I was sent Backpack Hero as a review code, and while I am grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review of the game.
Backpack Hero is a charming little inventory roguelike that deserves a lot more attention. It has a cute art style, a nice soundtrack, and fun gameplay. This game is a lot more fun than an early-access game has the right to be. If you are looking for a chill game that will challenge you, get Backpack Hero.
Dive through procedurally generated dungeons as you fight enemies, find treasure, and manage your inventory. Space in your bag is limited, so choose carefully. How will you brave the unknown? Will you use magic? Poison? Swords? Ninja stars? The choice is yours! (and RNGesus’)
Players start with limited inventory space and gain more as their character levels. Dungeons are full of monsters, treasure, and random events that award players loot to shuffle around. Weapons, items, armor, and potions have unique skills that can interact with each other based on their placement in the backpack. Inventory management is almost like a deck builder as you work towards specific builds by collecting certain items.
As deceptively simple as this game appears, I spent a lot of time theory crafting and optimizing my build only to have my run ended by an enemy or ability I didn’t plan for. Losing was never a frustrating experience in Backpack Hero. I understood my shortcomings and planned for a better run. There are special challenges you can run if the normal game because too easy, but I mostly played in normal because I enjoyed the chill yet challenging vibe that came with it.
What I liked most about this game is how different every run felt. I never had the same build, even when I started building toward a familiar one. There was always something dumb and alluring I wanted to try. It didn’t always work out, but I had a lot of fun exploring and testing my options. The combat is a little simple. It is turn-based, and what you can do is limited by action points. You spend your action points by casting spells, attacking with weapons, or blocking with shields. I never felt like combat got stale because my strategy was constantly changing. Some runs were more fun than others, but such is life with RNGesus.
Inventory management is the most important mechanic in Backpack Hero. If you’ve played any MMO or RPG, you’ve become too familiar with the concept. I used to joke that most of my playtime on Guild Wars 2 was spent in my inventory. In Backpack Hero, you will consistently make difficult choices as you arrange and rearrange your bag. What you choose to keep in your bag affects how you play each round, so make sure you choose carefully. There are vendors and special events that will give you access to random and sometimes cool items, a smith that will upgrade your gear, and cursed items that will mess up your whole strategy. I spent a lot of time theory-crafting the perfect build and had a blast doing it, even if I never got impressively far. There are probably guides out there for the most optimal run, but I recommend you fail a couple of times on your own first.
If you have been considering getting this game or looking for a new game to get into, Backpack Hero is worth every penny. It is a cute casual game with enough kick to it to keep you entertained for hours. You can buy Backpack Hero on Steam for $16.99. Now would be a great time to pick it up because it is 20% off ($13.59) until the 13th.
Tanares Adventures – Ultimate Edition is coming to Kickstarter June 27th and it is going to be the biggest dungeon crawler ever!
Tanares Adventures returns to Kickstarter on June 27th with some much-needed improvements and more minis than you can handle. If you are looking for a dungeon crawler to get into or simply looking to upgrade the copy you already own, go follow the Kickstarter.
Tanares Adventures is a tabletop dungeon crawler that promises hundreds of hours of gameplay through its many quests, choices, and battles. The game is designed for up to eight players, with solo play in mind for those like me who don’t have eight friends. Players control two four-member teams as they go on an epic adventure and meet at the end. The choices you make matter, so make them wisely.
The combat is unique and interesting. Each hero has a unique stat block and access to certain abilities. Gear cards will give heroes access to additional abilities that will recharge after certain conditions are met. There is a level-up system to get you through your adventure. Combat is done by rolling dice and playing ability cards. Enemies have a seemingly well-designed AI, but I would to test it for myself to confirm. The game encourages teamwork and strategy through its many configurations, choices, and skills.
If you a more in-depth explanation of how to play the game and how combat works, check out The Meeple Marathon video on how to play. He does a fantastic job at breaking down the rules and explaining the game in a way that is easy to understand. Make sure you go follow him for some excellent board game content.
What drew me to this game were its minis, but after seeing some of the gameplay, I am interested either way. This game looks perfect for those who want to dive into another adventure, but don’t want to be bogged down by complicated rules. From what I saw Tanares Adventures seems easy to pick up, set up, and play.
If you want to buy the base game with the minis, you will have to back the game at $189. This gets you 100 minis, inserts to store them in, and all the maps and components you need to get started. The more money you throw into this game, the prettier your game will be. Higher tiers will have access to more minis and storage solutions. But if you only care about the gameplay, you can back the project at $129 to get the Standee Edition. The standee edition gets all the maps and core components, and access to stretch goals, but will receive cardboard standees instead of the minis. There are also some upgrade packages available for those of you who already bought the game.
Tanares Adventures looks might be worth looking into if you are in the market for a new dungeon crawler. The art is beautiful, the concept is interesting, and the minis are amazing. I can see myself using the maps and minis for my D&D campaign. Whatever your interest in this game may be, make sure you follow the Kickstarter so you know when it goes live. Backers who pledge at least $89 on the first day will receive a really cool dragon mini as a special gift.
Tamarak Trail: The Roguelike Deck-builder You Didn’t Know You Needed
Tamarak Trail is an interesting rogue-like deck builder coming to all major consoles and PC that looks like it will redefine the genre. A corruption is spreading across the Canadian Shield, and it is up to you to find the cause and put an end to it. The journey won’t be easy, and you won’t make it on your first try. Do you have what it takes to be the hero, or will you buckle under the weight of the mysterious corruption?
Players can choose from three classes: the tracker, magician, and detective. Each class has its unique sets of skills and abilities. What makes this game unique is its deck-building mechanic. Instead of decks, you customize dice that you roll to cast abilities. You can fully customize each dice to fit your play style, although the RNG might be a limiting factor. The devs have published an informative walkthrough video that best explains the game’s mechanics. I recommend you watch it and become as excited as I am for this title.
Tamarak Trail is looking really cool. The mechanics look like a lot of fun, and the art is beautiful. I love deck-builders, so there might be a bit of bias in my excitement. Regardless, I think this unique game deserves some love and attention. I’ll definitely be trying to get a copy to review.
Tamarak Trail is coming to PS4, Xbox, Switch, and PC via Steam and GoG. Don’t forget to add it to your Wishlist. There is also an official wiki you should bookmark that I am sure will have lots of useful tips and tricks at launch. Make sure you join the game’s Discord and follow the official Twitter to stay up to date on all the news.
You Should Get Super Dungeon Maker
I was sent Super Dungeon Maker as a review code. I am very grateful for the opportunity, but I will keep my review honest.
If you like old-school RPGs or have always dreamed of making your own, you need to go buy Super Dungeon Maker. This game has fun gameplay, an expansive dungeon editor, and the cutest art. If you have kids, this is a great game to add to their collection. The game does a fantastic job of giving players a basic understanding of RPGs so they can make their own later. The dungeon editor gives kids an outlet to be creative, and the consistent stream of content gives them hours of gameplay. Adults will have the opportunity to be creative and enjoy the return to a nostalgic era of gaming and the possible satisfaction of clearing some of the more impossible levels.
I am not creative, so I didn’t spend much time in the dungeon editor. From what little I did mess around in it, it seemed pretty expansive. I felt overwhelmed by the choices, but mostly because my brain couldn’t turn the different parts into a cohesive map. That said, I was impressed by the diverse selection of levels available this early into the game’s life.
As a player, I loved how healthy the community is. There are a lot of games to choose from, but not all of them are great. The thing about these types of games is that the fun is community driven. You need players to motivate creators, and you need creators for content. You are going into this game knowing you have to sift through the expansive library to find your fun. You don’t have to finish the maps you don’t like, but I can see people being turned off by the rough nature of the level design.
That said, Super Dungeon Maker is a fantastic game if you are looking for a classic RPG without much commitment. You don’t have to worry about extensive lore or investing in an expansive story. Everything is self-contained, cute, and fun. Now is a great time to get into Super Dungeon Maker because there is a healthy community driving and consuming its content.
Super Dungeon Maker is available on Steam and the Nintendo Switch for $19.99. I played the Steam version and loved it, and considering getting it on the Switch. Playing some of the maps, especially the Zelda-inspired ones on the go would be perfect. As it happens, Nintendo has it on sale for $15.99 until May 25th. Regardless of which version you choose to play, I guarantee it will be lots of fun.
Game Review: Demeo
I was given Demeo at GDC to review for my blog. I would like to take the time to thank the Devs for taking the time to talk to me and answer all my questions. I am very grateful for the opportunity to try this game more thoroughly. That said, this will be an honest review of the game.
Demeo is a co-op dungeon crawler tabletop game that you can play on PC and VR. You choose from seven classes and move them through different themed dungeons to clear their objectives. Demeo has a minor deck-building mechanic. You use abilities, items, and spells by casting them from cards you buy, find, or earn throughout the dungeon. On each turn, each character has two actions. A character can move, attack, or use an ability. The goal of this game isn’t to clear the dungeon of its monsters but to complete the dungeon’s objectives. It is easy to get caught up fighting monsters only to be overrun by them when you take too long to clear a floor. There is strategy to this game, but it is manageable if you are thinking about your turns carefully.
I love this game because it gives me the perfect board game experience without having to spend time on setup and cleanup. I came into this game already infatuated by the limited experience I got at GDC, but I wasn’t prepared for how dangerous this game was for my time. One more turn easily turned into hours later, so I had to make sure I at least ran my sessions with a timer.
The game runs and looks great. I love the different aesthetics of the adventures, and you can earn cosmetics by playing the game. I did try both the PC and VR versions of the game and have no preference. I love how immersive the VR version of the game is, but the PC version is a great alternative when I don’t want to put on the headset. There is cross-play between the versions, so you don’t need to buy a VR headset if you don’t need one.
The game is meant to be played with other players. You can team up with your friends, or play online with strangers. I keep the strangest gaming hours, so I wasn’t able to play with others. If you are like me and don’t have friends, the solo experience is fantastic. You can run dungeons with a single hero, or you can run them with four. I liked that I was able to try different characters at once. Both experiences felt vastly different, and they kept the game fresh. The difficulty of the dungeon scales was based on the number of characters in the party, but I felt the scaling was fair.
Demeo is a ton of fun and a must-buy if you like playing board games. The game is available on Steam, PlayStation, Pico, Meta Quest, and Epic Games for $39.99.
Make sure you follow them on Twitter to stay up to date on all the news.
GDC Recap: Demeo
During this year’s GDC I also got to try Demeo, the survival RPG that I believe is worth looking into. I was fortunate enough to grab a review code for this game, so stay tuned for a full review in the future.
Dameo is a cross-platform RPG that plays like a tabletop game. You choose from seven playable characters and use their unique skills to get through one of their prewritten adventures. Adventures in this game are dungeon themes, each with its unique flavor and the monsters that fill them. Pick up your game piece and move them across a perilous board as you search for a way out. To fight, you use a set of skill cards that you unlock along the way. Some cards you can use repeatedly, but others burn after use. Use them wisely. You unlock cards by looting them from chests or unlocking them from battle. Battles are decided by a dice roll, making your adventure a suspenseful one.
Demeo started as a VR game but has been successfully ported to PC. I only got to play the PC version of this game, but I will be trying the VR version for my full review. You can play this game by yourself, team up with three other friends, or play with people online. The game is cross-play, making it possible for everyone to play together using their favorite version.
From what little I got to try this game, I am obsessed. I love board games but have no one to play with. Demeo gives me the chance to do something I love, even if it’s just on my own. If you like board games, you should look into this game. The game is available on Steam, PlayStation, Pico, Meta Quest, and Epic Games for $39.99.
Shoutout to the developer that took the time to answer all my questions. I appreciate that they took a chance on my small blog, and gave me this opportunity to review their game. Keep up the good work! Make sure you follow them on Twitter to stay up to date on all the news.
Diablo IV: Developer Stream Recap
I have been casually following the development of Diablo 4 since its announcement. I love Diablo and played Diablo 3 more than I would like to admit, but I hadn’t decided if I would be buying Diablo 4.
Today’s Developer stream has gotten me interested in what is to come. I may not be ready to preorder, but I will be getting it eventually. If you haven’t seen the stream, I recommend it if you are on the fence and have questions, but I will summarize the important bits as best I can.
The developers briefly introduced some of the lore where they spoke a bit about the conflict between Lilith and Inarious. They showed the cinematic trailer that introduced those characters/ If you haven’t seen it, check it out on Youtube. I will be getting this game hoping that the story is good. But even if the story isn’t good, at least the cinematics will be cool.
I was a bit disappointed to learn that Diablo 4 will be coming with a battle pass valued at $10 per season. While they assured fans that there will be free unlockable tiers, it doesn’t dull the frustration of having to pay more money to enjoy a game I already own. The battle pass will only feature cosmetic items, and while it may not directly affect gameplay, it is frustrating that half of my progress will be locked behind a paywall. As I understand it, there will still be journeys and things to unlock each season, but I can only assume all the cool stuff I want will be in the paid tiers of the battle pass. I am not excited about battle passes being the standard in modern gaming, but it is what it is. Each season is three months long, with the first season starting shortly after launch. Each season will have its unique battle pass.
Most importantly, they talked about a new crafting mechanic that will premier in Diablo 4, the Codex of Power. As you progress through the game and conquer dungeons, you will find unique abilities and buffs in the form of aspects. Each dungeon has a unique aspect with unique buffs and powers, and Diablo 4 will have over 120 different dungeons. Aspects are class-specific, but there are some that will work for multiple classes.
Aspects can be imbued into your legendary gear to give you unique powers and buffs. Aspects can be transfered to better gear as you find them so you can always carry aspect powers you love. It seems that the focus of Diablo 4 is to have the flexibility to allow for a diverse collection of builds. The developers boasted that you will be able to find a build that will suit your playstyle, but this is something we will have to see for ourselves.
While I am bummed about the addition of the battle pass, Diablo 4 is shaping up to be a promising sequel. It will be available for PC, Playstation, and Xbox when it releases on 06/06/2022. Preorders are available now. One thing to note is that your saves will crossover between systems, but you will need to buy the game for every system you want to play it on. Battle passes you only need to buy once, and they will carry over to your other consoles.
They also announced a collectors box with a bunch of swag but no game for $96.66. It comes with a cool box, an art book, a cloth map, and some other goodies if you need the Diablo swag. I won’t be buying it because I didn’t find much interesting, but your preorders are now open. You can watch a full unboxing on the official diablo YouTube channel.
I won’t be preordering this game just yet, but I will be following it closely. Who knows, I might change my mind like I always do.
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The Mad Mage Chronicles: Chapter 9
The party finds themselves in endless darkness as they walk through a tunnel that snakes with little reason. The dim light from the cursed sword guides the party. The light looks almost sicky down. It washes over hastily made scaffolds. Careful cautious footsteps propel the party through the darkness. Their hands clench at their weapons. The air is stale down here. Musty from the lack of flow. It is hard to breath in places, almost suffocating.
It seems hopeless. An endless journey down unknown darkness. The party debates on returning and giving up but they never do. They round one last bend and are greeted with strange dim light. Footsteps quicken as the source reveals another room.
The tunnel empties into a large walled room. The walls have begun to crumble, leaving scattered piles of ancient discarded brick. At the center of the room there is a statue that is buried up to its shoulders. It’s face has degraded over time making it unrecognizable.
There are clear signs of heavy traffic in this room. There are deep wheel wells that seem to flow against the same path. There are dark dirty foot prints all about the room. There are small pieces of discarded trash and food scraps that have been left behind. Whatever moves through here, does so often.
“I wonder how long we’ll be alone” Gorak asks Roakala as he studies a fresh set of foot prints. He points at them “these look fresh”
Roakala nods in agreement as the rest of the party watches curiously. “We should keep moving then” Roakala responds, taking the lead once more. There are three ways out of this room. The one they came in and two on either side of the room. Rokala takes one hesitant step forward before turning to the group “Which way princess?”
Diljaris shakes her head as a small smile begins to form at the corners of her mouth. “I’m not a princess” she says as her tail twitches “You can choose this one”
Roakala studies both exits carefully. She looks at the trails and the signs for a few minutes before she turns to Drugnar and asks “You mind flipping your coin again?”
Drugnar is visibly shocked by the question. He chuckles as he reaches for the coin. “Well don’t you know how to keep things interesting?” The coin gleams in his hand as he thumbs it between his fingers. Heads we go left, tails we go right” Everyone nods and he flips the coin. “Heads”
The party moves through more of the ancient dungeon. The next room they arrive at is a prison. Rusted chains hang from the wall. Two cages hang from the ceiling. One still holds it’s captive, rotted and wilted to almost nothing but rags and bits of bone and dust. Against the wall lies another creature. It looks like a man. His flesh has begun to rot away in the parts where the rats haven’t nibbled at. He wears the tethers of a fine robe that now clings loosely off his body. The rusting shackles that bind him to the wall he leans against have melded with the skin on his wrist. Above the figure, in deep dark red letters there is a message that reads “Talk to me please!”
The party moves past the skeleton with the intent to move forward.
“Wait” says Drugnar as he stops near the figure “Shouldn’t we see what he wants?”
“What who wants?” Diljaris twitches her head in confusion.
“Our long departed friend here. He might have some good information” Drugnar says pointing at the corpse.
“Interesting” Diljaris says as her tail begins to wag in excitement “Can you speak with the dead”
“I sure can” Drugnar replies
“OH!” Diljaris cannot hide the excitement in her voice. “How exciting. I’ve read about this spell but I’ve never actually seen it in person.” She digs through her bag for her journal and moves close to Drugnar. Opening it to a new page, she begins jotting down notes.
Roakala turns to Gorak with a concerned look on her face. “Is this a good idea”
Gorak has already began go get comfortable. Sitting down for a moment while still keeping a careful eye in each direction. He nods at the question “It’s a thing he likes to do. It’s his duty to help lost souls find their way to the afterlife or something. He just asks some questions and then they are on their way”
Roakala steps away from Drugnar. With her sword drawn, she stands against the wall eyeing the dwarf closely.
Drugnar closes his eyes. He mumbles something incoherent before he opens his eyes. From his pocket he produces a small plain bronze tin. There are small scratches and dents all along its face. He pops it open to reveal it to be filled with black powder. “My friend” he begins as he dips the his thumb into the powder. “With this earth I tie your soul to this plane one last time.” He draws a circle on the figures forehead. His face is sunken in and his eyes are gone. “Let the earth mother bring you to us so you can see this world once more.” He underlines his sunken eyelids with thick black lines of soot. He moves to his mouth as he draws a long smile, one that reaches ear to ear. “Let the earth mother give you breath so that you may speak”
His hand moves back to the corpse’s forehead and presses his thumb against the black circle. “Spirit! Heed my call. Come forth and take your form. Earth mother, grant me the power to pull this poor soul from this darkness and help me deliver him to the light”
At first, nothing happens. The room is deathly silent. Then, a light begins to glow. First from under Drugnar’s thumb, then from the other markings. There is a light creaking sound that comes from the figure as he begins to shift and jolt in his seat. A few awkward twitches and he moves upright suddenly. The markings glow white as the figure sits up right on his own. The chains rattle as he tries to stand up. He looks around, his glowing eyes never blinking.
“Good morning my friend” Drugnar greets the man.
The figure says nothing at first. Instead he begins to inspect himself. He shakes his shackled arms. He wiggles what is left of his toes. He studies the room and the strangers that occupy it. The silence goes on for a moment before his raspy dry voice lets out “Well shit. I died.”
Mad Mage Chronicles – CH6
The Fight at the End of the Hall
This story is part of a larger series based on the published adventure “Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage”. There will be spoilers.
The party continues through dark desolate passages of ancient dirty stone. Black soot and long deep scratches cover these tunnels. They record the history of the dungeon. The party steps over pools of dried blood and broken decomposing bodies. The further them move in, the mustier and warmer it gets. Drips of water can be heard somewhere in the darkness. Roakala leads the party with the dim glow of her new blade guiding her. She eyes for danger with each cautious step she makes. She steps on a piece of discarded bone, it shatters under her wait but she seems to take little notice. Instead, she moves forward until she enters a small room.
Here is where the tunnel ends. A room etched at the end of the hall. A room full of the remains of failed adventurers. Bodies, both whole or in pieces, are scattered in small piles. Those with flesh intact rot away slowly in the darkness. Those who aren’t have long since become bone and are now lost here forever. Roakala pauses for a moment, her eyes trying to make sense of the scene before her but her eyes begin to water from the foul odor that assaults her nostrils. The party moves in carefully, each scanning the room for dangers or valuables. As the party makes its way around the room, carefully trying to stay close to one another, two piles of discarded flesh begin to move. From them sprout large floating flesh creatures with bodies like brains and beaks for mouths. Attached to each are long tentacles that wave wildly below them. They raise with loud deafening screeches.
“What the fuck is that?” Roakala lets out as she moves her sword and shield into position.
“They’re Grell. Watch out for their tenticles, they’re poisones” Diljaris replies.
Before she can say anymore, the Grell is on top of her. Its skin slimy and full of discolored ridgels. It swipes at her with its long heavy tentacles. The force of the impact knocks the breath out of her. The tentacles wrap around her tightly and begin to carry her off. She coughs and gasps as she struggles to breath. The monster pulls her to its mouth and takes a nip at her with its sharp beak. She screams in agony as the beak tears into her flesh, ripping through her robe. Warm blood begins to seep down her shoulder. The monster turns and begins to take her away.
Roakala takes a step to help her the young dragonborn, but her path is blocked by the other Grell whose tentacles flare angrily and its beak snarls violently. Tentacles snap towards the Orc like whips, but Roakala’s instincts kick in as she doges and blocks the incoming flurry. She quickly closes the gap between her and the Grell who now faces her. Its eyeless face turns to her and takes a large nip at her side but instead of the soft Orcish flesh it excepted, its mouth bangs against the cold metal face of her shied. The force of the impact shakes Roakala to her core. It forces her to step back as her arm shakes under the weight of the monster’s attack but she stands strong. Sweat begins to form on her brow as she attempts to create an opening for her blade.
Diljaris begins to regain her breath as the shock from the blow begins to wear off. She begins to catch her breath. The grip on her body tightens as the slimy grey tentacles squeeze at her side. With the little breath she is able to mumble in an ancient tongue. Her eyes begin to glow blue. Her fingers spark with a bright blue flame. Where her burning hands she shimmies to touch the beast. Its skin begins to sizzle under the heat of the magical flame. A sudden burst of blue fire leaps from her hands, singing the creature. It screeches in pain and drops her to the ground. Diljaris lands in a loud and painful thug, once again knocking the breath from her lands. With the little strength she is able to muster, she stands up slowly. She takes wobbled labored steps away from the beast as the smoke and scent of burning flesh surrounds her.
Drugnar watches the dragonborn get swooped up and dragged away, he takes a step before the monster is able to make it far. He watches as the dragon born drops to the ground and struggles to make her escape. He moves as his legs can take him. Each step landing with heavy metaled determination. His right hand reaches for the pendant around his neck. Another gold coin hidden under his armor. This one houses the image of a beautiful woman carefully carved on its face. Drugnar moves himself between the monster and Diljaris and reaches out to touch his wounded ally.
“Sune lend me your light. Protect this creature as your own. Give her the strength to move forward. To continue to see the beauty of this world.”
There is a moment of silence as the two continue to move slowly. Suddenly, the coin in his hand begins to glow softly. The light spills through the cracks between his fingers. His left hand begins to glow warmly over Diljaris’s blue scales. Her steps begin to quicken as she appears to have newfound strength to move her forward. She no longer clutches at ther ribs, but moves quickly to make distance between her and the Grell. “Thanks” she expresses the two move away from the assailant.
An arrow flies by them from the darkness. It wisps by Drugnar’s head and connects with the floating monstrosity. Gorak stands at the other end, loading a second arrow onto his bow. He squints into the darkness, takes a breath and fires. The second arrow whiles through the air, piercing into the cold grey flesh. Drops of blood spray out, splashing against the filthy dungeon floor. A small river of blood starts to make its way down the shaft of the arrow. The Grell begins a hastened retreat. Blood drips bellow it, creating a trail in it’s wake.
On the other side, the second Grell is still locked in combat with Roakala. It snarls and flails against the orcs shield. The Grell makes quick swipes against the orc who has no choice but to move back and look for an opening. The Grell continues to make careless attacks, landing in loud cold slaps against the floor of the dungeon. Roakala dodges them, using the momentum of her movement to quickly close the gap between her and the monster. Before the Grell has a chance to react, Roakala is near the beast. She takes a strong confident swipe at the monster. The blade slices through the skin, leaving behind a deep gushing would and pain. In its desperation, the Grell takes swipe at the orc, but Roakala proves too fast. Instincts kick in and the blade comes down against the assailing tentacle. The blade swipes through easily. It’s soft glow momentarily obscured by the blood that slowly drips down its face. A large half of tentacle drops on the floor besides her. It flails uselessly without it’s body until finally, the last bit of life it held fades away into the darkness surrounding it. The Grell turns to run. It begins to float away in fear leaving itself open to Roakala’s third attack. The blade swipes quickly towards the retreating beast, slicing into unsuspecting flesh. It screeches in undeniable agony as it hastens it’s retreat.
Diljaris now stands more confidently, although her hands still shake. She closes her eyes, takes a long calming breath as she begins to recite the ancient words that fill the pages of her book. Her tail wages in a circle, her hands flail above her head. Her eyes glow blue as flames erupt from her hands. She goes silent as her eyes glare down the retreating monsters. ‘With this flame, I purge you from this world”. The flames launch from her hands, landing and creating a large explosion that engulfs the two Grell. The room fills with blinding light. When the fire fades and the room dim, the two Grell are left blackened and still burning. They float away weakly, their tentacles no longer flailing but instead left singed and curled against their scared bodies.
Drugnar takes advantage of the situation. With holy coin in hand he begins to say “Sune, mistress of beauty, show these beasts your light!” A flash of light chases down the farthest Grell. Instinct kicks in and the Grell moves out of the way. The soft glow of the spell reveals the battered beast and its desperation. It crashes against the wall. Small bits of it crumble to the floor as the Grell passes by, still in its attempt to escape. An arrow whiles into its back. This time instinct fails the creature. The arrow digs itself deep into the Grell’s body. Large spouts of blood poor from it. It falls from the air and squirms as it’s last ounce of life escapes it.
Gorak turns his head to the last remaining Grell who continues to burn and move through the darkness. His eyes squint as he takes careful aim. The arrow finds its place in burnt flesh. Agony and terror echo inside the last desperate squeals of the retreating Grell. In its desperation, it never noticed Roakala closing the distance until her cold glowing blade sunk deep into its flesh. Blood pours out of the wound and washes over Roakala’s hands as she uses all her strength to continue to cut the beast. The Grell grows heavy on her blade as blood as entrails begin to spill from the new wound. She takes the blade out, the blood drips over the runes making them illegable. The Grell drops heavily on the ground, lifeless.
The party stands in silence, still weary of danger, still searching for hostiles.
“Good news guys” Diljaris finally says, breaking the tense silence “You passed the test. Congratulations”