Chapter 3
I wandered off into a well kept sidestreet and began trying to push my mana around into the environment, attempting to mold a room out of mana using the alleyway as a base.
It took me twenty minutes of breathing and concentrating before something snapped into place.
Through Special Action A skill has been created!
ID Create Lv Exp 11%-Can create instant dungeons!
You Currently have access to 3 Dungeons
Normal
Zombie
Siege
That was interesting. I assume the siege Dungeon was setting specific. Well, when in Rome.
I selected siege and prepared for a fight.
Instantly day became night and the Blackwater was burning. I was outside the mud gate somehow.
Ahead were a knot of Spearmen in various tabards.
"Observe."
Crownlands Levy
Level 4
HP: 260
STR 14
DEX 12
VIT 16
INT 10
WIS 12
LUK 12
Peasant Spearmen trained to work together, Individually Weak, but their combination tactics make them fearsome foes
Well it looks like it's time to kill me some peasants. I waded into battle against the three spearmen in front of me, parrying their attempts to stab me as I got in closer, however they would cover for each other, so I was constantly having to move my sword and axe about and duck and weave out of the way. A Thrust would be parried only for my counterattack to be batted aside by the second spearman's weapon while the third attacked to keep me at bay. It was maddening.
Finally I hit upon a solution, using Power Strike to break the heads off their spears, rendering them little more than ill-balanced clubs before getting in close and taking them apart. This strategy worked well on the three peasant spearmen in front of me and earned me a point of wisdom for effective planning. It sufficed for other peasant spearmen as well. I wound up killing several more of these three man squadrons this way as I fought my way to the Gate. The peasants dropped Silver Stags and the occasional scrap of Boiled Leather which could be used for crafting.
I finally reached a row of stakes set out in front of the gate where I ran into my first obstacle.
"Observe."
Mountain Clan Grunt
Level 5
HP 300
STR 16
DEX 12
VIT 16
INT 10
WIS 10
LUK 12
A Savage Axeman from the Mountains of the Vale, their Powerful Strikes can shear through shields in a single blow
There were two of them sitting out by the stakes and one of them spotted me, the pair charged me and soon I was dodging away from a pair of murderously powerful axe strikes. I ducked and weaved, but one of them eventually clipped me in the shoulder with a swing of his axe.
-51 HP
I hissed in pain as I picked myself up off the ground in time to dodge a follow up swing that would have utterly gutted me. I switched tactics after that, not trying to dodge, but trying to use spoiling strikes to hit them as they were attacking. Apparently once I got the hang of that it proved effective, throwing off their attack patterns and allowing me to get in counterattacks.
Through a Special Action a Skill has been created!
Interrupting Strike Lv 1 Exp 55%-An attack that has a chance to interrupt an enemy attack, deals low damage, Costs 10 MP
Once I got that down I was able to take apart these clansmen without getting hit again. They seemed to spawn from the gap in the stake line in pairs always charging out. They dropped Silver Stags, Boiled Leather, Steel Scraps, and one of them Dropped a Crafting Recipe
"Observe!" I said
Crafting Recipe: Mountain Clans Brigandine
Requires 4x Boiled Leather, 4x Steel Scraps, 2x Mountain Lion Pelts
Def 12, STR +2, VIT +2
A Boiled Leather Vest reinforced with steel plates and fortified with Mountain Lion Hides
"Yoink!" I said as I picked that up. Now where to get Mountain Lion Hides? A Roar from beyond the stake line answered my question.
"Observe!" I whispered.
Mountain Clans Beastmaster
Level 6
HP 300
STR 14
DEX 16
VIT 14
INT 12
WIS 12
LUK 12
This wild man has his pets fight up close while he hangs back and supports them with archery.
Well that's just great I asked for mountain lions but this is getting ridiculous. As the mountain lions attacked me I tried something I hadn't done before. Combining two skills into one move. I hit one of the mountain lions mid leap with a Power Strike timing it like an Interrupting Strike. Amazingly the attack sliced clean through the lion's outstretched paws and bit deep into it's belly.
Through Special Action a Skill has Been Created!
Meisterhau Lv 1 Exp 11%-A Strike that is both defense and offense in one, very high damage, high chance of critical hit, chance to stun the target, cost 75 MP
"Fucking Sweet!" I shouted as that mountain lion fell to the ground in two pieces. Too bad it takes so much MP. I could use that maybe four times before needing to recharge. I should really look into meditation.
That brief moment of elation lasted just about long enough for the other mountain lion to bowl me over.
-30 HP
"Dammit!" I shouted as I stabbed the mountain lion repeatedly from underneath it. Finally feeling it go slack.
I shoved it off me only to get nailed by an arrow to the right shoulder as the Beastmaster made his presence felt.
-25 HP
I'm starting to think I may have bitten off more than I could chew here with this Siege ID. . .
I had to throw my Axe at the Beastmaster to even get a chance to close. Fortunately it seemed that without the Lions, the Beastmaster was absolute shite in close combat. The axe hit him in the chest allowing me to close, he had just enough time to raise his bow, arrow nocked before I hit him with an attack that tore the bow from his grasp.
Through Special Action a Skill has been created!
Disarming Strike Lv 1 Exp 11%-A low damage attack that has a chance to disarm the target, costs 10 MP
I followed that up with two applications of Power Strike and a Finishing Strike before he went down.
Fortuitously I recieved the requisite mountain lion pelts, 5 silver stags, and a Gem
"Observe." I muttered.
Mountain Lion Soul Gem-Average Quality
+2 STR, +4 DEX, +2 VIT, Gain Skill: Leap Attack
Do you wish to absorb this Soul Gem
Y/N
Yes I wish to absorb this soul gem! I didn't know that those were a thing that could be dropped! I wonder what a Dragon Soul Gem would give? Questions for later.
I hit yes as the soul gem dissipated and a feeling of primal power flowed through me.
Unfortunately there were probably more clansmen and a boss somewhere around here, but I Couldn't be arsed about that right now. This dungeon had eaten up over half my HP and I hadn't even come across any Lannisters or gold cloaks, let alone whatever other nastiness my own private Battle of the Blackwater had to offer.
"ID Escape!" I shouted.
Power Strike has leveled up!
Power Strike Has Leveled Up!
Dual Wield Mastery has leveled up!
Dual Wield Mastery has leveled up!
Sword Mastery has Leveled up!
Sword Mastery has Leveled Up!
Axe Mastery Has leveled up!
Axe Mastery has leveled up!
Thrown Weapons Mastery has leveled up!
Interrupting Strike has Leveled Up!
Interrupting Strike has leveled Up!
Damage Resistance leveled up!
Your Level has increased to 4!
Your Level has Increased to 5!
For Reaching 20 DEX you have gained a Trait: Light Footed-+25% chance to avoid being knocked over
Damn I blinked as all that information passed through my head at once, dazing me before Gamer's mind took over.
"And that was just part one. . ." I muttered.
I now had 8 points to spend I decided to put 2 each into STR and VIT and 4 into INT need to increase my mana capacity for that sweet new sword skill I got.
For Reaching 20 STR you have gained a Trait: Brawny-Power Strike now has a low chance to Stun the Target
For Reaching 20 VIT you have gained a trait: Stalwart-Damage Resistance offers an additional 2% reduction in Damage Per Level.
Well, level five with some new skills, that's certaintly an improvement. But by now the sun was setting.
"How long was I battling in there? I could have sworn it was mid-day when I went in. . .Probably best to find an inn. . ." I mused to myself as I set off on the noble quest of finding a clean room for the night. . .