System Notice - Quest 9: Reach Dungeon Level 10 - Completed.
Reward: 500 gold.
Legendary reward granted - Epic Griffon Egg Bond. Reward progress tied to quest progress.
Quest: Snakes in the Nest.
Objective: Protect the Griffon Egg until the mother returns.
- Bonus objective: Defeat the Hydra before it gets to the Griffon eggs.
Card Commander Level 7 – Upgrade Available.
James appeared next to an egg the size of Charlie.
No one else appeared with him.
James:
Edward:
Ken:
Brody:
James reached out and touched the egg.
Do you wish to accept and start the Bonus objective? (Yes/No)
Trait Activated – Wait—NO!
Nothing happened.
Edward:
Ken:
James:
Edward:
James looked around. He was in a nest of sorts. The floor looked like it was made of twigs, branches, and other random nest-like materials, but it was still a dungeon floor, meaning flat blocks. He looked up as a Griffon crested the nest edge. It had an egg in it’s grip and Brody on its back.
“I have a quest to save as many griffon eggs as I can,” Brody shouted. “Oh! Dandelion’s there with you James. Thank God. I’ll have to invest in
He looked around and sure enough, on the other side of the egg was Brody’s horse. Untethered, yet staying in place.
either huh?
He wasn’t sure how to feel about Brody yet. Bad first impression but worth dying for… He would have to think about that.
Edward:
Ken:
Edward:
Ken:
Edward:
Brody’s griffon took off again.
Brody:
James summoned Squire.
Drake Aspect Progress Completed.
Card Upgraded from Common to Uncommon.
Play Card – Squire (Uncommon)
Enhancement slot (1): Augment (Swift) x3
Trigger slot (1): On Bond → Drake Aspect.
Commander Passive: All Stats +3
Effect: Squirrel Dragon summoned with Trigger already activated.
Bond Passive granted to Commander James:
While Summoned – “Aura of Draconic Mischief”
+1 Might
+2 Agility
+1 Endurance
+1 Mind
+3 Perception
+1 Will
+2 Presence
Trap Sense:
Squire’s card unfolded in the air, the now silver-embroidered frame stretching as the familiar diamond film shimmered into place. The pale blue of merged with the diamond. Larger runes glowed purple within the frame, deep red aspect shadows hanging just behind them.
This wasn’t the first time. Squire stepped through the frame smoothly.
A mini dragon appeared.
It was still Squire, but very different. She was quadruple her previous size now, with a brand new set of scaled wings folded down her back. Tufts of brown fur remained only in vulnerable spots like the underbelly. Plumes of smoke drifted from very dragon-like nostrils. Her claws were long and sharp. Her tail was scaled and long, trailing snakelike behind her.
She gave James a draconic grin and leapt into the air. Then plummeted back to the ground. She was used to sugar glider type gliding. Actual wings were new to her.
James scratched the soft fur under her chin. “Maybe stay on the ground for now, my wonderful ‘Uncommon Squirrel Dragon’?” he said, emphasizing the words.
She preened and nodded.
“Great, now go kill some snakes,” James said pointing at the descending snakes. From here they appeared small. No match for Squire.
Due to triple swift she was gone in a flash.
The stats boost made James feel like a new man. He had no idea what caused the Drake Aspect progress to skip ahead like that.
He was not complaining.
Next James summoned Charlie.
Play Card – Charlie (Common)
Enhancement slot (1): Rarity Boost — +1 to Aspects (Beast, Canine)
Trigger slot (1): On Attack → Augment x 3 (Steel Claws)
Commander Passive: All Stats +3
Effect: Dire Hound (Uncommon) summoned.
Bond Passive granted to Commander James:
While Summoned – “Aura of the Dire Hound”
+2 Might
+2 Endurance
+2 Mind
+2 Will
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Fear Resistance:
Charlie’s card unfolded in the air, the frame stretching as the diamond film shimmered into place. Gold threaded through it this time, overwriting the simpler lines as the rarity boost settled. Along the frame, faint runes caught and held the light for a moment, then dimmed. A heartbeat later, Charlie stepped through.
Charlie, normally the size of a large mastiff, now, thanks to the rarity boost, was a Dire Hound. Muscles rippled beneath his thick hide. Canine fangs the size of knives showed in his massive jaw. Instead of standard chitinous claws, steel- like appendages sprouted from all four paws. Despite the fierce appearance Charlie’s tail waved excitedly.
“I need you to be the last line of defence against anything or anyone that tries to attack these eggs. This one - James pointed to ‘his’ egg especially.”
Charlie nodded in agreement and started patrolling the nest.
Edward:
Ken:
James:
Edward:
Ken:
Brody:
No one paid Brody any attention.
James bolted to the nest edge, then up the stairs. Meanwhile he summoned help.
Play Card – Savannah Lion (Common)
Enhancement Slot (1): Balanced Boost +4.5 to all StatsTrigger Slot (1): On Low Health → Focused Boost (Endurance +18)Commander Passive: All Stats +3
Effect: Savannah Lion summoned.
The diamond film flashed, then faded as the lion hit the steps at a run.
James mentally commanded the Savannah Lion
With all the bonus stats he was taking the steps four at a time. Ken had made James the party leader again.
At the top of the stairs James took only a moment to take in the situation. The chamber was huge. There was a running track around the outside with metal grates in the sides, through which waves of snakes were emerging. The snakes ignored everyone and immediately slithered down the stairs, apparently to attack the griffon eggs. That was background awareness. For right in front of him was the Hydra. It had a body the size of a small unit apartment. From that body sprouted three, elephant leg thick, snakelike heads. At the end of each neck was a cobra shaped head, as big as a single couch.
Due to the bars, only one of those heads was able to strike out at Edward at a time. He couldn’t see how well Edward was going from here.
James threw out three more Savannah Lion cards, and would have done more if not for his active card limit of six. Interestingly all four Savannah Lions showed the effects of the boosts. Mentally he commanded them all to attack the hydra’s body.
He hoped that his understanding of Hydra’s from books and games was right in this world about the body and or heart being the only truly vulnerable part of the Hydra. That and fire…
The lions all pounced, all managing to surprise the beast who was not expecting such an attack.
James:
Brody:
James:
Brody:
James sighed.
It was Ken who responded.
Ken:
Meanwhile, the hydra’s attention had shifted to the Lions. Edward came into view. Blood ran down his side and his left arm hung limp.
Edward:
James:
He didn’t bother with a quick heal. It wouldn’t do anything to such a serious wound.
James didn’t just watch, instead he pulled his sword out and did his best to kill as many snakes as he could at the bottleneck that was the stairs.
Having three heads and no bars in the way - the hydra made quick work of the lions. Or at least it would have, if the lions didn’t suddenly get surges of health and toughness from the low health triggering.
Despite the lions numbers and buffs the hydra was not a common creature and it showed. Mouth’s lashed out time and time again. Massive sharp teeth took chunks out of lion flesh.
On the flip side, the hydra’s tough hide was being torn into by the lions claws, blood spilled everywhere. When one finally did go down James replaced it with a fresh one, and then another.
Squire joined him on the stairs and they managed to hold the tide of snakes at bay. If the snakes had stopped and attacked them instead of just trying to get past, he was sure they would have been swarmed and killed in no time.
Fortunately, they did not.
James:
James tried getting the lions to focus on attacking one spot in order to dig towards its heart, but the order wasn’t accepted.
Edward:
James noticed all the grates closing in pairs.
Another lion went down - three left.
The flood of snakes became a trickle, then nothing as the last grate closed.
Brody:
Edward:
Another lion went down.
Squire left his side and attacked the Hydra.
Play Card: Quick Endurance
Target: Squire
Effect: +5 Endurance for 1 minute.
Cooldown: 4 hours.
James attempted to summon Charlie but his card was unavailable. So instead James dropped down two steps and shouted, “CHARLIE COME!”
Edward and Ken came charging down the stairs.
Ken let loose with a pair of light bolts that scorched the skin, but instantly regenerated. Neither appeared to shock it though.
“It’s either immune to shock or has high resistances,” Ken shouted out.
Squire was clawing and letting out small gouts of flame to prevent the regeneration. It wasn’t a lot of damage but not healing back was progress.
Edward charged. In a blur of motion he streaked down the stairs and swung his warhammer into one of the heads that came down to intercept him. There was a sickening crunch and a bowling ball sized hole punched straight through it’s head. The Head, neck and part of the body slumped to the ground. The edges however instantly started regenerating.
James shouted. “Ken, Squire, focusing on preventing the heads from regenerating. Charlie, Edward and I will try to take down the other two.”
Edward was thrown like a ragdoll, across the room by one of the other heads which managed to get purchase on Edwards leathers.
Play Card: Quick HealTarget:Effect:Cooldown:
Ken and Squire’s light bolts and flame breath respectively sealed the hole and prevented the brain from reforming.
James stopped organising and went to run in with his sword when three things happened at once.
A massive Griffon dove down from above. A glowing lance from Brody on its back thrust straight through one of the remaining heads.
Charlie arrived and leapt straight past him, sinking four sets of claws deep into the other head, before bounding away.
Lastly Ken’s blue ball of intense fire struck the body of the beast. The ball exploded in red flame to consume the Hydra and anything else nearby.
Everyone else was pushed away with the blast. Squire let out a squeal of dismay and pain before popping into Squire’s Retreat. Charlie yelped as he was thrown through the air, hitting the far cage wall. Edward was still mostly clear. Ken was fine. James had ducked below the ridge of the stairwell and was only hit by the wave of heat. His last Lion was gone.
The hydra was still alive, but none of its heads were now active.
James rushed in and plunged his sword to the hilt in one of the now cauterised wounds. The sharp blade struck true and the heart was penetrated. Blood gushed out and over him and he pulled the blade out. The whole body quivered for a few moments then fell down, dead.
System Notice – Hydra
System Notice – Essence Stabilized
Griffon Egg Bond (Epic): Progress 100%
Bond Nursery synergy found.
New Habitat created - Griffon Eyrie.
Griffon Egg Bond (Epic) and Griffon Mother added to Griffon Eyrie.
Warning: Griffon Mother is a Dungeon construct and cannot leave the Griffon Eyrie.
Brody’s mount disappeared and he fell to the ground in a clatter of metal.
A hole formed in the center of the chamber and up rose a resplendent emerald coloured, rune-etched chest.
Brody’s head came up with a look of contemplation at the chest.
“Oh hell no!”
Suddenly Squire, dragon wings spread out, glided down and landed on it, triggering the loot for James. For now though, Squire posed triumphantly on the lid. She even blew a small cloud of smoke at Brody who coughed… loudly.
Charlie had a different solution. He sat on Brody’s chest.
