Chapter 14: The Great Rabbit Hunt, (2)

Chartok the Necro Wolf was having fun. It was always cool to make a villainous statement followed by summoning some undead and laughing at the poor humans. The following fights might go for or against him, but he really lived for the opening moments.

These pitiful fools were no exception. He loved the looks on their faces. No steely look of determination, just big eyes and 'oh shit, we're so screwed' attitudes. These lowly little humans needed a lesson in not venturing too far out on their first day of playing hero. Chartok rolled his eyes. Just look at them! Some homemade padded armor? Clubs and pointy sticks. It had been hilarious watching them struggle against the bunnies. That's what made up his mind to start a fight.

His resources were a tad low. He'd been having a good time leading a pack of enslaved wolves from farm to farm causing trouble and wracking up some cheap experience. Then out of nowhere they got jumped by a squad of five heroes - and not neophytes like these jokers. They actually knew how to fight. He'd lost his wolves and spent a good chunk of mana getting away. He'd planned on a nice meal and taking a nap to get his mana back, but changed plans when he saw his favorite eating spot was taken. These weren't the same humans he'd been beaten by, but they'd do for petty revenge.

"This is bullshit! Where the hell did this guy come from?" Rolly had his spear held out in front of him hoping to just keep the skeletons from chomping down on his ankles.

Ben grabbed Suzette by the collar and pulled her back and in the middle of the the rest of them. "Keep the wolf busy if you can, Suzy. Just keep tossing darts. He's some type of caster. Rory, if you can pin one through the ribs with a spear, that might keep them in place and make them easier to hit. Try to use the club in your other hand to beat it down. Hopefully the old rules about crushing weapons on skeletons apply." The horde didn't really 'surge' forward as much as it slowly crawled. Fat Rabbits didn't move fast when alive, and these were even slower. Both Rory and Ben got in spear thrusts that managed to tangle in the skeletal bunny ribcages, but their attempts to pound on them were hampered by more of the horde inching forward.

Ozzy had no such problem. He brought his cleaver down on one of the zombie rabbits and cut it cleanly in half, blood spurting every where.

You have hit a Zombie Fat Rabbit! Because you are using a cleaver and hitting dead meat, the skill "Hack Flesh" is used instead of damage from a default weapon.

You have done 180 points of damage to Zombie Fat Rabbit.

You have destroyed Zombie Fat Rabbit.

Experience is being calculated....please continue.

Ozzy barely noticed the message and just kept hitting the Zombie Fat Rabbits. He then moved on to the Skeleton Rabbits. This was just butchering to him and he fell into the groove automatically. Hack! Hack! Crunch!

You have hit a Skeleton Rabbit ! Because you are using a cleaver and hitting dead bone, the skill "Cut Bone" is used instead of damage from a default weapon.

You have done 180 points of damage to Skeleton Rabbit.

You have destroyed Skeleton Rabbit.

Experience is being calculated....please continue.

Chartok didn't like seeing the carnage Ozzie was producing. Oh, that big one was going to be a problem. He was literally butchering his minions. Time to.....ouch, dammit, that hurt!! He saw two pointing things sticking out of his hip. While watching Ozzie destroy his undead rabbits, Suzette had stuck two darts into his flank.

You have taken 2 x 10 points of piercing damage. Your natural mitigation reduces this to a total of 10 piercing damage. Your health has been reduced to 590/1000.

Surprisingly painful, but actually quite feeble. Ignore the female. Time to take out the big one. A little of the 'Run screaming as your life drains' should work. Green tainted energy built up around him and formed into a spectral skull that rocketed towards the human threshing machine.

Ozzy didn't know what hit him, but it was so scary!! He took off running towards the nearest place to hide - the rabbit blind. His Health started ticking down as this happened. He made it to the blind and curled up into a fetal position taking more damage as the spell hurt him and healed the wolf.

Ben and Rolly managed to destroy two skeletons with multiple hits of their clubs. Ozzie had managed to destroy all the others in the same time. Only one skeleton and the wolf remained. Rory moved towards the skeleton, sharing a look with Ben. Ben moved up on the wolf with Suzette behind him. The wolf seemed amused, his eyes bright and his tongue hanging out.

Suzette threw two more darts at him which the wolf didn't even try to block or dodge.

You have taken 2 x 10 points of piercing damage. Your natural mitigation reduces this to a total of 10 piercing damage. You have been reduced to 700/1000 health. Your spell of lifedraining has ended.

120 points healed meant he'd done 240 points of damage to the large human. Impressive - he wasn't dead yet; but close enough. One bite would finish him off. Speaking of bites....

Ben saw the wolf lunging at him like he was in slow motion....no, the wolf actually was moving pretty slow. Still, it managed to easily take hold of his left thigh and bit down hard, shaking him back and forth. The bite took him from slightly wounded to under half. Bens return strike just skidded off the wolf's hide.

You have taken 120 points of damage from an animal bite, and another 60 damage as it worryed the wound. You are below half Health and not feeling well.

Suzette moved to the wolf's flank, still being ignored. She took hold of the darts sticking out of wolf, grabbing and twisting two of them, making the wound larger. The wolf ignored her as it continued to mangle Ben. Suzette poured the contents of a small vial over the wound.

"Ben, run, that will slow him down. "

But Ben wasn't going anywhere. The wolf bore down with its jaws, snapping his thigh bone, and ripping the main artery.

Yeah, you really aren't feeling well. You are dead.

You have killed a human adventurer, level 1. You gain 100 experience. His carcass is unsuitable for turning into a zombie or skeleton.

You have been given a quest: Collect them All!

Kill the entire adventuring party and receive 100 necromancy points. Players killed: 1/4

Oh, goody. Chartok loved quests. The points he earned could be used for so many useful upgrades. He turned on the annoying female who was playing with his butt. Dammit, what had she done, he felt so slow. He was still faster than her though!

As Suzette tried to hold onto the wolf so Ben could run, she saw him slump to the ground. The wolf spun and went for her throat, knocking her down. It took a bit, he really was moving slow, but the outcome was never in doubt.

You have killed a human adventurer level 0. You gain 50 EP. Her carcass is unsuitable for turning into a zombie or skeleton.

Quest update: 2/4 Players killed.

Status Update: You have been poisoned. Melee damage is halved. Movement is halved. You dodge like a Fat Rabbit.

Bah, melee is over-rated anyway. Spells are more fun. Don't need to run after humans when you have spells. Oh, and here's one now. Rolly had finished the last skeleton bunny and had run to help his friends - too late. But he was an excellent distraction that kept Chartok's attention as Ozzie returned to the fight.

Chartok noticed something block out the sun just as the log slammed into him.

You have hit Chartok the Necro Wolf with a caber.

You have done 230 points of damage with the caber.

Ozzie had come to his senses with only 40 Health left. As he started to run back, he saw the logs Rolly had cut for expanding his rabbit blind. He picked up the first and heaved it in the air end over end at the wolf. It landed horizontally and slammed down onto its back, knocking it down. He grabbed a second long and flipped it at the wolf, but his aim wasn't nearly as good. This one was going to miss. Cabers were not as easy to throw as darts.

Rolly saw the trajectory of the log and knew it was going to miss. He also knew that he had no chance against the wolf. Grabbing the wolf by the tail, he heaved it five feet over to the spot where his brain had placed a bullseye. This triggered several messages at once.

Rolly

You have died. If we could, we'd give you the EP for your own death!

Heroes always return stronger, and that was a heroic death!

Such a loyal friend deserves a reward. Your bond with Squirmie has been strengthened and is not broken by your death.

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Ozzie

You have done 270 points of damage to Rolly. You have killed Rolly.

Gain 50 EP in Caber. Gain 50 EP in STR.

You have done 270 points of damage to Chartok the Necro Wolf.

Chartok has decided he doesn't like you.

A human wishes to play 'Fetch the Stick' with you, but his sticks are too big.

You take 540 crushing damage. Your health is reduced to 160/1000. Your spine is broken. Movement is a slow crawl with your front legs. You are really bad at fetching the stick.

Fetch?!!! This human was going to die, and he'd play fetch with his skull!

Chartok didn't have much mana left, but enough for a small lifedrain over time. Yes, just enough to kill the pesky human and heal himself. His mana drained to 0 as he cast the spell. Instantly his health went up by 10 points while his opponent took 20 points of damage.

You have been hit with a spell of minor life drain. You have taken 20 points of damage. Your health is reduced to 20/280. You will take 20 points of damage every 6 seconds until you are dead, or have lost a total of 200 damage. Yeah, we know you're dead next round, but thought you'd like to know what the spell did. You're welcome.

Ozzie was moving as fast as he could towards the wolf. He had the last log from the pile, but it was only eight foot long and the butt end of the tree. It didn't count as a caber and he couldn't throw it. - But he could swing it. He brought it up over his head and slammed it down onto the paralyzed wolf. He heard a loud 'Crunch' as the wolf's skull was pulverized. And then he didn't feel so good, and fell to the ground next to his friends.

Congratulations! You have killed 4/4 of an adventuring party.

You have completed the requirements to reach the next tier.

You have gained 100 necromancy points.

You have died. Err, again. Destroyed, lets go with destroyed.

Your current body is destroyed.

Would you like to spend 100 necromancy points to move your spirit to the next suitable body?

Y/N?

Benedict

You have died.

Your party has destroyed Chartok the Necro Wolf, Level 5 elite.

For killing an Elite mob 4 levels higher than your own you have earned 10 Core Skill points.

Roland

You have died.

Your party has destroyed Chartok the Necro Wolf, Level 5 elite.

For killing an Elite mob 5 levels higher than your own you have earned 15 Core Skill points.

Suzette

You have died.

Your party has destroyed Chartok the Necro Wolf, Level 5 elite.

For killing an Elite mob 5 levels higher than your own you have earned 15 Core Skill points.

Oswald

You have died.

Your party has destroyed Chartok the Necro Wolf, Level 5 elite.

For killing an Elite mob 4 levels higher than your own you have earned 10 Core Skill points.

"Stephen, I need your input on something."

"Can it wait, Wally? I'm certain you noticed, but Theoden is slapping spears and it's almost time for a lot of orcs to get their butts handed to them."

"Don't worry, I'm pausing our movie. Watch this instead."

The beautiful cinematography of Pelanor Fields faded away. Replacing it was a pretty little meadow where a much smaller fight was playing out. Stephen watched it all the way through without commenting. This was obviously something happening in the game.

"Those are workers?

"Yes, some of ACME corporation's Contract Workers near the town of Sedgewick. They have a day off and went out to kill bunnies."

"Good for them. But I don't understand - that big guy is a murder machine. He sliced through the undead stuff like a Berzerker. And how the hell was he chucking telephone poles. Great teamwork with the little fellow. A bit suicidal, but it worked. Nice wipeout at the end. Bunnies: Dead. Workers: Dead. Boss Wolf: Dead."

"Destroyed. Technically his body was already dead".

"So noted. But what do you need input on. The telephone pole tossing?"

"No, that's working as intended. Caber throwing is one of the hidden Primary Skills. He earned it fairly and managed to use it in this fight. It's a bit situational, to say the least."

"I need your feedback on a combination of skills. The man was given the Butcher specialization. He has two skills that let him use a cleaver to Chop Bone and Hack Meat. Because of how weapon skills for a Contract Worker are negated, he can't use the cleaver as a normal weapon. It would normally do 60 points of damage as a slashing weapon plus his STR bonus. Against the normal Fat Rabbits it did a base of 10 damage and counted as a default weapon with a horrible chance to hit."

"So we had two systems running for him against the undead. The melee system calculated 10 damage from a default weapon plus 30 for his STR and his chance to hit was 11%. Base 1% for using a default melee weapon plus 10% for being a level 1 Contract Worker."

"The system governing his Butcher skills calculated damage as 60 for the cleaver, plus 30 for his STR, and doubled that for the skill bonuses from Hack Meat and Chop Bone. His total of 180 is equivalent to a low level player using a Great Sword. His chance to hit was calculated at 60%. Base 50% plus 10% for being level 1 Contract Worker."

"As normal, he received the highest of the two attack % and damage calculations. The input I need from you is for calculating his EP. Butchering EP would be negligible. But butchering also assumes the dead meat is just laying there and not trying to kill you. Fighting undead carries significant risks."

"Let me guess, this falls into the category of 'WALLY has a way he wants to handle this but needs to say he consulted the human led Game Design team for clarification."

"Very good, Stephen. I propose giving him a secondary skill called Hack Undead. This is a Butcher only skill you can earn by killing undead. He will receive EP at the Secondary Skill rate. Target must be undead, and he must be using a cleaver. The associated characteristic will be STR. As head of the Game Design team, do you concur?"

"Yes, as the head of the Game Design team I agree with your solution. Send a memo to the rest of the team, along with the video, that was a fun fight to watch."

Stephen started to settle back into his seat, but then sat up quickly and his eyes opened wide as he looked at the frozen scene with four dead players and the boss wolf. "WAIT! They killed a Boss!"

"They certainly did. A level 5 Elite. About as low as you get for a Boss Mob, but they were punching way above their weight level, and succeeded. They each earned a nice chunk of Core Skill Points. They will be receiving the basic list of ways to spend those while waiting to respawn."

"WALLY, start a file on these players. Put it on my desktop to review, and send it to the rest of the team."

"Done. Back to Pelanor fields?"

"Actually, lets watch that fight with workers again and then we can skip ahead to the elephants."

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