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[flabort]

The first field!
Long Journey, Short Memories
Turn 0

Four wizards have gathered. Monsters are visible on the horizon. Dark clouds mar the sky. A shimmering image stands before the group.

"You have been gathered here for the purpose of hunting down, destroying, and fighting shadows. I know, I am unfamiliar to most of you; this is your first contact with any of us for a great many of you. But rest assured, you are here because the Wizard's council needs every wizard they can get."

The holographic council member coughs uncomfortably before continuing.

"The series of clues and notes that has lead you here was to make sure you were adequately equipped to survive; you may find the quest a bit difficult, though. In compensation for accepting this... task, the council is willing to reward you with wealth and magic items."

He gives the wizards a skeptical look, as if he doesn't really believe he could be stuck gathering and directing wizards that aren't part of the council.

"I've been assigned to locate and deploy any gemcrafting wizards I can find, and am your link to the council. Contacting me should be simple; just rub your hand on the amulets on the ground before you."

Sure enough, right underneath him is a pile of enchanted stones - typical amulets. Each wizard takes one, and the council member continues.

"Right now I want you to clear out any monsters in the Bluesoul Valley; that's where you are right now. A few shadows have been reported in the area, but it's a big valley. If you have any troubles, contact me. Good bye."

The image shudders and then breaks apart, sputtering into blue flames and small pops. The sounds of monsters approaching start to grow loud, and the four wizards prepare themselves.

Spoiler: Field Layout (click to show/hide)

Orb
Space for 1 tower and 1 trap/trench
Section 1 -> Orb
Space for 3 towers and 1 trap/trench
Section 2 -> 1
Space for 2 towers and 1 trap/trench
Section 3 -> 2
Prebuilt Tower
Space for 1 more tower and 1 trap/trench
Section 4 -> 3
Split Path
Space for 1 tower and 2 traps/trenches
Section 5a -> 4
Space for 3 towers and 1 trap/trench
Section 5b -> 4
Space for 2 towers and 1 trap/trench
Section 6a -> 5a
1 mana shard (contains 250 mana)
Space for 2 towers and 1 trap/trench
Section 6b -> 5b
Space for 3 towers and 1 trap/trench
Section 7a -> 6a
Space for 3 towers and 1 trap/trench
Section 7b -> 6b
1 mana shard (contains 250 mana)
Space for 2 towers and 1 trap/trench
Section 8a -> 7a
Space for 1 trap/trench
Monsters spawn here
Section 8b -> 7b
Space for 1 trap/trench
Monsters spawn here

Clair [2+2-1][6+2-1] 12023/420 mana
Could potentially make single grade 1 gem. [4+1-1]Starts with a flawed grade 2 gem.
Sofia [5+1][65+2] 350/480 mana
Could potentially make a grade 3 gem and two grade 1 gems.
Rune [2+2+1][3+1+1] 180/450 mana
Could potentially make a grade 2 gem or three grade 1 gems.
Cromwell [2+1-6][1-6] 70/300 mana
Does not have enough mana to make any gems right now.

No towers built. Cost= 100, give or take
No traps built. Cost= 100, give or take
No trenches built. Cost= 70, give or take
No space for walls.

(Note : Potential ability to make gems reflects a Gem Forgery roll to determine how much it would cost; you can choose to make that much, less, or none at all to save up. Actually creating the gem takes a Clarity roll. Also, you can try to make a gem beyond your mana, but it will be at a penalty)
(Also, ouch, gem similarity bonuses/penalties really biting mastahcheese in the foot. Trusts no-one indeed.)

Player Statuses

Spoiler: Scapheap (Clair Harrier) (click to show/hide)

23/420 mana
Flawed Grade 2 Dual Gem worth 93 mana
Slow - Splash
Hit 3d3 monsters
Range 2 (current section and neighboring sections)
Deals 3d2 damage to each hit
70% chance it takes 2 turns to go through next section
Deal 5% damage dealt to all monsters in section. (can deal up to 54 for 3 damage)
Chance to heal monsters (1d6:1). Healing counts as damage for components.

Scouting CURRENT FIELD
Wave 1: [1] Normal (4hp each, 4 armor, 10 monsters)
Wave 2: [6] Normal (2hp each, 4 armor, 12 monsters)
Wave 3: [3] Swarm (2hp, 1 armor, 19 monsters)
Wave 4: [1] Normal (11hp, 6 armor, 16 monsters)

Teamwork Bonuses:
Sofia: +1
Rune: +1
Cromwell: -3

Spoiler: HFS (Sofia Aurora) (click to show/hide)

350/480 mana

Teamwork Bonuses:
Clair: +1
Rune: +1
Cromwell: -2

Spoiler: CoolRune206 (Rune) (click to show/hide)

180/450 mana

Teamwork Bonuses:
Clair: +1
Sofia: +1
Cromwell: -1

Spoiler: Mastahcheese (Cromwell Jackson) (click to show/hide)

70/300 mana

Teamwork Bonuses:
Clair: -3
Sofia: -2
Rune: -1

After a brief discussion, you get into your orbs. You can see each other in your orbs, and the amulets allow you to talk telepathically with each other, in addition to contacting the council.

[Coolrune206]

Rune Contacts the Council. "Sorry, I have bad memory loss. How do I do this all again?"

[HFS]

"I'll take that prebuilt tower. Could someone build one in section 4?"

Create a Grade 3 Fire gem and put it in the tower.

[Coolrune206]

"No way- It's best to start with a freezing tower first, to whittle down their resistance to attacks!"

Create a Grade 2 Freezing tower and place it in the tower-.... Wait... Is it possible for me and HFS to combine gems then put the combined one in the tower? If so, and if he agrees, do that. If he doesn't agree, then try to place mine in.

[mastahcheese]

((I have no mana, and penalties to working with anyone.


...Sweet.))

Head over to Section 6a, nab that mana shard.

[HFS]

"I have an idea - if at all possible, perhaps with someone elses' mana, why not turn that grade 2 gem into a grade 3, then combine it with the Fire gem? Grade 3 Fire/Freezing!"

[flabort]

I'll be trying to handle any questions, and let you guys know when something is or isn't possible, as often as possible.

Spoiler: Issues and plans (Q/A) (click to show/hide)

((I have no mana, and penalties to working with anyone.

...Sweet.))

Head over to Section 6a, nab that mana shard.

Yeah, side effect of my gem compatibility system, and everyone else going for major splashy effects.
Even with any of the 'bound' gems not producing penalties, there's still others that did.
These penalties won't apply when in different fields.

Also, mana shards do not work that way, by shooting them with a gem in a tower (or really close trap) you collect the mana from it; this mana then goes into everyone's pools.

If you want, you have enough to make a trench, or to combine two gems together; or you could save up.
Just a reminder, your special ability is three times as effective with a trench.
Also, there is trying to stretch your limits. There's no risk of needing mana to banish monsters at the moment, as it will take a few turns for the first wave to reach your orbs. I could foresee you overcoming the penalty and succeeding at an action.

"No way- It's best to start with a freezing tower first, to whittle down their resistance to attacks!"

Create a Grade 2 Freezing towergem and place it in the tower-.... Wait... Is it possible for me and HFS to combine gems then put the combined one in the tower? If so, and if he agrees, do that. If he doesn't agree, then try to place mine in.

This is acceptable; you might get more bang for your buck by combining same-grade gems (he makes a grade 2, you make a 2, then combine).

"I have an idea - if at all possible, perhaps with someone elses' mana, why not turn that grade 2 gem into a grade 3, then combine it with the Fire gem? Grade 3 Fire/Freezing!"

My somewhat fluid math tables tell me that if Rune makes his grade 2, Sofia makes her grade 3, and everyone else contributes basically everything else they've got, you could together upgrade the grade 2 into a grade 3, then... not quite have enough to combine them; you could stretch your limits for a penalty, but this increases the odds of it being very flawed.
Or you could start with Claire's gem, upgrade that with her's and Rune's mana, and have Cromwell combine that with sofia's grade 3.

Rune Contacts the Council. "Sorry, I have bad memory loss. How do I do this all again?"

"Were not shadows on the loose, I'd be questioning my sanity about now... I'm not certain on your exact fighting style; each wizard learns differently and develops their own patterns. But as a gemcrafting wizard, or at least you appear to be why else would I even be talking to you, you can channel mana into creating gems, which when put on a high vantage point with good resonance, such as the tower not too far from here or one you can build yourself, can fire energy at and destroy monsters."

The council member coughs impolitely.

"One of my fellows claims he also senses the aura of an elemental wizard around you. I have no idea personally how that works, but it shouldn't be hard to figure out."

[scapheap]

"I have an idea - if at all possible, perhaps with someone elses' mana, why not turn that grade 2 gem into a grade 3, then combine it with the Fire gem? Grade 3 Fire/Freezing!"

"Could you make that a chain hit? It would increase the effectiveness of this grade 2."

[Coolrune206]

"Hey, if it's chain hit, I could make mine chain lightning or freezing or melting- Melting + Chain hit would have a high chance of killing alot of things, no?

[HFS]

"Grade 3 chain hit from me? Can do."

Chain Hit instead. Same action.

[Coolrune206]

Focus my weak magical skills on generating more magic, so I can next turn combine my new Lvl 3 Melting/Freezing with his Chain hit to be unstoppable.

[flabort]

So, before I update, the current plan is:

HFS makes a grade 3 chain hit
CoolRune waits and tries to focus on generating more mana.
Mastahcheese does the same.
Scapheap combines the grade 3 with her grade 2, and that goes in the tower.

Is that right? I feel I have Scapheap's or CoolRune's wrong.

[mastahcheese]

Change my action to Trenching the spot with the aforementioned mana nugget and I'm good.

What do trenches do, again?

[flabort]

They slow down monsters, are cheaper than traps, and your ability afflicts them with a DoT effect.
Traps require gems to be slotted in, deal very small damage, and are more expensive. Add in the cost of the gem, and trenches are often more effective.

Update in a couple hours. I'll start rolling.

[flabort]

The First Field
Long Journey, Short Memories
Turn 1

Sofia [3+3] Sofia creates a grade 3 chain hit gem. Something is making it vibrate, lots. (Increased damage, increase gembomb effectiveness)
She uses 273 mana.
Clair [4+1-1] Consuming all her remaining mana, Clair combines her grade 2 gem into Sofia's chain hit gem, creating a grade 3 triple gem.
Cromwell [2-1-6] Trying to dig a trench, Cromwell is distracted by flashy colors and accidentally miscasts, creating a massive mound instead. It still slows monsters, but prevents any towers from being built. Virus does not apply to the mound. Monsters on the mound take 20% more damage from nearby gems.
A surge of mana causes Cromwell to not spend any mana doing this, though.
Rune [No roll] Rune saves up mana.

The gem fits snuggly into the tower. It hums and start resonating nicely, then glows with energy as it charges itself up for firing on the aproaching monsters.

As the wizards cast their spells, the first wave of monsters arives. 5 squidlike scorpion things aproach from the north, and 5 similar creatures from the south.

Spoiler: Field Status (click to show/hide)

Orb
Space for 1 tower and 1 trap/trench
Section 1 -> Orb
Space for 3 towers and 1 trap/trench
Section 2 -> 1
Space for 2 towers and 1 trap/trench
Section 3 -> 2
Prebuilt Tower
Grade 3 Triple Gem
Hits 3d4 monsters, deals 4d4+2 damage to each
Range 2
60% chance it takes 2 turns to go through next section.
Deal 4% damage to all monsters in section.
25% chance on hit to strike another monster.
Deals 50% extra gembomb damage.

Space for 1 more tower and 1 trap/trench
Section 4 -> 3
Split Path
Space for 1 tower and 2 traps/trenches
Section 5a -> 4
Space for 3 towers and 1 trap/trench
Section 5b -> 4
Space for 2 towers and 1 trap/trench
Section 6a -> 5a
1 mana shard (contains 250 mana)
Space for 2 towers and 1 trap/trench
Section 6b -> 5b
Space for 3 towers and 1 trap/trench
Section 7a -> 6a
Space for 3 towers and 1 trap/trench
Section 7b -> 6b
1 mana shard (contains 250 mana)
Mound, stops monsters for two turns. Cannot be built on.
Section 8a -> 7a
Space for 1 trap/trench
Monsters spawn here
Section 8b -> 7b
Space for 1 trap/trench
Monsters spawn here

Spoiler: Monster Status (click to show/hide)

Section 8a
4/4 hp, 4 armor
4/4 hp, 4 armor
4/4 hp, 4 armor
4/4 hp, 4 armor
4/4 hp, 4 armor
Section 8b
4/4 hp, 4 armor
4/4 hp, 4 armor
4/4 hp, 4 armor
4/4 hp, 4 armor
4/4 hp, 4 armor

Next wave in 5 turns

Clair [2+2-1][4+2-1] 0+40=40/420 mana
Could make a single grade 1 gem.
Sofia [3+1][12+2] 77+60=137/480 mana
Could make two single grade 1 gems.
Rune [1+2+1+1][4+1+1] 180+60=240/450 mana
Could potentially make a grade 3 gem.
Cromwell [5+1-6][4-6] 70+10=80/300 mana
Did not consume mana from creating mound.
Could potentially create a grade 1 gem.

No towers built. Cost=~100
No traps built. Cost=~100
No trenches built. Cost =~70
No space for walls.

Statuses coming soon, to an edit near you!
Basically just empty inventories and your updated mana bars, plus Scapheap/Clair's scouting, which is in the previous update.

(Mastahcheese's penalties almost negated by some lucky mana rolls this turn; I couldn't see the mound's formation coming, but that's fine. Better than it could have been. Instead, my dice spread the bad luck out tonight.)