The Alchemist at Hell's Gates

26

^^ the Spring Court Tree ^^

I sprang into action immediately, sprinting down into the spiraling huts attached to the sides of the tree, all the way down to the bottom, and began setting up a pair of traps in the shape of Fog-Makers; I poured a bottle of Grand Catalyst keyed towards Endothermic Reactions, an Illusion Potion, and a Rage Potion into the Smoking Bottle, shaking it to mix it, and waited a moment for it to settle, staring at it expectantly.

Formula Created: Fog of War!
Fog of War: This Smoking Bottle creates a freezing fog that imparts the effects of Confusion, Rage, and Cold Damage to all hostile creatures who travel within it; unlike Miasma, the Fog is clearly visible, and will freeze solid instantly if exposed to fire or electricity. Dmg = 10 x Con/Second.

"Perfect!" I grinned, setting one on each side of the entrance, buried under the wood so it wasn't capable of being reached without some serious effort, then fed a third to my Smoking Slime.

Skill Discovered: Fog of War!

"Alright, you stealthily go to the Stone Gate and sit above it, pouring Potent Paralyzing Miasma and Potent Disorienting Miasma onto those who come through it until no more come through, and I'll give you more orders then." I sent it slipping off into the shadows and then raced into the structure, crafting little traps and dart throwers as I went, using my Greater Arcane Traps so that the Archers couldn't disarm them. I set up more of the Fog of War Bottles at every choke point, randomly placed inside hallways, and even a few out in the open, just begging to be popped open and turned into a Cryogenic Grenade. A similar Smoking Bottle was releasing my Potent Paralyzing Potion at several points along the passage, being activated by the Ice Damage they received along the way and giving them another dose almost immediately, but it would be misconstrued as an affect of the Ice.

"Now that I see you in action... your class is basically designed for PvP." Jack commented, standing at the top of the stairway as I laid a pressure plate trap to drop a string of Catalysts into a spark-box.

"I'm pretty sure you're correct..." I nodded, then looked into my satchel to check the amount of Potions I had left; I was almost entirely dry, now, but the entire Court Tree was packed full of traps. My gaze was drawn away from my work as a second Gate started building itself out of brambles and stone, at a 120 degree angle to the other two Gates. "And here comes the rest of the party..." I sent the Smoking Slime that way, because I was sure that the two Factions would go towards each other as soon as they arrived, so trapping the Route would be almost as good as trapping the entrance.

"30 Light Faction Members have Survived Round 1 and entered Round 2! 35 Dark Faction Members have Survived Round 1 and entered Round 2! The Grey Faction has Cleared Round 2, but may stay to assist the Light and Dark Factions, or move on to Round 3 at Any Time! As a reminder, using the Monsters of the Gate to PvP will reward Credits, even by Association, but will remove the Grey Faction's Neutrality Buff, -95% PvP Damage!!!" The GM's voiceover gave me a small heart attack, but I recovered swiftly and moved Jack and myself to stand with the others.

"So if we do nothing, and the other Factions die, we get the PvP Credits, but we lose our huge resistance to PvP Damage? For how long?" Kenny hummed, opening Chat quickly.

GM Notice: '1 Month, including the New Years Event.'

"One month... is this Faction-Wide, or just us?" I frowned at the chat screen.

GM Notice: 'Faction-Wide, I'm afraid; on the Plus Side, no one will know it was your party... unless you somehow spread that news Beforehand?'

Uric slowly rubbed his temples, and shook his head when Hellen glanced at him. "No, we didn't, I mean, we sort of did, but we didn't, it wasn't..." he groaned in apparent agony, sitting down on a log chair nearby.