggled a hand as he spoke. "They do predictions and rather unusual magic. Our clan leader is one, and the few times I've been fighting with him had the fights go strangely smooth. You have to see it to understand it."

"Sounds interesting actually." Samael stated with a grin. "Why aren't there more of them?"

"It requires a lot of math, a lot of star observation, and just a hint of strangeness." Robin chuckled. "Our illustrious leader has to have a secretary because he would sometimes do the budget for the next week instead of his current week." He sobered. "Camila's a bit similar."

"I'll keep an eye on her then." The Monk nodded.

"I wouldn't have approved you if you wouldn't." The Bard replied with seriousness.