Dungeon Champions

Interlude: Leveling Up

We ended up leveling in the common room, since it was empty and we had fresh drinks and the remnants of dinner to pick at. We decided on it with a promise to hurry, as all of us were totally exhausted. I hadn’t received any supplemental healing, not even a potion, and the slow restoration of the belt was taking a toll. Although I was, technically, fully healed, the time it had taken was far from comfortable.

I wanted a bed and about seventeen hours of sleep. Good thing my Endurance score makes the four hours I need feel like that.

“Okay,” I began, “I want each of you to share the new class abilities or spells you’ve gained with the rest of us. While we’re reading, go ahead and think about where you want your Attribute points to go and we’ll discuss them as a team.”

It was easy, having not gotten anything new for reaching Level 12. This time, instead of focusing on damage or endurance, I went with Discipline and Cunning, raising the first by three and the second by two.

Acknowledging the enhancements left me feeling smarter, with an ability to pursue two thoughts almost simultaneously. The information my Tablet provided explained the sensation nicely.

Finally, I added two more skill points to the ever-useful Adventure Historian skill, and one to Dungeoneering. I felt some concern about neglecting potion brewing, and made a mental note to discuss it with Zuri when we got some quality down time.

Information popped up on my screen shortly after that. I read Merielle’s new skill, one called Knight’s Move. It let her get bursts of speed when she took opponents down, and sounded exceptionally tactical.

Nym’s Cleaning Burst provided her with a straight-up damage boost once per combat. Based on the way things had gone so far, I thought that would be a good thing. When I told her so, she gave me a toothy smile.

Expanded Thorns, Britney’s upgrade, was a massive power boost to her class. Compared to what Nym or even Merielle earned, it felt disproportionate. Then I considered how group-oriented the effect was. If we were out of range, or facing a single hearty enemy, like a dungeon boss, it would provide marginal benefit, at most.

And Nym can learn spells, if we get her scrolls, I reminded myself.

Finally, I looked over Zuri’s upgrade. Quick Combine was a flat-out dream. It instantly took her from relying entirely on forethought and tools, or her hair, to being useful in many types of combat.

We took a few minutes each to discuss the potentials of the new abilities.

“In that fight we just had, being able to bounce around would have been so useful,” Merielle said.

Britney nearly spoke over her, “And having two Thorns targets would have made that mob effortless!”

None of us mentioned how she would have had to be there for that to matter.

Nym was a little less enthusiastic, until Zuri reached over and squeezed her thigh. “I’m sure we can go to the library to look for new spells once we’re not rushing around going on quests. Right, Jordan?”

The gorgon gave me a look that somehow contained both her protective, nurturing spirit and a hint of promise.

“Absolutely,” I said, meaning it. “We want each member of the group to be as capable as possible.”

We all took some time to discuss Zuri’s new ability, noting how it essentially made her the ultimate battlefield support spellcaster, albeit with some nuance.

Finally, we went back and forth about their attributes and skills. None wanted anything shocking. Merielle needed more agility and toughness. Nym, Britney, and Zuri all wanted more mana. It took half an hour to hash it all out, but I agreed with most of their decisions so it wasn’t too bad.

For their skills, the girls opted to specialize. Merielle went with more Acrobatics and Combat Tactics, while Nym maxed Spell Memorization out. Zuri enhanced her cooking, but also upgraded her Field Medicine by one, just to supplement Britney’s limited healing capacity.

When I applied their choices and confirmed their level-ups, each girl responded to the influx of power in subtly different ways.

Zuri arched, sighing through her lips in an almost erotic display. “Just like living in the deep caves,” she murmured, without explaining.

Beside her, Nym’s ears flickered rapidly and she purred in delight.

Britney and Merielle were more subdued than either, although Britney’s body took on a golden glow I hadn’t expected, and her wings flapped once.

“Oh,” she said. “It seems that I’ve gotten proper use of my wings back.”

Now that was a surprise I hadn’t seen coming.

I checked my Tablet for a description of the awakened racial power. “That’ll be useful. I wonder why it didn’t show earlier?” Then I read the note. “Ah. Okay then. Should we go to bed? We have a big day tomorrow and I want sleep.”

Suddenly I remembered Skullie and checked for his new spells. Reading them made me laugh so hard that the owner had to come over and ask us to keep it down.

Jordan Updated Character Sheet

Name: Jordan Cash

Age: Unknown (Apparently Mid-30s)

Level: 12

Class: Battle Scholar (Legendary)

Experience to Level 13: 622

Species: Human Changeling

Hit Points (Endurance X Level): 240

Mana (Magic + Level): 25

Attributes

Strength: 21

Endurance: 20

Agility: 20

Cunning: 19(+2) (Enhancing your thoughts allows you to communicate telepathically with greater ease, particularly during group conversations. You also become resistant to most mid-level illusions and mind-influencing effects)

Discipline: 17 (+3) (You have attained a heightened level of concentration and focus; you may now multitask during combat, specifically with regards to team management and your Tablet with a reduced chance to be distracted; you are also 25% more resistant to distracting effects of all sorts)

Magic: 13

Core Skills

Adventure Historian: 15 (+2). You are now familiar with all but the rarest lore around dungeons, monsters, adventurers, and items surrounding adventuring.

Dungeoneering: 13 (+1). You may now craft [disguised] traps, and attempt to [bypass] dungeon traps, or even change their triggering mechanisms.

Potion Brewing: 11.

Merielle Updated Character Sheet

Basic Information

Note: Merielle gained 2 levels, thus has 10 Attribute points and 6 skill points to assign.

Name: Merielle Nightbreeze

Age: 24

Level: 4

Class: Ballistic Knight (Epic)

Experience to Level 5: 87

Species: Elf

Hit Points (Level X Endurance +10): 70

Mana (Level X Magic): 20

Attributes

Strength: 15 (+1) (You deal 2-3 more damage with melee attacks)

Endurance: 15 (+3)

Agility: 22 (+3) (You now have a passive [25 percent] chance to dodge any attack you can see coming)

Cunning: 10 (+2)

Discipline: 10 (+1)

Magic: 5

Core Skills

Combat Tactics: 4 (+3).

Field Medicine: 1.

Acrobatics: 4 (+3).

New Class Skills

Level 3 - Knight’s Move: When you drop an opponent - either by knocking them unconscious, killing them, or merely pushing them over, you gain a slight burst of speed and may move an additional [6 feet] as a [reaction]. This benefit may trigger up to [3] times per combat, and you may choose when to use it.

Nym Updated Character Sheet

Basic Information

Note: Nym gained 2 levels, thus has 10 Attribute points and 6 skill points to assign.

Name: Nym

Age: 19

Level: 4

Class: Scouring Tyrant (Epic)

Special: [Cat Familiar] Sadie

Experience to Level 5: 87

Species: Catgirl

Hit Points (Level X Endurance): 52

Mana (Level X Magic +5): 97

Attributes

Strength: 8

Endurance: 13 (+3)

Agility: 14

Cunning: 13 (+2)

Discipline: 6

Magic: 23 (+5)

Core Skills

Arcane Familiarity: 3 (+2). You can identify most basic spells and enchantments at a glance.

Spell Memorization: 4 (+4). You can rapidly memorize new spells. You may learn a number of spells equal to your class level + this skill + 3 [Currently 12].

Animal Friendship: 1.

New Class Powers

Level 3 - Cleaning Burst: [Once] per combat, you may deal an additional [50%] damage with one of your spells.

Britnayel Updated Character Sheet

Basic Information

Note: Britnayel gained 2 levels, thus has 10 Attribute points and 6 skill points to assign.

Name: Britnayel “Britney” Dawnglow

Age: 32

Level: 4

Class: Thorned Angel

Experience to Level 5: 87

Species: Celestial

Hit Points (Level X Endurance): 60

Mana (Level X Magic): 76

Attributes

Strength: 9

Endurance: 15 (+2)

Agility: 11

Cunning: 18

Discipline: 10 (+3)

Magic: 19 (+5)

Core Skills

Combat Tactics: 4 (+3). You are familiar with combat concepts, including common tactics and strategy.

Field Medicine: 4 (+3). You can provide quick medical assistance. This includes recognizing basic poisons and other maladies. Using this skill immediately after combat can heal 1-2 points of damage without consuming mana.

Planar Theory: 1.

New Class Powers

Level 3 - Expanded Thorns: You may apply the Thorns effect to up to 2 allies, and the blocked and retributive damage increases to [5].

Awakened Racial Power

Flight: You may spend [5] mana to fly with [poor] maneuverability and [modest] speed for [5] minutes. Note: This racial ability has been formally awakened and unlocked upon your achieving level four.

Zuri Updated Character Sheet

Basic Information

Note: Zuri gained 2 levels, thus has 10 Attribute points and 6 skill points to assign.

Name: Zuri Stonecoil

Age: 108

Level: 4

Class: Surprise, I’m a Chef!

Experience to Level 5: 87

Species: Medusa – Path of Humanity

Hit Points (Level X Endurance): 64

Mana (Level X Magic): 76

Attributes

Strength: 14

Endurance: 16 (+2)

Agility: 15 (+2) (You now have a small boost to dodging attacks you see coming)

Cunning: 16

Discipline: 14

Magic: 19 (+6)

Core Skills

Combat Tactics: 3 (+2). You can read the ebb and flow of combat, allowing you to use your concoctions and recipes to better advantage.

Field Medicine: 3 (+2). You can provide quick medical assistance. This includes recognizing basic poisons and other maladies. Using this skill immediately after combat can heal 1-2 points of damage without consuming mana.

Monstrous Chef: 3 (+2).

New Class Powers

Level 3 - Quick Combine: Three times per day, you may combine ingredients to instantly create a meal, brew, or other consumable that falls within your class domain. This will produce up to [1] serving per [3] of your [Cunning] attribute. Currently: 5. Use of this power requires no equipment, preparation or anything else - it simply combines the ingredients using your skills, as if you had optimal conditions and time to craft the results. Limit: This may not be used on recipes that have a significant degree of risk for failure - such as ones with reactive magical components, legendary recipes, etc.

Skullie [Familiar] Update

Note: Skullie’s hit points and mana are scaled for a familiar. This follows similar progression to individuals with non-adventuring Tablets, such as diplomats and their Inner Circle.

Name: Skullie

Age: 394

Level: 7

Class: Necromancer

Species: Lesser Lich Spawn [Evolving]

Hit Points (Endurance + Level): 10

Mana (Magic + Level): 25

Attributes

Strength: 4

Endurance: 3

Agility: 1

Cunning: 20 (You are immune to most illusions and all mind-influencing effects)

Discipline: 18 (You cannot be charmed or influenced by creatures with charisma effects)

Magic: 18

Core Skills

Legends and Lore: 7 (+2).

Arcane Insights: 7 (+1).

Linguistics: 6.

Newly Unlocked Spells

Death Sight

Mana Cost: 2

Range: Touch

Duration: 10 minutes

Details/Effect: The touched target gains a type of vision called [Death Sight] and can see living and undead creatures. This spell bypasses most invisibility and other non-detection spells.

Boo!

Mana Cost: 5

Range: Touched Ally

Duration: 1 Combat (up to 10 minutes)

Details/Effect: All of the target’s abilities, including combat maneuvers, become gross and horrifying necromantic versions of themselves. Although this is an illusion, it comes from necromantic magic - meaning illusion piercing spells that do not specifically include necromancy or [all] magic will not pierce the effect. This is particularly useful against Tablet wielders who rely on high attributes to see through these types of effects.

Graft Familiar

Mana Cost: 15

Range: [Jordan]

Duration: 5 minutes

Details/Effect: Skullie may merge with [Jordan’s] body, allowing them to share one form. While bonded in this way [Jordan] may cast Skullie’s spells, and Skullie may use [Jordan’s] limbs. Sharing is caring, and this is one effect that may take a lot of practice to get used to!