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(Vol 6) Chapter 3: The Second Point
🕑 Added 2024-07-20 15:05:56 +0000 UTCWith the Naugites beginning to pass out in the light of the morning — some of them aided by her REX ‘buff’ — Puck departed from the midst of the camp for a while. Dematerializing, Sammy returned to Heavenpeak to get on with her realm’s dealing.
Before anything else, though, she checked on the noteworthy item descriptions of Dreixia.
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Ta’kla Od, Great Vibrator Bell
(Arcane — Various, Physical Enhancement; Enchantment) This polearm flail has a number of separate enchantments and also provides +2 Effective Combat Levels when wielded, stacking with any other source. It has 1 level of Improved Penetration.
Resounding (Disabled): On any given strike, all wounding can be converted to the (Sonic) type, dealing standard totals +1 Effective Levels, as a physical effect. In addition, a successful parry attacking or defending, allows a free attack sending reverberations back through the weapon, potentially damaging it and requiring a comparison test with a +2 Effective Levels bonus to avoid dropping it.
Cone of Sound (Disabled): Any strike can be converted into a cone AoE of the physical (Sonic) wounding type, out to 4 meters, by flicking and ringing the bell, or simply slamming it into something. This ignores physical Armor values.
Anyone hit must also succeed in a comparison test against Caster Level 13 or be deafened, stunned, and afflicted with the [Vibrated] malus for 20 seconds. They must also succeed against your total attack value or be knocked 1 meter (with effects varying depending on angle of impact and strength).
Striking the ground makes footing nearly impossible as it causes a mini-earthquake in the zone — a contest of your total attack value +4 Effective Levels is required to avoid falling down.
Incredible Durability: This weapon cannot be damaged without specific types of magic which must exceed an Effective Caster Level of 13 (either directly or by ritual support). Four castings are required for the majority of spells.
Note: Due to exceptional circumstances, this weapon has been damaged and requires repair. Most functions are disabled, but it still provides ECLs and Improved Penetration capabilities.
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Pff! Wow, what an unfortunate name. ‘Face the might of my… Great Vibrator!’ Please, no! Tsssh! Anyway. She could alter the AoE somehow, probably through special abilities. Same thing for the air-hopping maneuver.
She planned on getting it to Tashome and potentially fusing it with Foolmaker due to the synergies and the fact that they’d quite spectacularly collided in a ‘special artifact event.’ It sounded like just the thing he could exploit. Time would tell, though.
And then it was time for the ring that almost beat her ass.
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Ring of Anchored Flight
(Arcane — Alteration; Enchantment, Charged, Spell-like Level 14) Upon activation of this ring, which uses a charge and requires a simple action, a target enemy within two meters of you that is utilizing some form of flight, levitation, or telekinesis is pulled down to the ground as though magnetized. Any ongoing effects of theirs are similarly affected. They are paralyzed and unable to move, pinned to the ground.
This effect is not normally resistable, but any ‘deactivation’ or successful dispel will free them. A natural flyer can do this by stopping their natural attempts to fly.
An airborne enemy will plummet to the ground at double the normal acceleration of falling, effectively paralyzed. If they deactivate their flight, they will slow to a normal speed, and can move their limbs and body normally while falling.
This effect lasts for two minutes. It has an Effective Caster Level of 22. Certain spell effects of level 14 or greater automatically dispel or counter this effect, including Absolute Freedom and Antigravity Zone.
Charges: 7/14.
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Hmm. Has strong exploit potential, right?
She asked the System, “Can someone resist a buff, like say, Flight?”
Yes, User Sammy. The buff will function like a curse on a distrusting enemy and require a contest if they refuse and resist. However, activation-based effects that are normally turned on and off will default to allowing the target’s control therein.
“Okay. Damn. But can I create a custom spell that is, like, always on and not shut-offable?”
Yes.
“Righteous. Would take some action-cramming, and isn’t long-range, but possibly worth considering. Still ends up requiring a ‘disablement’ contest. Maybe I can get a bonus on it somehow. Now, if I trick someone into receiving a flight effect that can’t be turned off, then we’re talking…”
Most of Dreixia’s other items were just basic good-ish stuff Sammy didn’t need personally. A decent throwing axe. A dimensional satchel. A protection ring. Her potions had been all but entirely blown through, which was no surprise with her affliction. She had probably just chained through the variety for some edge against it.
She did have something fairly cut-and-dry, but also awesome:
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Bracers of Supreme Knocking
(Arcane — Physical Enhancement; Enchantment) Add +4 Effective Levels to any melee knocking effect you deal, and add one meter of distance to any successful knock.
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Yep, I’m using it. Could help against tough defenders, and amplify the consequences of what is otherwise a lesser hit.
Magic items didn’t resize dramatic differences automatically, and Dreixia was a big, big lady, so the ring and the bracers would need configuring in Geirkos as well. It was a fairly simple enchantment alteration by a magical smith, so it wouldn’t be too much trouble. She wasn’t sure if she’d keep the ring on her person or not. She was considering eventually sticking it with Azure to delegate and distribute the maneuver’s potential.
Sammy's next big target action was finally biting the bullet and diving back into the Bridge of Edges. Azure insisted on being there, even if she wouldn’t be moving around in exploration. Despite that it was logically useless, Sammy appreciated the support.
She at least went with her to the spot they’d found previously that led to the Land of Naug, the area now pristine and clean of any blemish after her altercation with the archer.
Want to make sure this is still there.
Sure enough, they found a kind of window bent down from many angles coming together, the very point of it a doorway. The closer they approached it directly, the greater it widened, so she stopped there.
“I don’t want to get stuck there or the other location,” Sammy commented, holding onto Azure’s hand and pulling her back. “I need to find a place in the Southlands pronto.”
“Ah. Of course.” Azure peered with squinted eyes at the little window they could see in the distance, hinting at a stormy coast. It was clear she wanted to go. She grinned suddenly. “It’s Raining in the Bay of Mengior.”
“Yeah, I can see that. Looks like a storm.”
Azure’s grin widened as she turned its unusual radiance on Samantha. In that realm, she looked more like a crystalline construct than usual. “It’s an ironic saying. As in, of course, it is. It always is.”
Samantha had to return that smile. “Oh, I see! Like, ‘Gee, what a great observation; also, the sky is blue.’ ”
“Yes! Exactly.”
“We’ll go there soon, Blueberry. I promise.”
Though Sammy offered to let her hang there, she insisted on being at the ‘center’ for response purposes, so Sammy relented and brought her there before she set out exploring.
Intention guided her way — that, and invoking [Pneumamancer] to navigate the kaleidoscope maze that the place always was. Referentially, she understood vaguely where she’d find Southlands locations. Unfortunately, this was a vast labyrinth in and of itself. Over warped landscapes collapsing into themselves, through tunnels and crawl spaces of impermeable light, and suspended bridges over pools of multicolored water, she crossed in leaps and bounds. There were many dead ends and overshoots where she had to go back from another angle.
Always angles and points, here. Every direction leads somewhere, just not always where you want to be. A good thing, right? Strangely, this bizarre place holds no illusions, not to me. Other than the rare marring, there’s no danger, either. I’m the tightrope walker that’s done it a thousand times.
It took tedious hours and hours, but she began to get a feel for something. An itch, and the good kind rather than what she’d experienced before.
Getting warmer…
It was like two magnets getting closer by feel. She missed the route a few times, and then suddenly she hit it dead on and…
Boom! There it was! An end, a convergence of points, the edge of an angle. What had to be a window at the final sharp point.
She approached gradually. At coin-sized, it was completely dark and too condensed to make out details. At coaster size… she decided to beam light into it to see. An interior. Stone deteriorated. A fallen pillar. Dust.
Azure was paying rapt attention in her head. “Don’t move another step! I’m coming with you. And we’re pre-buffing!”
Sighing, Sammy acknowledged her. “Of course. Waiting, dear…” We might as well get married already, she’s completely my wife…
Once Azure spawned like flowing glass next to her, they layered long-term and medium buffs and finally set forward. She was sure the zoom-in was quick, so Sammy eased in, watching particularly for danger or movement.
Just as expected, it inexorably pulled them in the rest of the way like a flash. They came in hot, spells and weapons ready, spinning back to back, and Sammy had her light radius already blasting hard to illuminate everything.
You have discovered a [Transition Point] on the Bridge of Edges, preliminary designation ‘Point 2’. Avatar position moved… Anchorage and transition in-world complete.
It was an ancient chamber, stone so old it was crumbling, and it was damp and moldy. From above, minute amounts of water dripped. In every direction there were walls, and inset into them were many rows of sarcophaguses, but each was fallen apart or broken into. In the very center was a massive sarcophagus, also broken apart. Bits of bone were everywhere, with some whole bits such as skulls. Remnants of the giant occupant of the central sarcophagus could be seen, but they were scarce.
“I see no threats!” Azure called.
“Yeah, me eith- Ah! I see a threat — I see it!”
“What?! Where?!”
Crunch! Sammy brought her foot down on the threat. “It’s vanquished, Love! It was a roach.” Sammy turned to Azure with a smug, shit-eating grin. The Ring of the Cheater also snickered behind a hand.
Azure glared at her. “You-! Mmph!”
Sammy turned to look around again in curiosity (and change the subject). “This place is mega old, huh?”
“Not as old as your jokes.” Azure sniffed a final time, then took a few ginger steps around the debris. “It’s ransacked. Tomb raiders as ancient as sin themselves came. Are probably many layers of ages that they did so.”
“Wonder how far down we are…” Sammy took a few steps herself, eyeing a place that looked like it was once the entrance. It had collapsed entirely. She also blinked at the subtle feeling of her balance being off and squinted her eyes as she looked at multiple angles of the floor. “It’s cockeyed.”
“Beg your pardon?”
“The floor is slanted a bit.”
“Oh. Hmm, yes, so it is.”
“Alright, let’s try and get out of here, then. See what we see. I don’t feel an obvious mirror within range, but I kinda want to see anyway.” She walked over to the pile of rocks and utilized [Create Phantasms] to make some giant floating hands to begin clearing the way. Azure assisted with a Telekinesis spell herself.
In short order, they seemed to clear a short tunnel of sorts, but immediately there was daylight. She used her giant helper hands to push through the rest of the way.
It was a recently rained-on, lush jungle outside, as thick as she’d ever seen, and the place they’d come from was a leaning top temple to what seemed like a pyramid almost entirely buried in the ground, jungle growth curling or sprouting all around it.
A crowning statue on the top of the temple was in half, the bottom part fallen and broken apart with his head still discernible. His other half was still up top. Behind where he sat, there was a ring-like halo with swirls on the edges.
A sun god.
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