01 – Humble Beginnings
"They wake."
Two words, penned in a frenzied hand amid fragments of thought, have gnawed at your mind day and night. The torn page that contained them was given to you by fretting orderlies - the only thing your father had left behind when he vanished. Had he been right and whole, you would not have worried yourself for his sake, but he was no longer the pillar of strength upon which your youth had been founded.
None within the town's walls believed he could survive the last weeks of autumn in his state, never mind the grip of winter. Searching for him would be a fool's errand, they all concurred. Had the elements not claimed him, what hungry figures that lurked in the shadows would put an end to his folly. Best to forget, and focus on your own affairs. But even in distress, the body remembers. The brigands left bleeding among the fallen leaves were proof enough for you at the time.
Disquiet mounted in your heart as the winter passed, piling upon itself like the growing snowdrifts outside Talestone. Even as you sheltered inside your cottage like so many others, scrabbling to survive the cold days alone, you made the decision without effort or thought; it was all you could do not to stride out into the uncaring frost and bare trees then and there.
What little you had to carry was packed away even as the snows began to melt and tentative birdsong floated in from the forest beyond. You know, beyond any doubt, that he is out there in the wilds, and no act of heaven or earth that will stop you from finding him.
Standing in the town square, you consider once more the supplies you’ve gathered. Most who pass give disapproving glances, wondering what a young girl could possibly think to do marching out from the safety of Talestone’s walls by herself, as though you have something to prove. If there is, then it isn’t to the likes of them.
A grip of potions, a worn and weathered staff, thick leather clothes, and an empty satchel that once held your coin. Some travel rations and a waterskin, of course, and a bedroll are tucked away beyond sight and mind, but little else. You consider what other funds you might secure, when a townsman chooses to acknowledge you rather than ignore your impending folly.
For narrative purposes, Minerva will be our viewpoint protagonist.
When making a new character, you’re given the opportunity to reassign their stats and skills, in case you don’t want to use the defaults for a certain archetype. For Minerva, I’ve given her the basics to keep the rest of the party from falling over – Heal to patch up their many wounds, Shield of Light to prevent wounds in the first place, and Empowered Light 1 to make all of her holy-based spells more effective.
Wait… Minerva? Where are y- No, better question, what the hell are you doing?!
You bite back a sigh of annoyance. For as long as you have known him, Jon Flying Crow was always too aggrieved to be a friend, yet cordial enough to you and Father to be more than a passing acquaintance. That he is here rather than stumbling drunkenly around the slums is a surprise, but his tone already bristles with indignation.
Meanwhile, character limit victim Jo(h)n Flying Crow will be more of a harasser. Brambles will allow him to throw up some walls and hamper angles of attack, Entangle will let him lock an enemy in place, and Nature Summoning 1 will call up a weak melee critter for some extra damage and possibly to take a hit for our more valuable team members. Combined with a ranged weapon, he’ll be staying back and letting the others do the lifting for the moment.
Hello, Jon. In case it isn’t obvious, I’m preparing.
Yes, but for what? Have you decided to wander out into the woods and die?
I’m going to find my father.
You can’t be serious. It’s been… what, half a year now.
Yes, I know.
Six months, out in the elements, and the bandits, and the beasts, and gods know what else.
I know.
How many patrols have just up and vanished? Packs of armed guards are getting cut down sight unseen, and you think some invalid aging man is still alive and kicking in the wilderness?
I know.
You’ve finally gone insane, Minerva. None of us know what it’s like out there any more.
I know, and I’m sick of it, Jon. Sick of the “what if” or the “whether not”. Sick of staring at the hearth, wondering if he’s going to totter back through the gates without me leading him home, or if he’s just out there, starving, suffering, and alone with Altima only knows what hounding him across hill and dale.
And do you think the guards are going to just let you go out there unescorted?
You’re welcome to join me, if you’re so concerned. Otherwise, I’ll be going soon.
Jon squares his jaw, shifting it back and forth a moment. Then, without a word, he turns and walks away. Not with the fuming stomp you’ve seen when his temper flares, but a wide and agitated gait none the less.
You put it from your mind, rummaging through your pack once more, when a sharp whisper demands your attention. Turning to the source, you are greeted by a man who, at first glance, looks as if he has been flayed alive. You stare for a moment, no less bewildered when you realize that his skin is merely a striking shade of red, as if perpetually sunburned.
Psst! Over here, miss. I might have something for ya.
I… pardon? I do not believe we have met.
You don’t…? Eh, right, right, he probably didn’t… Meh. Bill Bankman, at your service, miss. I’m here representing the Merchant’s Guild.
I see. And, I would know you from…?
Your father was a business contact of mine. Shame to hear what happened to him, by the by.
Thank you for the kind words, sir. But I’m afraid I still don’t know what this has to do with me.
Isn’t it obvious? I couldn’t help but overhear your little conversation, and… well, suffice to say I’m not the only peddler with a vested interest in making sure the roads are a little bit more safe these days.
Hmm. You think I’m just the sort who can do it for you?
Normally? No. That’s what the guard is for, after all. But only a complete schmuck would tell you things are normal any longer, and I don’t see anyone else jumping up and down to volunteer. I know, I know, that’s not your concern, but I guarantee if you poke your head outside Talestone for more than a few hours, you’ll run head first into all the sorts of nasties what’s keeping us cooped up inside.
I see. And for doing this chore, I would get…?
Aside from peace of mind, some better gear than a flour sack and a walking stick. In fact, I’ve got a few things you might be interested in to get you started.
I’m sure you do, if the price is right.
With so much going wrong these days? Feh. Right now, I’m willing to make an investment, so long as you can pay in blood. Uh, theirs, not yours. Important distinction. C’mere and have a look.
Every new character gets a small assortment of gear: some basic armor, a sword and shield, a choice between a 2-handed axe, a staff, or a bow, and a few potions. While you can clear the first map with just those, you can also make a bunch of burner toons, strip and sell their belongings, then pile that gold on another dude and buy some basic gear from the smith. Doing so with a level 1 character doesn’t unbalance your start that much, as everything on offer is shitty gear anyway.
There’s also a stash in town where you can transfer equipment between characters and store stuff for later. In order to keep a bit of a lid on overpowered bullshit, a character can’t equip anything more than 2 levels above their own. I won’t be dipping into the stash with this party, to keep a semblance of balance – this run will need to rely on getting its own silly OP gear, instead of riding off what I’ve found elsewhere.
… Mmm. That’s not much to look at.
Been stuck here for a while, so pickings are a bit slim. But it’s better than nothing, right?
It is, yes. Thank you, mister Bankman.
Thank me by getting out there and killing the shit out of some hostile wildlife. Oh, and try not to die in the process? It’s bad for business.
Now that our heroine has a bit of gear that isn’t godawful, let’s go over the core stats for a moment.
Might is your primary damage stat. Increases damage, healing, armor, and summon damage. Absolutely everyone wants a little of this.
Dexterity is the critical stat. Every point increases critical chance and damage for the character and their summons, and every 25 points grants an extra point of movement, up to 3 extra move.
Vitality is the HP stat. Every point increases max HP by both a small static amount and a small percentage.
Intelligence is the mana stat. Each point increases mana like Vitality increases HP, and every 25 points gives an extra point of range to all non-melee skills to a max bonus of 3. Also, this increases the HP of any summons the caster creates, so most summoners are going to want their minions to get hit in the face instead of themselves.
Reflex is the dodge stat. Its obvious bonus is increasing dodge chance for the character and their summons, but it also increases the chance to counter after a successful dodge as well as the damage of these attacks. It also increases the chance to perform an Attack of Opportunity – a free hit against an enemy that leaves melee range. Finally, every 25 points gives an additional counter attack per turn, up to 3 extra. I think the base is 1, maybe 2, so this is an all-in-one stat for a budding swashbuckler.
With your newfound equipment, you approach the gates, fully intent on blustering your way past the guards if need arises. As it happens, you are not the only one with such a foolhardy plan. Jon is easy to recognize from behind; the two men flanking him are not. One you think you have seen before in the outskirts of town, but the other is a mystery.
All three turn at your approach. Jon gives a curt nod, thumbing the string of his bow as he moves to meet you.
Looks like you’re ready. Where did you find the new outfit?
It seems we have a benefactor. And these two are…?
The only people I could find crazy enough to follow you out.
The taller, more stern-looking of the two steps forward and extends his hand. You grasp it, giving as firm of a shake as you can manage, even as you suppress a shudder that crawls up your arm from the lingering sparks and sudden unease that his grip imparts.
I’m trying something a little different with Joseph here. Normally, mages are supposed to be back line units, but Lightning has several early skills with short range. So I’m giving him Lightning Shield, Shock, and Discharge as his starting skills, giving him some retaliation that can be put on anyone and two melee range joy buzzers, one single-target and one AoE.
I am called Joseph Steel, fist of the downtrodden. It does me glad to hear that you have chosen to fight, rather than hide behind these walls like the nobility.
I would say the same, sir.
The other, wan and sickly, stares at you in wonder for some time before he shakes himself back to reality. It is only then that you recognize him as the occultist who wanders the outer edge of Talestone, often maligned by the other slum-dwellers for his outbursts over ideals of purity. How such behavior hasn’t gotten him killed yet, you can hardly profess to know.
In contrast, Adolf will start as a more orthodox summoner from the Shadow tree. Summon Skeleton Archer gives us another source of damage, Spectral Chains is a more offensive version of Jon’s Entangle, and Necromancer 1 makes his summons hit harder and last longer.
The Valkyrie herself… I had scarcely hoped. Adolf, at your service, fräulein. I look forward to the great works we will perform.
Hmm. I would suggest you temper your expectations for now, magician. I’m searching for someone, not buried rituals.
Not to worry, madam. They shall find us in good time, I am sure.
Again, you find yourself choking back your first thoughts. Jon winces at the pointed look you throw in his direction, your attention moving to the guards with poorly-concealed haste.
When prompted, they speak of several known dens that surround the town, of wild animals and lawless thugs both. Much caution is given to the southeastern woods, where the Blood Mask Bandits have been seen gathering in force. Thinking it better to exercise a measure of prudence, you decide to venture into the northern groves, hoping to build some measure of tentative unity among your group.
You find yourself hesitating a moment longer, some unspoken doubt weighing your boots to the cobblestones. A deep breath gathers your wits, and you step through the gate, your dubious companions following in short order.
The map splits its stages into Main Quests, which advance the story, and Side Quests, which are connecting stops between the story content and towns. There are absolutely no guardrails to keep you from short-circuiting the story and fighting the final boss well before you are intended to encounter it, as my buddy and I found out in our co-op run. Neat, sure, but also a little frustrating.
: Had you not known that there was danger lurking among the trees, your journey would have been a pleasant jaunt among the boughs. But the captain’s words, his fear for his men’s lives, was all too real when he warned you of the great ursine presence that waylaid his soldiers. Though no trail of devastation lead away from the walls, you feel a subtle tug in the aether around you as you venture onward, drawing you towards some unseen foe.
You hear the commotion long before you breach the clearing: a chorus of low canine growls and the raised voices of two men bickering as the pack approaches. The lean one of the pair turns his head your direction as you come into view, his eyes going wide as more wolves emerge from the underbrush.
Ah, stranger! Some assistance, if you’d be so kind?
What in Altima’s name-
Your thoughts are cut short by a sudden rush of movement at your flank. Joseph’s arm flashes in the corner of your vision, batting away a set of hungry jaws before they can close on your flesh. It serves as warning enough, and your group rushes to their side as lean lupine shadows circle around you all.
Varmint Hunters (Phase 1) - Sam English - Dungeon Hearts
And now we get to the meat of the game. Every combat encounter waits for you to run up to the enemy and initiate. When you do, it spawns in the player party, then the enemies, then the barrels and shrines.
The blue outlined area is your deployment zone, where you are free to reposition your party within to begin the fight. Notably, there’s nothing stopping the game from putting enemies or obstacles inside this area, so the first order of business is often getting all your ranged units away from the big angry things trying to rip their faces off.
Once you’re satisfied with your team’s placement, you lock them in and start combat proper. The player is always given the first turn, which only bites you in the ass once or twice. I’ll point those
moments out when we get to them.
Heads down!
The blond man, a pillar of muscle that reeks of blood and stale alcohol, hefts a rime-coated barrel over his head and tosses it towards the encroaching beasts with a grunt. His companion tracks its arc as it tumbles across the turf, embers solidifying between his hands.
Barrels are one of the common tactical considerations, often coming into play in the early turns of a fight. Every character has access to the Move Object skill, which lets them teleport an adjacent barrel up to 3 hexes away from them.
With a word of power, a fiery missile leaps from his outstretched palm and detonates the container, its frozen contents snuffing out the flash of heat in an instant.
That’s good, because on taking any damage most barrels explode at range 2, dealing whatever effect they’re loaded with. This frost barrel here spits out cold damage and leaves freezing ground for a few turns.
Barrels are useful, but due to them popping at any provocation, they’re usually either spent within the first couple of turns or too far from the bulk of the fighting to be worth considering.
Heeding the wordless signal, your own companions follow suit, and the battle is duly joined.
You might have noticed that Joseph is dual wielding. The only restriction on using two weapons is that you can’t mix weapon classes – so, you must use a pair of melee weapons, pistols, or wands. Otherwise, there’s no explicit penalty to using 2 1-handed weapons over a single 2-handed or a weapon + a shield.
Meanwhile, have some summons! Summons use the same targeting logic as enemies (that is to say, relentlessly attack the closest target), and either act at the start of the turn or immediately on the turn created. Adolf is calling up a skeletal archer for some extra ranged damage, while Jon gets a grab bag of small woodland critters. This time he pulled a raccoon, which can gain extra attacks while disabling an enemy. They’re surprisingly useful!
Your own reflexes wake as well, your gaze sweeping over your allies for any wounds that might need stanching. Finding none, you touch a hand to the locket around your neck, calling for Altima’s benediction.
Some gear can give skills, like the Blessed Locket granting Minerva Bless. Sure, she could get it with skill points, but right now that’s another she doesn’t need to spend for a fairly wide-reaching party buff.
Most actions cost AP, and most units only get 1 AP per turn. When your party has spent all of those, there’s not much left to do but move around, end the turn, and brace for impact.
Anyway, I’m not quite willing to burn a bunch of free actions to finish off the first wolf after everyone goes beating on it just yet, so I let it kill itself on the party. First blood!
Surprised as you are at your allies’ sudden competence, this ragged wolf pack is even more so. What must have seemed to be easy prey has shown itself as a whorl of uncoordinated violence.
Oh, right, these globules are a thing, too. Every so often between turns, the game will spawn time-limited pickups that the player can collect. Most of them are worth getting, like 50% HP or mana restores, extra AP for the current turn, or clearing debuffs.
Ofone grabbed one of the AP boosters, those lightning bolt looking one, since he didn’t need to get out of melee with that wolf to nab it. Sure, he’s not built to do a lot of damage right now, but things are still rather easy here with a level 1 party.
In short order, the last of the beasts is routed, and your unlikely band stands triumphant, little worse for the wear.
The summons killed the last enemy without my needing to lift a finger. Nice.
Obviously, victory brings spoils in the way of XP and loot, which is dependent on the group of enemies you have bested. Most icons are self-explanatory, except perhaps for that gem – those are commodities, to be sold for coin and no other purpose. Stolen Realm is one of those games that doesn’t like giving you cash up front most of the time.
While taking a moment to clean the blood from your arms and armor, the pyromancer approaches with a grateful smile. You return the gesture, noticing the impressive burn that dominates one side of his face and questioning how you could have failed to see it just moments before.
Kind of you to help, madam. Much as my, ah, companion, might argue, you’ve saved us a good deal of trouble at the least.
Think nothing of it, traveler. Might I ask what brings you to Talestone? The roads haven’t been safe for quite some time, after all.
Oh, wanderlust, I suppose. I can’t speak much for him, of course, but there’s safety to be had in numbers.
Clearly. We are searching for a singularly dangerous specimen of bear that stalks the woods. Perhaps the two of you would be willing to compound your safety and join us for a time, mister…?
That sounds a prudent idea, madam. Oh, but where are my manners! Er, Chardler, wandering magician, pleased to make your acquaintance. And this fellow here is-
For now, Chardler is all about blowing things up as hard as possible. Firebolt and Fireball are near at hand to take care of single targets and groups, respectively, while Hot Head 1 is a modest increase to his overall damage.
Ofone Dufus, son of Tele. If we’re here to kill, then let’s get to killing.
… Indeed.
Lacking skill points and gear, Ofone is taking the tank job for now. Fracture reduces a target’s resistance to damage, Bash can knock away things that might threaten the squishies, and Charge is there to close gaps and attack all in one package. Mostly, though, he’s here to be a wall of meat that lets everyone else pile on the hurt.
Minerva, if you please. I’m sure the others will introduce themselves along the trail.
A sound plan. We ought to keep moving, in case more show up looking for carrion.
Once the room you’re in is finished, you’ll get a choice of what type of room to generate next, until you hit the boss at the end of the dungeon:
Battle generates a standard encounter.
Hard Battle generates a more difficult encounter with better loot.
Shop takes you to a vendor selling a small selection of gear or potions, but doesn’t offer the same crafting services that the town vendors do.
Rest creates a safe room where you can recover a good amount of HP and mana.
Treasure gives you a chest with some decent gear or a shitload of commodity items to sell off later.
Event generates one of the random encounters for the map.
Events are The Big One, as those are how you get a shot at the many Fortunes in the game. As such, you usually prioritize Events over almost everything else.
Your band travels for some time, following the trail of the great bear deeper into the woods. The search leads you to the bank of a small pond with the remains of a small campsite still gathered nearby.
Among the scattered belongings you find their former owner, dead for some days now and almost picked clean by scavengers. As you walk toward the bones and prepare to offer what few passing rites you recall, the others scatter to different parts of the camp and begin to rifle through the unfortunate traveler’s material belongings.
Are you all serious?
Hrn. Dead got no need for coin.
There is some lingering power here. Perhaps not his, but still…
These things won’t do any good languishing in the woods, Minerva. Best to make use of it while we’re here.
New rooms often have small drops of goodies. Piles of gold, small buffs to stats for the duration of the dungeon, potions, small HP/mana restores, or gathering points, stuff like that.
Resource points bring up some kind of microgame to determine how much of the associated resource you earn. Naturally, fishing points bring up the industry standard “keep the bar under the fish” entry.
A disappointed sigh escapes your lips before you turn your attention to the dead. You mutter a benediction to the heavens, unsure of what words to use, and begin to arrange the bones in the respectful pattern you hope you are recalling correctly.
Events come in a decently wide selection. Some have serious consequences for failure and enticing rewards for success, while others are little more than rolling a dead guy for trinkets and loose change.
Under the remains and hidden by the taller grass, you find a scattering of coins and a ring set with a small, scuffed diamond. Judging by how the band is worn thin at the bottom, it must have been deeply precious to its former owner.
Your eyes trace up Chadler’s staff as he stops nearby, considering the situation. He gives a small shrug at your hesitation, and extends his hand. You consider leaving the ring in his grasp as he helps you to your feet, but decide against it in the end. Much to your distaste, Jon is correct that what lies outside the walls will rust and rot in obscurity if you do not take it with you. Denying reality will do no good.
Nearing an overgrown ruin, a quite hiss catches your attention and sets your nerves on alert. Carved in the ivy-choked stone all around you are several snake-headed effigies, which begin to vent some kind of green, acrid mist. In an instant, your skin and lungs start to burn from the concoction spreading through the air.
Events are either completed by the party, such as searches or other things, or by a single member. In such cases, the chosen member gets a bonus or penalty to their roll depending on one of their five stats – in this case, I’m pretty sure it’s checking Vitality.
Through watering eyes, you see Ofone rush into the mist, flailing his arm at what he must think is the mechanism to seal the unseen vents. But for all his vigor, his hand finds nothing but acid-worn stone, and the rest of you drag him from the acrid cloud in a chorus of choking coughs and blistered skin.
Oh, fuck off, game.
Most Events have some sort of penalty for failure, of course, in the form of debuffs that last the entire dungeon or direct reductions to HP or mana.
Jon leads you all to a nearby clearing, hacking and cursing all the way, then shouts a wordless alarm. The brigands who set the mechanism emerge from their boltholes, thinking your weakened party to be easy targets. But these are not acid-spewing horrors, and Ofone is able to smash shield-first into their line to clear a path into more favorable terrain.
Time for a fun party trick! There are a number of barrels around that we can use to our advantage, with a little bit of careful maneuvering.
Joseph stays on the far side of the map in order to toss a lightning barrel toward the center, while Chardler and Ofone do a quick relay toss with a frost barrel. Then, Chardler just has to move over a little to drop Fireball in the middle in order to pop both of them at once, with none of the party in the proposed blast zone.
Lightning barrels disable their targets, by the way. Notice that guy in the center is nearly dead in a single action – barrels can be very potent if you’re able to exploit them properly!
The encounter is a swift picture of violence, as the would-be bandits underestimate the fury of your group when given a convenient target to vent their annoyance upon. Once more, you ignore the screams and clash of steel and focus on what wounds your companions take, and once more you are surprised to find that there are little more than superficial abrasions all around.
Hmm. Quite the vibrant color in this specimen.
You just now noticed?
Oh, no, I saw these when the fighting started. It’s just such a chore to try and study plant life when merchant-spawn are trying to slit your throat.
… Right.
Are we quite done? If no one is coughing up blood, I’d rather we not linger here.
Harvesting plants uses a side-to-side timing interaction.
… Not much better.
How could such a contraption end up in the middle of nowhere?
Might be left over from some experiment. There ought to be some kind of crystal or rune where it draws power from.
Indeed, and thank you for volunteering.
I did no- oh, nevermind.
Might you know where that channeling stone is? Or, whatever powers this blasted thing?
Hmm… I believe so. I’ve seen towers like this before, only not active. It should be near the base, somewhere around…
Your hair begins to rise and straighten as Chardler approaches the tower, cautiously prodding the ground with the butt of his staff.
In case you think I’m going overboard with the narration, this is the kind of stuff that’s in the game proper. The main quest narration is even worse.
I’ll be trimming these out in later updates, but for now you get the raw word jank that ships with the game.
Then, without warning, a crackling bolt jumps from the machine to his staff before bouncing through your ranks like a rabid hound.
GAAAAH!
Oh, fuck off, game!
Some magician!
Hrng. Y-you’re more th-than welcome to try y-your hand at the n-n-next.
Ah, yes, as that worked so well earlier.
Maybe I’ll throw
you at the next one, wizard.
Enough. That wall there should be cover enough to make camp. Let’s stop for a moment and assess the damage.
Small fountains restore a little bit of HP and mana, something like 10% or so. Modest, sure, but welcome when you see them.
We’re getting close to the end of the dungeon, so it’s a good time to hit a Rest zone rather than another event that might blow up in our faces.
Without access to a proper healer’s kit, there is little you can do for the many burns that mar the flesh of you and your companions. Still, you are able to ease the most pressing of the lingering wounds, while Jon and Joseph are able to set aside their frustrations and tend the kettle as it bubbles away on the fire. You hear them bicker in low tones as you work, but their voices never rise over a strained mutter, and the brew that results from their labors is nothing short of refreshing.
At a campfire, every member of the party can choose to rest, restoring 50% HP and mana, or gain the Prepared buff, increasing the quality of your loot for the duration of the dungeon.
The sun begins to fall below the tips of the tallest trees by the time your party moves on, casting streaks of shadow across the grass. Jon takes a slow path as he leads you toward the great bear, sometimes stopping to ensure he is following the correct trail. After a time, he draws up short, gesturing vigorously to the side with wide eyes.
At the far bank of a pool, you see your quarry and the source of Jon’s alarm. Lines of ethereal might pulse along the creature’s hide as it ambles through the brush, oblivious to your presence for the moment.
Does it see us?
Not yet. Quiet, now, let’s not waste the advantage. Minerva, get that net and see if you can haul a fish or two out.
What? Why?
We might be able to distract it.
For a moment, you consider ignoring him. Then, you consider arguing with him. Then, you consider pushing him into the water for the trouble.
But reason and prudence win out in the end, and you creep into the reeds on your belly. Somehow, the bear ignores the splashing water as you haul up an impressive amount of small, shimmering fish from the pond.
You whip your head to the side at a nearby rustling, only to relax as you see Jon carefully cutting a fistful of medicinal herbs growing in the brush.
Adolf and Joseph begin creeping forward, so quiet that their movement could be mistaken for the whisper of the wind through the branches. Chardler waits behind the trunk of a tree, carefully leaning to the side to keep the beast in his vision. Even Ofone is being calm and quiet.
Or so you think.
From a clump of overgrowth mere feet from the bear, the wayward fighter emerges with a distinct lack of subtlety, his beady eyes locked on a small chest near the creature’s flank. He moves to the container, and for a passing moment it seems that he will go unnoticed.
Then, he kicks the lid open with all the caution of a drunken sailor, snatching the contents even as the now-bristling bear levels its snarling visage in his direction.
Incidental loot needs to be picked up before you start the boss fight, since victory ends the map on the spot. Get it while you can!
Varmint Hunters (Phase 2) - Sam English - Dungeon Hearts
You can only just hear his bellowing over the din of the bear’s roar and your pulse hammering in your ears. Trees pass in a blur as your group rushes around the water to support his foolishness.
Shut up, you rug! You’re a bear! You don’t even need money!
So, boss fights. Two things to note with most bosses; Control Resistance, and those notched parts of their HP bar.
Control Resistance is a flat percentage, usually something like 70%+ minimum, to ignore any kind of crowd control effect. Slow, Stun, Push, Disable, anything that can possibly keep it from moving or acting; just about all bosses have a grater than 2/3 chance to shrug these effects off. There is one skill that can get around this, and we will probably have access to it in due time.
The HP notches are phase breakpoints. Most bosses have at least one such breakpoint, where after their HP drops past those points, they get new actions, frequently at no cost (the first time). These can complicate the ever-loving hell out of the fight, and if you somehow trip multiple flags at once? Well, then the boss gets even more actions back to back, because fuck you!
You hear Jon call to some god of the untamed earth, a name you only recognize in passing as the forest shudders. The thick patches of bramble that rise in response cut the empowered bear off from all but Ofone, funneling its rage to a single target. Briefly, a question crosses your mind: is this some act of petty vengeance against the blond man, or simply the result of trying to protect the rest of you?
Brambles lets the caster drop 4 somewhat tough obstacles to fuck with enemy pathing. Without anything to tell it otherwise, enemies (and summons) will target the closest available target that it can reach as of the start of their turn. Putting half of the Brambles here cuts Ursa off from targeting Joseph, meaning Ofone gets to do his job whether he wants to or not.
Sure, that also means Joseph is cut off until they dissipate or something punches a hole in them, but that’s fine when we’re playing such a low-stakes mission.
Even the wildlife comes to your aid in the form of a furious raven, darting around the beast’s impressively swift strikes and driving its beak into its hide in riposte.
Ah, and Jon’s summon pulled a raven this time. Neat!
Ravens cast evasion, as you see here, meaning the first attack against them is all but guaranteed to miss. Even after that, however, ravens still have a 20% or so innate dodge chance, so this little dude might make it a couple of rounds.
It distracts the raging creature for little more than a moment, but that moment is enough to layer arcane protection on Ofone before he becomes the focus of its attention.
Thanks to Minerva’s shield spell, Ofone can face tank a few hits before taking HP damage, though it doesn’t block status effects. We’re also doing a lot of plinking with basic ranged attacks, since we don’t have many options this early in the game.
He holds its ire well, waiting for a pause in the hail of arrows and magical bolts to smash the boss of his shield into the beast’s snout with enough force to send it reeling.
Oh hey, a CC effect got past the boss’ 85% chance to ignore. Shame it wasn’t with a proper lockdown skill.
An ethereal voice calls out as flames wrap around the bear’s form, allowing it to sunder the nearby brambles with ease.
Also, we’ve passed the first HP gate in the fight and damn near hit the second all in one go. Now it deals fire damage, and got a small heal before its turn started.
As the bear charges toward Joseph, there is a sharp crack and a flash of light in the instant before the blow lands. His hands move too fast to be seen, discharging a shock potent enough to force the creature back, stumbling in place as its colors change once more.
Not that it makes much difference, with Joseph getting a very lucky stun off at the start of the turn. This also skips whatever action the boss might have gotten; no complaints here!
This moment of weakness is more than enough for your band, allowing a prime opportunity to riddle the beast with spell and steel. Its rage flares one final time, buffeting the area with a hail of arctic wind and frozen shards, but it cannot prevent the inevitable.
The bear crashes to the ground with a weak roar, its arcane lights fading to stillness soon after. You all wait for a moment longer before relaxing your guard, a sigh of relief escaping you once Adolf’s skeletal minions clatter back to the dirt.
Alright… alright. It has to be dead now.
Such a fearsome creature! A shame that power eludes us.
Could try eating it.
What, here and now?
Aye. Too heavy to carry back.
And just like that, we secure our first dungeon and some nice early loot. The highlight from the boss drop is a holy staff that can heal allies with its basic attack and can still be used to damage enemies with a rarely-resisted element. Minerva’s going to love that for a few levels.
That’s a lot of carcass to bleed. Anyone know how to dress a bear?
I do, comrade. Come, let me see your knife.
Surely that will take time. Do we have enough to make it back to town?
Cannot take everything, no, but the hide and fangs for certain. Perhaps… a third of the meat, as well, if there is room in our packs.
Joseph’s estimate is somewhat over-generous, but even a quarter of the meat is still a fine prize. More concerning is the search for enough thick cloth to carry it all in without ruining the contents of your bags as you return.
Since XP is split among the party, we don’t get any levels yet. But everyone is most of the way there, and should roll over in the next dungeon.
It is all but dark when the gate of Talestone comes into view. The ever-wary night watch nearly sounds the alarm before you are recognized, and were it not for the massive pelt in your possession, they would not have believed the creature slain. Your group is ushered back inside the gates, and you notice the tentative hope that begins to rise among the guards. They have been so long without, it must seem an alien feeling.
The others go their own ways, as Jon offers to lead them to lodgings for the evening. You walk through the quiet square alone, considering that the town’s protectors are not the only souls in need of hope and light. Knowing that you have eased some small measure of Talestone’s burden grants you a measure of satisfaction you have not felt since before your father took ill.
You find yourself hoping that the others deign to join you in the morning. Unruly they may be, but you sallied forth into battle and returned whole and victorious; if nothing else, that proves you can work together towards small goals. Time will tell if these trifling victories can lead to anything more.
