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.
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”
Mad Mage Chronicles – CH3
Human and a Dwarf walk into a Bar
This Story is based on the published Wizards of the Coast advetnuter The Dungeon of the Mad Mage.
A young man and a dwarf arrive in Waterdeep as the town begins to close for the night.
The young man is in his 20’s. Tall and slender with dark brown hair that he keeps short and neatly slicked back. He has brown eyes and light brown skin. On his back he carries a quiver full of arrows and a finely made bow. His clothes aren’t new, but they are well kept with a few patches of dirt that have settled from their travel. His partner is a stout dwarf with grey skin. His black hair is fixed up in a neat pony tail and his beard is neatly braded. He wears plated mail armor and a hammer swings at his side. On his chest, a small silver symbol of Paylor bonces against his chest as they walk.
They walk through a street where tired looking vendors carry boxes and crates into shops or load them onto large wooden carts. One vendors smile at the newcomers and tries to make one last sale. The dwarf buys a couple apples and asks for directions to the Yawning Portal.
They continue through the streets of Waterdeep, twisting and turning through alleys as directed. The citizens of Waterdeep sit on their porches and watch the pair as they have loud exchanges of stories, jokes and the town gossip. The pair are hit with the smells of industry mixing with the sweet loving smells of traditional dinners. There is laughter as kids chase each other through the alleys. Lanterns begin to go up as the sky darkens.
Finally they turn the corner see the old face of the Yawning Portal. It is an older building made from ancient stone. It looks out of place here, yet it is the center of it all. It’s old wooden doors let out loud screeches that echo off the buildings around them. The pair step over a drunkard, careful not to step in his vomit. A group of rowdy adventures stumbles past the pair, singing the incoherent song of inebriation. And as the sun begins to set over the skyline, they can see the light of the flickering hearth that casts the wild dancing shadows of its patrons on the surrounding buildings. They can hear the murmurs of singing chanting and shouting. The bar is alive and the two are unable hide their excitement.The dwarf takes a deep breath, the smell of stale alcohol and cheap tobacco fills his lungs. “Well boy, we made it” the Dwarf says with a giant grin on his face.
“That we did my friend” says the young man as his hand clasps onto the dwarfs shoulder. The pair take in scenery like one would a sunset. A man stumbles to the corner of the bar and throws up against the wall but they don’t seem to notice.
Finally the Drawf taps the young man at his side “Come let’s have a drink!” The Pair take an eager step towards the bar.
Without glancing at the sheet the young man responds “Well if you think if it’s a good idea, count me in. I’ll follow you anywhere brother”
The Dwarf nods as he pats the young man on the shoulder “It’s settled then, let’s go find this Dil-Jar-Us or whomever” the Dwarf says as he walks towards the bar. “But first, a drink!”
The young man follows the Dwarf to the bar. The barkeep is busy handing out drinks and doesn’t notice the pair. The Dwarf pulls up a stool and places his hands on the sticky counter and waits patiently. The young man watches the crowd and laughs at the jokes he overhears. Finally the Barkeep comes to the dwarf “What are ya havin?”
“We need food, drink, and information” says the Dwarf as he pulls up a stool to sit at the bar. His feet dangle over the stool. The young man stands besides him, watchful of the room.
“Food and drink we have. As for information? That depends on the kind you need” The barkeep starts filling mugs.
“We are looking for the person who put this up” the Dwarf places the flyer on the bar and pushes it gently towards the barkeep.
The barkeep reads it. He chuckles and places the mugs on the sheet. “That’s an easy one. They’re sitting over there” he points to the corner to Diljaris and Roakala.
“Do you know anything about them?”
The barkeep shakes his head and shrugs “They just came in today. The dragonborn girl wants to start an adventuring party. That’s all I know”
The Dwarf nods understandingly and places a silver piece on the bar. He thanks the barkeep and move towards the Diljaris with drink in their hand. “Howd!” Says the Dwarf Loudly, trying to get their attention. “My associate and I are here to inquire upon this here job listing” The Dwarf places the piece of paper on the table. “Might it be alright if we join you for a parlay? We don’t mean to impose of course” The young man watches the Dwarf in clear bewilderment.
“Of course you may, we would be delighted. My name is Diljaris Eshbis and this is my friend Roakala”
“We’re not friends” murmurs Roakala
“Oh right, excuse our rudeness, we’ve been on the road for a while now. My names is Drugnar Oathhammer and this is my companion Gorak Truthseeker. The pleasure is all ours of course” the Dwarf nudges at the young man’s side.
“Nice to meet you” Gorak replies, clearing his throat. He seems watchful of the pair and eyes over the Roakala suspiciously.
“Is there a problem?” Roakala asks aggressively, slamming her spoon down on the wooden table.
“Why are you all the way out here? Shouldn’t you be with one of the clans?” Gorak asks.
“I’m a half Orc. I never joined a clan. Is my presence going to be a distraction?” The vein on her temple begins to throb. She grinds her teeth and begins to reach for her sword.
A blue scaled hand reaches over the table. “Now Roakala, there’s no need for that.” Diljaris turns to Gorak who is also reaching for the dagger at this side. “And you need to be more sensible about what you say. That was rude and uncalled for. If you want to join my team you will need to be respectful of your teammates”
With a worried look on his face, Drugnar steps forward. “Please excuse my friend. We’ve been away from civilization for so long, he’s forgotten how to interact with people. You won’t have any problems from us, isn’t that right Gorak?”
Gorak’s hand tensely hovers over the dagger as he continues to watch the Orc. He remains silent as he studies the orc before finally relaxing and responding “Yes, we won’t cause any more trouble” Gorak sounds defeated as he sits down at the end of the table and begins to eat his bowl of stew without speaking
Diljaris smiles and responds “That’s quite alright, we understand” Roakala stares down the Dragonborn who doesn’t seem to notice. Diljaris flips to a new page in her journal and continues “Well down to bussiness. Why do you think you would be a good addition to our team?”
Drugnar brushes his beard as he ponders before finally saying “We are great warriors and have travelled quite a distance to be here. We have successfully escorted merchants across the country. We saved a small mining village from goblins. If I continue to list our achievements you will find we are quite an impressive pair”
Diljaris diligently takes notes. Gorak peers over at the page of neat yet quickly scribbled draconic symbols. Diljaris turns to him “Do you have anything to add?”
Gorak is stunned for a moment as he ponders “I’ll shoot anything you need me to and this old man right here is the best medicine man you’ll ever need” he turns to look at the Roakala “What do you do?”
Roakala, who was in the midst of drinking her ale, puts down her mug and responds dismissively “I kill things with a sword”. She continues to eat her stew in silence.
“I’m not surprised” Gorak sneers
Roakala stands up, shaking the table almost spilling the bowls and plates that shake violently as they settle. “Are we gunna have a problem?”
“Only if you want to have one orc” Gorak says as he stands up, again reaching for his dagger. A grey heavy hand comes down on his shoulder and pulls him back. He attempts to resist but he wasn’t prepared and the hand pulls him back slightly, breaking his aggressive stance for the moment.
“This isn’t the time for that Gorak!” Drugnar says angrily. “These ladies have done nothing wrong except invite a couple of brutes to join them for dinner. Now apologize and act right.”
Gorak clenches his fists. He stands motionless at the center of the group, staring back at the Orc. Roakala mirroring his aggressing, her nostrils flare as she is ready to attack if given a reason. He takes a deep breath as his eyes meet with Drugnar who looks back angrily and disappointed. Gorak sighs as he moves his hand away from his weapon. “Sorry” he finally says sullenly and sits back down.
Drugnar turns back to the pair “Please don’t this incident affect your decision, he’s just not used to people”
“You mean Orcs?” Roakala scoffs.
“Look we can do better, let’s start over. We would love to join your party, how much does it pay?”
“Well” Diljaris replies, examining the pair “if I decide on your eligibility, everyone in the party is subject to an equal cut to all treasure and payments we receive during our time together. That is of course if they are able to earn it?
“And how do we go about becoming eligible?” Drugnar continues, looking over the notes she continues to scribble neatly into.
“Through a simple trial. The first step you are already a part of. The next step I, if you move on, will be trial by combat. We will go down into the dungeon and you can properly showcase your skills there. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Why are you here? What do you want to achieve?”
“Well my friend, I need the money and any amount helps. My young excitable friend here wants to make a name for himself. They say those who are able to explore this dungeon in it’s entirety will gain access to unimaginable riches and become legends in the process. Is that reason enough?” Diljaris continues to fill the pages with notes. She mumbles to herself in draconic. A few moments of this pass when the dwarf turns to Roakala and asks “Is your friend ok?”
Roakala shrugs “She’s not my friend, I just met her today”
“Oh hush Roakala. We’re friends, you just don’t know it yet” She says as she shuts the notebook with an audible thump. “Well after careful review of all of the potential candidates I have come to the decision to move you all to the next phase.
“Aren’t we the only candidates?” Roakala asks.
Diljaris ignores the Remark and continues “You have proven to be the most promising of the lot. Congratulation. Now eat up, get some rest we start tomorrow morning”
“Err what are we doing?” Gorak asks, breaking his brooding silence.
Diljaris perks up and smiles sweetly. Her tail wags back and forth slowly. “Isn’t it obvious? Down into the Dungeon”
D&D Sessions – The First Team Fight
This is part of a series. Click here for the whole story!
The party walks down a long and dank brick corridor. They pass flickering torches. The corridor ends at a large metal barred gate. On the other side sits a large ring. The floor is covered in freshly packed sand. Surrounding the ring, a twenty-foot stone wall that holds up rows of seats that stretch back to an open ceiling. The sun has begun to peak over the eastern wall, illuminating a small section of the ring like a spotlight. A few birds fly over the large opening, creating the only blemish against the blue backdrop.
The gates are opened with loud chains that clang heavily against one another. The sound carries into the ring and bounces off the empty seats. The party moves forward to the center of the ring. Hands clench weapons tightly as eyes scan the ring for danger. There is none noticed, and they continue their trek slowly towards the center. Each footstep lands with a slight crunch, leaving behind sloppy imperfections on the sand. They pass by red blood stains that have since soaked into the sand and dents where hammers and other blunt weapons fell. On the walls, they notice the countless nicks and deep cuts that were never mended. There are bits of wall that are missing. The party moves forward.
When they reach the center, the ring remains silent. A large metal gate looks back at them somberly, unmoving. A door shuts loudly in the distance. It is followed by the faint sound of feet lazily shuffling over stone. About a minute goes by and Toula appears along the wall with a wine bottle in each hand. She makes wobbling trek along the edge to the center of the wall and plops down. Her feet dangle over the edge of the wall and she looks down the confused party. With out a word, she raises a bottle to her mouth and bites the cork off. She spits it over the edge. it lands with a silent thud a few feet away from them. She takes a big swig and her thirsty gulps echo off the walls of the empty colosseum. She stops and looks down letting out a satisfying burp before adding “Welp? Get on it”
With that, the large gate drops, bouncing heavily on the sand below shaking the ring. It kicks up a thick cloud of dust and sand. Grips get tighter. Eyes try desperately to look throw the thick dust and past the darkness. The dust settles and a feint sound of footsteps can be heard from somewhere in the darkness. With each passing second, the sounds get heavier. Small bits of sand start to bounce in resonance. It gets closer, but the tempo never changes. One step after another, closer and closer until the footsteps are accompanied by the sound of metal scraping onto stone.
Tal is the first to see it. A large metallic orb inching through the darkness with 9 long metallic arms reaching out to pull it forward. At its head sits a small metal helmet with no face but emotionless red eyes that illuminate the darkness.
“Well, okay then” Tal lets out trying to hide the anxiety from his voice. No one else sees what he is talking about. The metallic creature stops suddenly. It’s long claws dig into the stone around it and it begins to brace itself.
“Um, you guys. Something is happening?”
“What is it?” Jalila asks, half squinting, trying desperately to see through the darkness.
Before Tal could answer, the creature launches itself out of the tunnel. The sunlight shines off the metal, sending out beams of hot light into the stands. Instinct kicks in and the party scatters as the giant metallic orb lands, creating a large crater where they once stood. The metallic creature raises from the crater, towering over them at 15 ft it scans its surroundings. It starts to make its way towards Zarmir who is the closest.
“By the light of the gods, be gone demon” Tall says clutching the holy symbol that hangs around his neck. The small cross warms under his touch. A large purple beam falls from the heavens, engulfing the creature in blinding purple light. When the beam stops, the orb stands seemingly unaffected. The metal glows purple. The creature sets its glowing red gaze towards Tal and in the same second makes a run towards Tal.
Zarmir tightens the grip on his glaive and takes his first confident step towards the purple glowing metallic creature. Each step comes down quicker and harder as his years of training start to set in. He closes the distance as he feels streams of sand being kicked in his direction. When in range, Zarmir leaps at the creature, swinging his glaive at the creatures back. The iron glaive meets resistance. Sparks fly as it begins to cut into the hull of the orb. The metal rings that ornate the back of the blade jingle wildly as it starts to slowly cut through. Purple glowing metal starts to bend under the blade until it gives, leaving a the creature with a large wound on its back. A black ooze starts to seep from the wound. A claw swings at Zarmir in retaliation, but instinct kicks in and he deflects the attack. Zarmir takes his chance and swings at the joint between the claw and the arm. The blade catches and the sound of metal tearing fills the field. Zarmir’s glaive goes through and the offending claw lands lifeless besides him.
Zarmir doesn’t see the second claw attack. It moves too quick and swipes him at his side. Pain shoots through his body as he is lifted from the ground and thrown from his position. The armor below the claw bends and cracks as he tumbles over the sand leaving small clouds of sand and dust. He lands breathless. The side of his body hurts. He struggles to stand. His ears ring and his vision has blurred. It takes him a second to realize he no longer has his glaive. It takes another for his vision to return and find it lying halfway between him and the beast. He takes a step forward and a bloody cough escapes him.
The creature is upon Zarmir before he can take another step. It towers over him. The purple menacing glow looking down at a defenseless and hurting Zarmir. It’s arms stretch out for one final attack. Zarmir stands his ground. He lifts his left arm to try to ineffectively shield himself from the creatures final blow. The claw comes down quicker than Zarmir remembered. More precise. More deadly.
It lands with a heavy clank as it digs into Jalila’s metal kite shield. It scratches at the symbol of her holy order. Her arms start to shake. She mutters a small incoherent prayer. She clenches her teeth, digs her heals in deep into the sand before successfully swinging away the attack. She clutches her long sword and swings. The blade catches metal as sparks spray back at Jalila’s unflinching face. Her muscles begin to burn but she pushes on. The blade goes through and long arm drops besides the creature. It stumbles back a bit.
Varus sees the opening and fires his crossbow. The bolt flies over the sand in a loud whirls as it flies through the opening left in his back. There is a loud clanging sound as the bolt bounces around the creatures insides. With that, the creature’s arms retract within itself leaving behind a large glowing purple orb. It begins to spin, kicking up a large cloud of dust as it rolls towards the other end of the ring. The loud sound of gears reaches out from behind the cloud.
“You good” Jalila asks, her breathing has become labored and heavy. A bead of sweat runs down her forehead.
“Ye” is all Zarmir is able to let out before another bloody cough escapes his throat.
B.U.D with a clear line of sight claps his hands together. Under his breath he lets out “let the mother ship give you strength”
A calming warmth comes over Zarmir. The pain in his chest dulls and his breathing eases. His bleeding wounds begin to close. With his newly found energy he runs towards his glaive. This time there is no cough to interrupt his trot.
At the other end of the ring, 9 long renewed claws extend from the orb. The wound at it’s back has mended. It’s red glowing eyes scan the field, and it starts to speed forward. Again, making it’s way towards Zarmir.
“Let your light fill the darkness” Tal exclaims with his hand clutching the small tin cross around his neck. A purple light, this time originating from his free hand, shoots towards the creature like an arrow. The creature sees it in time. It drops its shape into a ball and the guiding bolt flies over where the creature was. It catches itself and continues forward. A bright blue beam catches the creature on its side leaving behind a deep darkened dent in the armor. B.U.D. stands at the other end of the beam’s trajectory, his hand extended with his two long fingers extended. Seeing that he hit the target, B.U.D starts to clap.
The creature sets his sights on B.U.D. It begins to take deep confident steps towards him, quickly closing the gap between them. It moves much more quickly now. It is clear that creature is out for blood.
Across the ring, Varus has taken aim. A bolt releases from his crossbow, hitting the creature in a reaching arm. It stumbles from the impact, but only for a moment. It continues forward. The creature turns it’s head towards Varus. It’s soulless gaze locking onto his position. A small hole opens up at it’s side releasing an arrow towards varus. Before he can react, the arrow lodges itself into his left shoulder. Pain isn’t foreign to Varus. His childhood was full of pain and this was nothing new. But Varus is also human and he can’t help but to wince as the arrow pierces his skin and digs himself into his flesh. He feel a warm liquid start to flows down his shoulder, soaking
The creature continues towards B.U.D. B.U.D closes his eyes and whispers a silent prayer as he reaches for his mace.
Zarmir rushes forward, glaive in hand. The rings on the end of the blade begin to jingle with each step. With a quick leap, he brings his glaive down, this time full of fury and rage. His glaive meets metal. His muscles burn, his breathing becomes labored as the glaive slowly makes its way through the creature’s arm. It falls to the ground; it flops once before it remains still. Zarmir continues, this time lunging at the creature. His blade pierces the creature, this time it meets little resistance as his glaive sinks deep into the creature’s side.
The giant purple orb stops moving and turns to Zarmir. Zamir watches as gears turn slowly within the beast. A claw comes down for another attack but this time Zarmir is ready. He raises his Glaive and deflects the claw leaving enough of an opening for a swift and precise strike. The claw falls to the ground and twitches before it lays there motionless.
A crossbow bolt flies over Zarmirs shoulder. The wind lightly tussles his hair. It pierces on of the creatures red glowing eyes and it explodes with small bits of glass. The creature stumbles back. Each step more unsure than the last. It uses its desperate moment to sends another desperate claw attack at Zarmir. Zamir deflects but one of the claws is able to leave a deep burning cut on Zarmir’s face.
A third claw comes down, but this time it meets the face of Jalila’s shield. Her heals dig deep into the sad as the force of the claw attack moves her back slightly. With the impact still resonating over her body, she pushes the claw away. Her forehead begins to cover with sweat. Her muscles burn and her strength begins to give. Rage fills her. It can’t end here she thinks as she makes a last desperate push at the claw, pushing it away. The blade of her long sword follows. It sinks into the creature’s metal armored arm, this time it cuts like butter. The claw lands creating a deep crater in the sand.
The orb tries to mend itself. It tries to run away but instead is met with two more guiding bolts, one at each side. It turns its head, searching for a source. A bolt comes flying towards the creature. It finds the other eye. It sinks in deeper into the skull of the beast. It digs itself towards the back and finds itself at the center of an expertly drawn magical seal. The seal erases under the arrow. The creatures yes go dark and it falls over, lifeless.
Toula claps and laughs loudly. Her hands come together for a slow clap as she jumps from her seat into the ring. She walks forward slowly.
“Well, you done it” she exclaims loudly “I am impressed”