Work Text:
Entry 1
Today Is the day I set out on my journey into dimwood, to slay a great beast and claim my title as a hunter. The years spent training as a ranger will finally culminate into a successful hunt. I'm more prepared than most would be, with the encyclopedia of my mentor and what they've taught me I'm sure to return victorious!
Entry 2
Not an hour into my journey I came to a narrow section of path, guarded by a small mushroom creature. When I went up to it, it stood tall, brandishing an icky pointed stick towards me. My first encounter! The dim light seemed to be pulled towards it defensibly, and it was readying small attacks against me. I readied the dimshield to my chest, not needing to brace for a light change, as it was already dim. A darkness emanates from my blade as I swing it into the creature, surrounding us both in lightlessness. The creature remained steadfast despite the damage, and it no longer having the opportunity to shield itself in the dim light. I take another swing, assisted by the surrounding darkness, reducing the mushroom to 2/3rds its life. The dirty truffles it threw at me bounced lightly off my shield, leaving no damage, but its snack of poultice healed it a little. The creature was clearly made for the light, and would be no match for me. I readied a shimmer to prepare for its next attack. The darkness allowed the bludgeoning force of my quick step to hit twice, and I landed another blow with my blade. Steeping back I saw it try wielding the stick, but not only was the dark impeding its vision, the branches were writing in protest. It only managed to scratch itself twice before returning to projectile truffles. A single strike from my blade ended its life. The surrounding vegetation, a dirty truffle and the darkness was all that was left which I simply ignored. Such an easy fight put my mood high. I was completely unscathed. I continued onward.
Entry 3
Ahead lay a tree way split. The movement of lights to the left clearly indicated a stronger monster, and I was ready to fight. An elite slab golem stood ahead of me, with the power of a subglubose bound to it, which increases its defensive capabilities when using many mushroom attacks. Luckily, attacks with many mushrooms is not something slabs have. I readied my dimshield and cast a defensive shimmer which also harnessed the dim light to mildly destabilize my foe. Fully protected, I released the darkness from within my sword as I struck them soundly. Its defensive "dismiss light" did nothing in the darkness surrounding it, but no change of light could prevent the rocks it hurled. One bounced off my shield and one off the shimmer, leaving the golem with three rocks left next to it. I sliced the creature once more, and finding myself off balance with my sword, set up two shimmers, more than necessary for what it seems to be telegraphing. Without clear vision, the pebbles it tries to collect only chip its rocks, and do nothing to assist it. The rock it throws is easily deflected by the excess of shimmer. It curls defensively using a tumble, surrounding itself in the dark. I set up another shimmer before attacking with quickstep and darkblade once more, leaving it just under half dead. Once more the pebbles act as a detriment and the rock glides past me. The light becomes a tier brighter as it affixes a dim scrap to its chest, giving the slightest defence. I make another cut and things are dark again. I could see it preparing its most dangerous move: tough. Luckily the assistance required from the dark is all that gives the move power, and a simple lightswitch spell near completely eliminates the threat. A final full bright shimmer is enough to completely protect me. Its usage of moss, tough, and rock do nothing but give it the smallest possible defence. Two slashes and a quickstep finish it off. Two artifacts lay before me, a concentrate, which allows strong abilities to become stronger, and a dim pendant, which gives a small help of offense or defense in the beginning of a battle, made more or less impactful depending on the amount of dim light controls the user has for battle, as well, it can attach a dim light cast to an action. Neither seem of particular use so I select the concentrate. It will at least be of some use for when I am tinkering at my next rest. As I grab it, the darkness envelopes the other relic, as I was told it would. Perhaps one day I will grab both at once to see what happens. Stories of disrespecting the lights have made it pretty clear that whatever it is, it won't be good, so for now I will refrain. The rubble strewn about after the battle was also of no interest to me, and so I continued onwards
Entry 4
I have finally found a nice place to rest and prepare for the journey ahead. I make a fire and prepare my sleep setup before a small meal. My encyclopedia becomes useful as I spend the extra time I have to salvage my tools and optimize my routines. I dissemble the dimshield and transfer its dim essence to the lightstate of a shimmer.
Entry 5
Another fight! This time with a starnose mole. My strategies seem to grow repetitive and so I shall only remark upon new or notable occurrences. This mole is the most fragile of beasts I have encountered thus far, however it is capable of tool use. I have seen it wield a broken trident as well as a spork. It seems to favour abilities brought out by the light, which allows me to have the advantage as I keep things dark. I defeated it without injury. After the battle I found it holding the ability to beguile, which I kept for myself. I will now be much more protected in the dark.
Entry 6
While continuing through the forest, I came across an odd hooked blade. It had hazardous spikes but could also darken, assist in attacks and heal. I assigned its powers to the dim light and a particular move of my dark blade, for which it would be most effective.
Entry 7
A boon from the forest! Three relics lay before me, the sai, forked shrooms, and unicorn horn. For the forked shrooms I have no mushroom attacks to increase the spread of, other than the one I would receive, and for the sai dealing too much damage hurting me, even if attacks of a certain strength are doubled, is too much to work around. The unicorn horn however, letting my healing remain potent throughout a battle is very good since I just found the hooked blade. As well it lets me make a skill more damaging as well as heal me. The other relics return to the forest as I take my prize. Another instance of my moves for the dark blade become stronger
Entry 8
A butterfly carries the whispers of the forest, allowing me to strengthen and gather darkness with my quickstep. I find a place to have camp and salvage a shimmer, adding a good defence to my hooked dark blade move.
Entry 9
The strength of the forest itself is made known to me when I come to a portion of dense branches. Navigating through is arduous but I discover a way to use my ability to beguile to do great harm, at a small cost. At the end of it, I find a small creature with an old log as a shell. It holds a shield and a stick like a sword. It is once more a creature with no affinity for the dark, and is defeated easily. Nothing it leaves behind is of note.
Entry 10
The path branches once more, and there is shifting of lights once again. I hoped for a strong enemy to test my strength against. I found the bunny of legend! Not known for being powerful, but their kind is most interesting to scholars everywhere. At the start having darkness is of benefit and my attacks bring them down to a quarter health. They use demystify, crown, and barkskin defensively. I attacked again but couldn't damage it. It repeated its moves. Another of my volleys just breaks through. I saw the cursed staff damage it even though it wasn't used. It only defends again, this time also dispelling darkness, making things dim. When it finally readies its staff against me, I've already won. I feel like it would have been more interesting if it was still here though... regardless, it left two artifacts. A sewing kit which lets me imbue an action with any type of light change, and a lockpick that hurts my enemies when I add or remove locks on the light level, and lets me imbue a move with a lock. I choose the lockpick and add the lock to the dark blade move that is assisted by the unicorn horn. It seems a detriment but I take the cursed staff. It may become very powerful, as it does very good damage for each light change it makes. I also picked up the lorecatcher they had despite not having a bestiary to add to, It seems a good weapon.
Entry 11
Another boon from the forest. Three relics. Pliers, subglubose, and moonburst. I don't use mushrooms so it won't be subglubose. Pliers let me move abilities from one action to another, such as light changes or damage, and moonburst does small damage and defence when I change the light level, which is reasonably frequent. It may be worse due to the opportunity cost but I chose the pliers to make the cursed staff stronger.
Entry 12
I immediately took two breaks, fully ruining a lightswitch to make the cursed staff stronger. It now lowers the light level, makes it bright, and makes it dark. It is my strongest weapon. I came across spiders after. The staff did just under half their health in inoptimal conditions. A spider bite is also the first damage I've taken so far. I decided against taking the serrated daggers they left behind.
Entry 13
Another fork in the road leading to another elite creature. They are called the botanist and use mushrooms in their attacks, usually in dim light levels. I took some damage but am more than capable of healing. I was able to use the staff. It worked wonderfully. I could pick from relics but they were useless. The creature had a step move I could incorporate into my repertoire which was useful without reducing my chances of using the staff.
Entry 14
I encountered a shop. I didn't think anyone lived out here. At the price of giving the shopkeep a small portion of my health I could get stronger, add abilities to moves or learn new actions. I was able to add energy, damage, and I got a stamp to change the light level to dim. Unfortunately nothing for the staff.
Entry 15
I rested and made the staff stronger with light change from lightswitch.
Entry 16
A strange padlock modified a version of shimmer. If it had been the staff everything would have been ruined. I'll be careful.
Entry 17
I encountered a scarecrow. The staff more than half killed it. The scarecrow could not hurt me. Its corpse had nothing useful.
Entry 18
Another forked path, another strong enemy. Deree. It was dead before it could attack. It left a dark pendant and another relic. The dark pendant could make the staff stronger. They didn't have anything else that mattered.
Entry 19
A firebug opposed me. It died to the staff. It had nothing of use
Entry 20
I stopped to make the staff stronger. It can change the light level 6 times now.
Entry 21
Another boon. Canine, faerie honey, and pinecone. Canine would do damage and heal for each instance of self damage. faerie honey added many random effects to actions. Pinecone would make any action that does not do damage or protect me, do so a little bit. All could help the staff in some way. I eventually decided on pinecone, for its consistency and defense.
Entry 22
I took another break to make the staff stronger. 7 light changes now.
Entry 23
My final opponent. One of the great beasts appeared before me. A Glawer. I started with quickstep, step, dark blade, and two glimmers. It defended and healed thrice with displace. I used my dark blade and beguile for more damage and defence. It used riddle, reassign, and prophecy, for strong damage. It hurt a bit, but I finally found an opening to use the staff. It was dead. I could go home and claim my title, but what's there to gain there. If I stay I can make the staff stronger. I could find another bunny. There's so much more to do.