<div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/KzDJuUK.jpg)<br/><br/>(http://i.imgur.com/KV72Q5h.jpg)<br/><br/>(http://i.imgur.com/E7QXyYp.png)</div><br/>Bo nodded,<strong>"Follow me in, keep moving, don't let it hit you.  Golems could break half the bones in your body with one lucky hit."</strong>Then Bo turned and hefted her spear, beginning to charge into the courtyard.<br/><br/><em>"Do your spell, then I want you to try and pick up those soul fruit and use them to help us against that damned golem.  Keep one of them back for yourself though, just in case you need to make a break for it."</em>Zerxel told Shugar.<br/><br/>Shugar nodded and began chanting something in a guttural language as she held one hand over her abdomen and the fetish that hung from her string belt there.  A glow bled from around her fingers, though if it was coming from the fetish or her body, Zerxel wasn't sure.  With her other hand she reached up and caressed one full breast before pinching the nipple tightly.  Her chanting came to a crescendo and she tugged on the nipple, causing thick white milk to leak from the tugged nub.  Rubbing her fingers in the cream she reached out and touched Zerxel's scimitars, causing each to glow a dull white for a moment before nodding to the dark elf.<strong>"I'll do what I can, but I'm no necromancer, my ability to use the soul fruit quickly is very limited."</strong><br/><br/><hr/><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">The Temple Prime of Cyril<br/>Classroom Emerald </span><br/>Two months BDS (Before dungeon start)<br/><br/><strong>"So that covers the basics of how the soulfruit works and how it can be a second chance for a contestant who can get into a bad situation,"</strong>the class's teacher mage Ianna said wrapping up that section on soulfruit.<strong>"Are there any questions on how a contestant's soul becomes soul fruit in the dungeon before we move on?" </strong>She looked around the classroom, ten students in this afternoon's class, and none spoke up so she moved on.<strong>"Now I'm sure all of you have been doing your assigned research in the library, as well as having seen previous dungeons, so let me start the next section by asking you what it is a contestant can do with a soul fruit if they find one in the dungeon.  I want to see what you know before we move onto the facts.  Who'd like to answer first?"</strong><br/><br/>Astrid Einar, the gnomish priest was unsurprisingly the first to raise her hand.  When mage Ianna nodded at the gnome, she spoke up quickly,<strong>“The most commonly seen application of soul fruit is that a contestant who holds it can eat the fruit. They gain some power from the fallen contestant and then either after a short time or possibly up to a few days later, 'birth' back into life the fallen contestant whose soul was contained inside the fruit.  This method has several advantages, as it usually grants the consumer some restoration to their health, it quenches any thirst they might have, removes any hunger, any pain, or any exhaustion, and when they birth the fallen contestant, the fallen contestant is then in thrall to them via a geas for the remainder of that level.” </strong><br/><br/>Mage Ianna nodded,<strong>"and the disadvantages of this most commonly used application?"</strong><br/><br/>Astrid chuckled slightly and said,<strong>“Most notably the consumer takes on a bit of the corruption and lust that the fallen contestant had at the time of their demise.  Plus if the method of ... um... pregnancy... is a longer one, the contestant might find themselves physically hampered for a day or two due to their gravid belly.” </strong><br/><br/><strong>"Very good, thank you Astrid,"</strong>the teacher said,<strong>"Who can tell me another way the soulfruit might be used by a contestant who finds one in the dungeon?  Yes, Satou?"</strong><br/><br/>The feral looking cat woman stretched slightly and smirked before answering,<strong> "You can fuck it."</strong><br/><br/>The class giggled slightly, but the teacher nodded,<strong>"Yes, vulgar but correct.  A contestant can willingly masturbate, while rubbing her nethers with the soulfruit, and if she acheives orgasm, can push the soulfruit deep into herself.  There it transforms into energy and lodges in her womb.  But what are the advantages of doing so?"</strong>When Satou shrugged the teacher sighed and explained,<strong>"Absorbing the power of the soul fruit in this way is a much more intimate method of bonding with the soul of the fallen companion.  You receive no healing, no nourishment, but at the same time you would take on very little of the fallen contestant's lust or corruption.  You would still, after a time, birth life back into the contestant and she would still be in your thrall till the end of that level however.  Anyone else know a use that hasn't been mentioned?"</strong><br/><br/>Xara did not raise her hand, but simply spoke,<strong> "A soul fruit is exactly what it sounds like, a fruit containing a soul.  Souls are powerful components to magical spells if you know how to work them, as I do.  Sacrificing the soul of a contestant weak enough to have fallen can produce powerful results if you have the skill to work them.  In addition, even for those not skilled enough, a contestant may eat, but not swallow the fruit.  Doing so literally consumes the soul inside, as long as the flesh of the fruit is spit out.  Doing so grants the consumer power, without the unnecessary shackles of having to birth a contestant that was too weak to survive on her own."</strong><br/><br/>Mage Ianna nodded,<strong> "But why do most people not choose to use this method Xara?"</strong><br/><br/>Xara snorted,<strong> "Because most contestants are weak fools who are too squeamish to try to seize power when it is offered to them?"</strong>But when the teacher glared, she sighed and answered,<strong>"Because doing so is considered by most people to be an evil act, and possibly leads to the loss of potential sponsors."</strong>She quickly added,<strong>"Not that they are of as much use once inside the dungeon as the potential gain that would be had in consuming the soul if you ask me."</strong><br/><br/>The teacher nodded, as if almost hesitatingly agreeing with Xara,<strong> "It is true that inside the dungeon one must always balance risk versus reward, immediate power versus potential.  Now, lets go over some of the specifics..."</strong><br/><br/><hr/><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">The Dungeon, second floor.<br/>Present time</span><br/><br/><strong>"Go, quick!  I'll support you and Bo!"</strong>Shugar said as the white glow faded from Zerxel's weapons.  She pointed at Bo, and Zerxel's eyes followed the dwarven woman's spear as it slammed into the side of the clay golem, shattering off pieces of it's rib like shards of pottery.<br/><br/>Even as the spear throw landed, Bo was still charging at the golem.<strong>"Avuz otad!"</strong>she cried, causing the spear which was clattering on the ground beyond the golem to teleport back to her hand in an instant.  The golem seemed to forget about the imp, which was dancing about trying to avoid the crushing blows from the golem's stomping feet.  Now Zerxel knew her blades were enchanted, and she could damage this creature, it was her turn to spring into action.<br/><br/><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Zerxel's Stats</div><div class="spoiler_body">Zerxel's Stats<br/>Attributes:       Traits:                  Hits:<br/>3: Body               Acrobatic          0<br/>4: Mind               Calculating         0<br/>3: Soul                Diplomatic         0<br/>2: Minimum Lust       <br/><strong>2</strong>: Current lust<br/><br/>    Skills<br/>2:       Swordswoman<br/>1:       Rogue<br/>1:       Dark Elf<br/>1:       Mage<br/>1:       Seductress<br/>1:       Fiendish Corruption<br/>    <br/><br/>Current items of note;<br/>Compass / watch<br/>Two plain but sturdy scimitars<br/>Zerxel's Enchanted Lingerie<br/>Pale amethyst nipple rings of protection<br/>Two small meals<br/>Map of level 2<br/>Healing potion<br/>Brace of throwing knives<br/><br/><br/>Current spell effects;<br/> <strong>Shugar's "Blessing"</strong><br/>As long as a bit of Shugar's juices remain on Zerxel's skin, and they are within line of sight of each other, Zerxel gains one automatic success on any roll.  This blessing will fade in time unless 'reapplied.' <br/><br/>See the OOC thread (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=234676.msg11913405#msg11913405) for further details</div></div><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">ooc</div><div class="spoiler_body">Ok, so I went back and forth on how I wanted to handle combat here.  I didn't want to roll for Bo or Shugar, as this is YOUR story, they are supporting characters for YOU.  So what I've decided is this.  You're going to roll your combat rolls as you would normally, using whatever skills and abilities you think make sense at the time.  In addition you gain TWO automatic successes for Bo's assistance, and as mentioned in the stats section you have "Shugar's Blessing" which grants you another automatic success.  However, during combat if you lose a roll, it may be Bo who takes the hit, and not you.  If this happens Bo's Bonus drops to 1 automatic success because of her injury.   I haven't forgotten about the imp, and think he may come into play randomly when you're not expecting it, or when you really need it.<br/><br/>I will say this, the golem is NO JOKE, and probably the toughest thing you'll fight on this level, so, be ready, be smart, and hopefully a little lucky.   :)<br/><br/><br/>The golem's first attack roll:<br/>Roll Result: rhev rolled: 6d6  +1 auto success<br/>Comment: Golem combat roll<br/>Result: 4, 1, 4, 1, 6, 3, <br/><br/><strong>TOTAL =5 successes</strong><br/><br/>That shouldn't be too bad.  if Zerxel gets 5 successes (remember she gets 3 automatically already) she ties.  6 is a victory for the first round.  Describe it as much or as little as you like, but it's going to take a total of 6 victories to fell the golem.  Then if you like make a second attack roll for the second round.</div></div>