Chapter 157. Defiled Catacomb
[How about the Defiled Catacomb in Nevesk first? That way, you'll finish all Dungeons in that area. Next, you could go to Maulwood near Margrave. There's also Immortal Emanation near Kyovashad, as well as the Forsaken Quarry.](Helen)
"Mhm. Let's go with that."
[You didn't even look on the MAP.](Helen)
Seeing the woman charmingly roll her eyes, Michael smiled and kissed her.
"That's because I trust your judgment more than I trust my own."
[*Scoff* More flowery words.](Helen)
"The strange thing is that besides the ones you mentioned, I can only see the Dead Man's Dredge near Yelesna and Zenith next to Kor Valar. If I didn't count wrongly, I'm missing three Dungeons from my MAP."
[Hmm... I don't know them all off the top of my head, but I can get you a map of all the Dungeons in Fractured Peaks if that helps.](Helen)
"That would be lovely, thank you! In that case, I'll go for Defiled Catacomb, Maulwood, and Zenith today. That way, I'll have enough time since the first two are close to the cities, while the last... well, I'll be able to clear it before nighttime."
The duo walked to Zivek's place again since Michael's inventory was full once more.
On the way there, he opened the Herb Cache from his last Quest with the lost husband and gained 6 Gallowvine, 2 Lifesbane, 2 Howler Moss, 1 Biteberry, 1 Reddamine, and 1 Blightshade.
There was also a Rare two-handed sword, but alongside all other items of the same quality in his inventory, they were salvaged and traded for materials.
That resulted in 24 Iron Chunks, 3 Silver Ores, 25 Rawhides, 6 Superior Leathers, and 20 Veiled Crystals.
Next, they visited Deyman's Occultist shop, hoping to get his help regarding the four remaining Legendary items in the Necromancer's inventory.
[ Bonescale Shield of Occult Dominion
Legendary Shield
475 Item Power
-----------------
356 Armor (+43 when compared with the currently equipped item)
* 53% Blocked Damage Reduction
* 20% Block Chance
* + 80% Main Hand Weapon Damage
* + 91 Thorns
------------------
* +4.8% Basic Attack Speed
* +10 Life on Kill
* +7.0% Damage Reduction from Distant Enemies
* +7.5% Barrier Generation
Legendary Aspect: Your maximum number of Skeletal Mages is increased by 2. (Necromancer only) ]
[ Hulking Adventurer's Helm
Legendary Helm
461 Item Power
-----------------
576 Armor
* +11 Life Regeneration while Not Damaged Recently
* +6.0% Crowd Control Duration
* +3.5% Cooldown Reduction
* + 2 Ranks of Decrepify (Necromancer Only)
Legendary Aspect: Your Golem has a 10% chance to reduce its active Cooldown by 2 seconds and a 5.0% chance to spawn a Corpse each time it attacks an enemy with a normal attack. (Necromancer Only). ]
[ Band of Empowering Reaper
Legendary Ring
452 Item Power
-----------------
* +3.1% Resistance to All Elements
* +3.1% Poison Resistance
------------------
* +8.5% Damage to Distant Enemies
* +1.8% Critical Strike Chance
* ++8.5% Damage to Stunned Enemies
* +2.8% Lucky Hit Chance
Legendary Aspect: Damaging enemies with Sever has a 12% chance to spawn a pool of Blight under the target that deals 48% bonus damage. This effect can only happen once every 3 seconds (Necromancer only). ]
[ Loop of Gore Quills
Legendary Ring
436 Item Power
-----------------
* +3.2% Resistance to All Elements
* +3.2% Fire Resistance
------------------
* +6.5% Physical Damage
* +12.0% Damage to Distant Enemies
* +108 Maximum Life
* +2.1% Lucky Hit Chance
Legendary Aspect: Casting Bone Lance will consume Blood Orbs to also create lances from them. Each additional Blood Lance will deal 41% of normal damage and prioritizes targeted un-lanced enemies (Necromancer only). ]
Upon seeing that the Legendary Aspect from the Bonescale shield could be used only on amulets or other equipment but not rings, the duo was at a loss.
Sighing, Michael paid 28,815 gold coins to extract the Aspect from the shield before deciding what to do next. His gold reserves dropped to 267,348, but it couldn't be helped since it was a good Aspect to have.
[ Utility Aspect of Occult Dominion
Legendary Aspect
475 Item Power
--------------------
Your maximum number of Skeletal Mages is increased by 2.
Allowed Item types:
*Shield
*Helm
*Chest Armor
*Boots
*Gloves
*Amulet ( Power increased by 50%). ]
Upon seeing the 50% increase for the amulet, Michael's eyes popped with indignance, but he couldn't give up his current safety bubble.
It was literally a lifesaver, even if having three extra Accountants sounded impressive in its own right.
Leaving the Occultist shop, Helen looked at the distressed Necromancer and chuckled.
[What about the rings?](Helen)
"I cannot decide... *Sigh* They are of a higher level and pretty strong, but I'll lose 250 Armor because neither has slots."
[You do know you can add slots to them at Aunty Kratia, right?](Helen)
"What!? Really?"
[Mhm. But you'll need 2 Scattered Prisms to do that. It's a material similar to the Coiling Wards, Baelful Fragments, and Abstruse Sigils, only used for accessories. I can give you two since I have tons saved up.](Helen)
Receiving the trade request, Michael looked at Helen as if she were his savior, making the woman laugh.
Kratia agreed to help but charged Michael 33,617 a piece for the process. Speechless, Michael paid and decided to sell the next batch of items he gets from Dungeons, or else he might become bankrupt.
Then, as if to soothe the poor Necromancer, Kratia helped him unsocket the gems from the rings for free, while Idania offered 8,000 gold coins to buy the two rings from him.
Leaving the shop with only 208,114 left, Michael felt even more compelled to repeatedly abuse every Dungeon he could find.
His stats page didn't experience many changes, except for a slight increase in Life Points, thanks to one of the rings.
[ Class: High Necromancer
Attack Power: 639
Armor: 3,113
Life: 1935
--------------
Strength: 249
Intelligence: 302
Willpower: 324
Dexterity: 277 ]
[Now what? The skill points?](Helen)
"Mhm. I have four of them to distribute. What do you think?"
Ultimately, the couple decided to put them all in Corpse Tendrils since it would increase its damage and significantly decrease its cooldown.
[ Corpse Tendrils (4/5)
Corpse | Corruption
--------------------
Cooldown: 9.27 seconds
Veins burst out of a Corpse, pulling in enemies, stunning them for 3 seconds, and dealing 161 damage to them. It does not consume the Corpse.
Modifiers:
1. Enemies who are in the range of Corpse Tendrils are Slowed by 50% before being pulled in.
2. Enemies damaged by Corpse Tendrils become Vulnerable for 3 seconds.
Damage type: Physical. ]
"I might change it later, as the damage it deals is not that impressive, but the cooldown decreased by 25%. Furthermore, adding Decrepify's cooldown reduction on top of it all, I could cast it at least four to five times during a fight with multiple enemies."
[Mhm. It's a decent upgrade, but you could do better. You'll probably change it after reaching Level 50 and going through your Second Class awakening. You might change your entire skill build at that point, depending on what you get.](Helen)
It wasn't the first time he heard that. According to Helen and her sisters, what every Wanderer gained after the Second Class Awakening might differ. The three extra slots for active skills were the most common gains, but others got much better deals unique to their Class.
Before leaving for Nevesk, Michael also sold his Legendary helm to Zivek. As much as he needed the money, the rare materials were even more critical. In the end, he gained an extra Coiling Ward and 1 Rawhide.
Kissing the tigress goodbye, Michael traveled to Nevesk through the Waypoint and headed for Defiled Catacombs after giving the City Guards a detailed enough account of his future whereabouts.
As its name implied, the Defiled Catacombs were exactly that... a resting place for the dead.
'More undead, huh?'
Upon entering the premises, the Sanctuary initiated the Dungeon Quest.
[ Dungen Quest issued - Defiled Catacomb
Objective: Slay all enemies in Dead Harkening. ]
It shouldn't be mentioned by now anymore, but the interior of the Dungeon was 'decorated' with tons of skeletons, as skulls were everywhere: floor, walls, ceiling... it was so over the top that it wasn't scary anymore but absurd instead.
As the Necromancer advanced through the smelly rooms, he met the usual undead Skeletons and quickly disposed of them. As the Dungeon was easier to deal with due to its element, Michael decided to fight more on the frontlines.
That way, he could adjust better to his new attributes.
'The architecture of this place is quite intriguing. Three statues... two priestesses holding strange spears, while the one they're guarding is a woman with a crown on her head. I know too little of the history of this world, but I somehow doubt there was ever an empress or something similar in this world... Though, with how the strongest Wanderers in all regions are women... it's not that hard to imagine...'
Shaking his head and continuing his massacre. He found a chest Pathfinder opened and gained a Rare item box.
Later, just as he was finishing the last three Skeletons, ten summoning circles appeared around him. As soon as the two Skeleton Captains decided to run at him, Quarterback used his taunt, and Michael escaped the encirclement with his Evade skill provided by the boots.
Once the last undead fell, the Quest updated.
[ Dungeon Quest updated - Defiled Catacombs
Objective: Travel to the Spiral Crypts. ]
He found the location in question after moving through some narrow halls and descending a flight of stairs.
The Spiral Crypts's entrance was guarded by two stone Skeleton statues, wearing crowns and wielding swords and shields.
Michael changed his mind and gave the devil in charge of this Dungeon an extra five points for style.
[ Dungeon Quest updated - Defiled Catacombs
Objective: Destroy the Skeletal Constructs (0/4). ]
With the objective pointed out, the Necromancer got busy.
Five minutes later, he discovered a Resplendent Chest, which became a Cursed Chest Event. Plenty of undead Ice Clan goatmen and various demons and spiders joined the fight, only to be decimated by his minions and low-cooldown skill combo.
'I was right about this skill being crucial in Dungeon clearing. I could use it five times in less than a minute before. Utterly disgusting!'
Happy with the progression, Michael opened his prize and was rewarded with four rare item boxes and 37,820 gold coins.
The Event itself also awarded him 7,240 experience points and 1,400 gold coins.
The first Skeletal Construct was right ahead, and after its destruction, a Unique Elite woke up angrily.
[ Ernaldus Earthshaker (Elite) - Level 47
*Waller: Manipulates the earth to create a wall around the target. ]
It, alongside the minions summoned by the construct, fell in quick succession, allowing the Necromancer to move forward unobstructed.
The second Skeletal Construct was less than three hundred meters away, and the second Unique Elite joined the fight after its destruction.
[ Wrevris Blinkswift (Elite) - Level 47
*Teleporter: Teleport randomly in a 10-meter radius range to avoid taking damage. ]
Laughing at their stupid names, Michael collected the loot after kicking the bones aside and happily moved forward.
Checking one of the strange rooms filled with the bones of the deceased, Michael found a strange piece of paper. The system identified it as 'Hastly Written Note,' implying that it might correlate with either the Dungeon or a Side Quest.
[Damned woman! Liar! I'm trapped here by her ancestor's magic and the undead. Whatever treasure that you were told you would find in these halls is a lie. The relic is a curse. My own greed has cost my friends their lives and soon mine. If you're reading this note, then it's too late. You will share this tomb with the rest of us. - Orlah]
Raising an eyebrow, Michael drew some conclusions from the note.
'First off, they were likely tomb raiders, or in coarser terms, grave robbers. Secondly, they were tricked into searching this place, most likely before it became a Dungeon. As for the bamboozled, it should be a witch capable of magic, probably a descendant of that crowned woman I saw the statue of. Interesting...'
Ignoring the dramaticism of the note, Michael continued his hunt for Skeletal Constructs since he was halfway done with them.
After activating an Artillery Shrine, which sent light arrows flying into any enemy in his field of view, he walked in on another Event.
[ Dungeon Event joined - Sole Survivor
Objective: Keep the wounded City Guard safe.
Mastery: Defeat five waves and keep the City Guard alive (0/5). ]
As it was a timed Event, Michael managed to clear only four out of the five waves before the time expired.
Feeding a Healing Potion to the City Guard, Michael asked him what the hell he was doing in here.
[The number of undead around the Defiled Catacomb increased lately, and we were worried that an overflow might happen. We entered as a party of four. My friends and I got separated and hunted down by these creatures.](?)
Seeing the hurt in the man's eyes, Michael helped him up to his feet and guided him back to the entrance.
He was weirded out by the fact that he somehow encountered another party clearing the Dungeon when usually they wouldn't interfere with each other. That's how the system worked. Different instances for each party entering.
Scratching his head in confusion, Michael returned to his search for Skeletal Constructs and found another Resplendent Chest in the spot where the wounded City Guard was found.
Much to his amazement, the chest rewarded only gem fragments, and he got 500 fragments for each type, significantly boosting his hoard.