It was a tense but awkward moment as Walt and the Thaumaturgist stared each other down, the cell phone tower in flames below them. He could tell she was scanning him, pulling up his identity, record and class.
“An NPC who actually passed all his Trials!” Shae said. She was taken aback. She looked from her system read-out, her pupils returning to normal to gaze at him in a new light. Her lips tightened with suspicion. “This Earth has card games, doesn’t it?”
There was another explosion about half a mile away. It sounded like a million fire crackers going off. It startled Walt but Shae seemed unsurprised. With the explosion came a huge crackle and the sound of an enormous generator powering down.
The city of Crossville, which could be seen as a grid of lights from his vantage point, suddenly disappeared. It was like someone flipped a light switch, turning off the power to a whole city, casting it in darkness. It was a brown out.
Had someone blown up an electrical substation?
Shae looked over at the city without power and smiled, her face illuminated in the flames of the burning cell-phone tower.
Walt used the moment to dart away on his winged boots. He leaned forward at an angle and pointed himself at Cumberland Mountain. He wasn’t in any state to duel right now.
It was 3 a.m. Walt’s otherwise normal day had been ruined by an apocalyptic invasion from another Earth. He had already fought in three duels with three of the invaders and had travelled from Georgia to Tennessee. He had survived all sorts of monsters and a high-rise collapse. In between he had formed an alliance with a senior citizen and had interrogated a Psycho Slinger. To say he was tired was an understatement.
“Where do you think you’re going?” a voice said, disturbingly close. He looked above and saw the Thaumturgist keeping pace with him, flying above him, propelled by her fluttering cloak that seemed to drink in the starlight.
He frowned and willed the Boots of Nemora to fly faster. The wind was rushing by him now as he picked up speed, separating from the woman. He descended lower and flew into the mountainous forest, weaving between trees. Thin branches slapped him in the face and chest, scratching his skin.
Shae’s laughter followed nearby. She was chasing him and although he couldn’t see her, he knew she wasn’t having an issue keeping up. “I’ve never seen a Voidlock flee so fast before!”
Walt grunted and he went vertical to avoid slamming into a rock face. He shot up, bursting out of the trees and ascending the cliff face. He glanced behind him and saw the Thaumaturgist shoot out of the forest and race after him up the mountain wall.
He entered a mountain glade strewn with boulders and trees. As he skimmed over the rocks, an airstream whipped him forward and then yanked him back. He seemed to be thrown into a violent current of air. He tried to fly out of it but he was caught in the swirling wind. Around and round, and up and down he went.
[Examine]
[Cyclone]
Cyclone. Spell. Set: Elementalist’s Spellbook. Rarity: Common. Summon the power of the wind to subdue your opponent.
Root your opponent in a cyclone.
Cost: 2 Vigor Stones
Walt felt dizzy from spinning around. It was like being stuck in a vertical wind tunnel. And then a giant, glowing hand materialized.
[Examine]
[Mage Hand]
Mage Hand. Minion. Set: Arcanist’s Keep. Rarity: Common. A spectral hand of arcane energy.
Arcane Slap: 3 Attack, Cooldown: 6 seconds
Health Points: 3
Cost: 1 Vigor Stone
The hand reached into the cyclone of wind and plucked the bag from his back. It delivered it to Shae, who had landed on the ground. She held the bag in her hands and unzipped it. The blue light of the forge shined onto her face. Her eyes lit up with surprise and she smiled.
“Nice Card Forge!” she said.
“It’s not yours!” Walt said. “Let me out of here and give it back!”
As Walt did another rotation in the cyclone, floating on its currents, he ejected a card and summoned his Wand of Green Skulls. He took aim and fired at the Thaumturgist. But within the violent wind, his aim was off and the Green Skull went shooting in a different direction, taking out the top of a tree.
Shae clicked her tongue and waggled a finger at him. “Now, now! That’s against the rules! You’re lucky you didn’t do me bodily harm!”
“What about you?! I’m stuck inside of a cyclone!”
“Ah, you’re fine. Just rooted. Maybe a little bruised up. But I’m not trying to kill you. Yet.”
[The Flame of the Silver Tongue Wants To Duel You]
[Accept Y/N?]
He sighed. “Do we really have to do this now? Can’t we set a time and location to duel tomorrow? Like in a John Wayne movie?”
“It’s this or I leave with the Card Forge. You think you can follow me with your measly boots? My cloak is way faster.”
[Examine]
[Cloak of the Arcane Current]
Cloak of the Arcane Current. Item. Set: Arcanist’s Keep. Rarity: Epic. A spellcrafted cloak, threads woven from arcane energy itself and imbued with the power of the wind.
Swift Flight.
Duration: 4 Turns
Cost: 4 Vigor Stones
“The forge is already registered to me,” Walt said.
“You think there aren’t ways to wipe the registration and make this my own? To the victor go the spoils. That’s the Slaynami way.”
Walt stared at her holding the bag with the Card Forge. He couldn’t just let her run away with it. It was his and him and Richard had earned it.
Resigned, Walt accepted the Duel.
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#
As the cyclone disappeared, Walt’s boots and wand re-gauntleted. He landed on top of a boulder. “Ow.”
…Battleboard Initializing…
Battleboard Zone Secured
The blue matrix fencing off the duel zone shot into the sky.
[Psychoslinger 20005]
Versus
[Psychoslinger 32309]
2 minutes until match commences…
Psychoslinger 32309, Walt Harmon, will draw first since Psychoslinger 20005, Shae Jordan, aka The Flame of the Silver Tongue, initiated Duel…
Shae’s cyclone, cloak, mage hand and staff had disappeared. She sat on a large rock and cycled through her card collection. “Babe’s gonna be pleased. A Card Forge and I’ll have another win on my belt! All on the first day, too!”
Walt watched her. So, she wasn’t alone. She was working with other Psycho Slingers to take out Crossville’s power and communication grids.
“Who’s Babe?” Walt said.
She looked up at him, her eyes just visible above the grid of cards in front of her face. She batted her long eyelashes. “My boyfriend of course.”
“Is he the one who blew up the electrical station?”
“I’ll never tell.”
Walt’s attention went to his gauntlet. It was time to choose his weapons. He revisited the deck he collected off the Necromancer, Ricky Z., to see if the dark caster had any special tools against thaumaturge casters.
Martyr of the Undead. Minion. Set: Necromantic. Rarity: Epic. A human thaumaturge who yearns to become Undead.
Counter Spell.
Reveals other Necromantic cards in your hand, but Martyr will sacrifice itself to block a Targeted Spell.
Frost Bolt: 5 Attack; Cooldown: 10 seconds
Health Points: 12
Cost: 3 Vigor Stones
Counter-spell? Against a heavy caster? Could be mandatory. He found another potentially useful card.
Blood Psalmist. Minion. Set: Necromantic. Rarity: Epic. Court Psalmist of the Lich Council.
Dismiss two random cards for the remainder of the Duel. Return Target Minion from your card graveyard to the Battleboard.
Blood Song: 8 Attack; Cooldown: 10 seconds
Health Points: 15
Cost: 4 Vigor Stones
This card would essentially allow him to use a minion twice. Paired with something beefy, he’d be able to double its value. If the duel lasted that long, that is.
There was still a minute left, so he opened up the Slaynami Shop to quickly scan if there were any useful cards he could afford with his three-hundred Slaynami credits.
Under the Dark Casters menu, he mentally clicked on the Darkened Soul Arts set. If he was going to play his upgraded Desecrate X card, best to try and find something from the compatible set. He searched within his price range and one card caught his attention.
Blood Imp Mother. Minion. Set: Darkened Soul Arts. Rarity: Rare. The blood imp brood matriarch, who protects her children with the toxicity of a feral mother’s love.
War Whoop: Summon 5 Blood Imps with Flying.
At the beginning of your Turn, this minion loses 5 Health Points.
Blood Web: 15 Attack, 10 Poison Per Round, Cooldown: 30 seconds
Health Points: 25
Cost: 10 Vigor Stones
And it cost exactly three hundred credits, which made him do a double take.
He had two Blood Imp cards. It was a decent minion for two Vigor Stones. It didn’t have many Health Points, but it had a Projectile Vomit attack that was also a poison. A poison that triggered every round.
This poison was an effect that could be buffed by Desecrate X. It wasn’t much, but if there was an Imp Mother and five Blood Imps on board, that could become a serious problem real fast for his opponent. And the Blood Imps had flying, which was something his cards for the minion didn’t have. The ten Vigor Stone cost of this card didn’t phase him, because he could just play it for Health Points with his upgraded Soulbloom card.
A plan, as long with a deck concept, was formulating in his mind.
[Purchase Blood Imp Mother Card]
[Y/N?]
He paid the three hundred credits for the Blood Imp Mother card.
[Thank You For Your Purchase!]
[Card Has Been Added To Your Card Collection]
He looked at the panel on his gauntlet and saw that Blood Imp Mother was indeed in his collection. He ejected it and it hovered before him. He began building his deck, arranging the cards in a grid in front of him.
Soulbloom, Level Two (10 Health)
Necro Flash Heal (1 Vigor Stone)
Soul Armor (1 Vigor Stone)
Blood Imp (2 Vigor Stones)
Blood Mirror (2) (2 Vigor Stones)
Hell Mirror (2) (2 Vigor Stones)
Martyr of the Undead (3 Vigor Stones)
Blood Worm Bomber, Level Two (3 Vigor Stones)
Levitical Hellfiend (3 Vigor Stones)
Desecrate X, Level 2 (3 Vigor Stones)
Gnomesucker (4 Vigor Stones)
Blood Psalmist (4 Vigor Stones)
Boots of Nemora (4 Vigor Stones)
Wand of Green Skulls (4 Vigor Stones)
Replicate (5 Vigor Stones)
7-Fingered Ghoul (7 Vigor Stones)
Life Leech (8 Vigor Stones)
Crucible Configuration (8 Vigor Stones)
Salvatore’s Phylactery (8 Vigor Stones)
Blood Imp Mother (10 Vigor Stones)
He studied the deck. It was designed to maximize his Darkened Soul Arts damage. And it provided multiple routes for delivering the damage. Not only through minions, but potential combos. He had the feeling Shae was going to try and burst him down quick with spells and crowd control, so he had made sure to include cards with healing and armor as well.
Turn 1
Vigor Stones 1/1
03:00
Begin
Draw?
The three minute countdown timer began.
02:59…02:58…02:57…
Walt’s gauntlet fired and his deck shuffled. He drew and the edges of five cards popped out of the slots. He called them forth. His hand hovered in front of him.
Salvatore’s Phylactery
Hell Mirror
Blood Mirror
Soul Armor
Gnomesucker
Not much he could do this turn, but not totally useless either.
Shae had stood to her feet and was bracing herself for Walt’s play. He decided to run down the clock to get information out of her.
“So, is this boyfriend of yours a Psycho Slinger?” Walt said.
She looked up from her hand. “What’s it to you? Wait, are you jealous?”
“You’re not exactly my type.”
She flinched.
So, she’s vain.
“You wish you could have the chance,” she said.
“At least you think highly of yourself.”
She scoffed, trying to hide her offense. “And who the fuck do you think you are? Just because you got lucky with your Trials you think you’re someone now? Well, consider me your reality check.”
Walt raised his hands. “So touchy! You’re the one who brought it up, by the way. I was just asking about your boyfriend.”
“All you need to know about him is that all the cities and towns in this zone will belong to him soon.”
“He’s taken a liking to the Bible Belt, huh?”
“Is that what you call this shit hole?”
“At least it’s not as cold as where you come from.”
Her eyes widened and then narrowed. “Who are you?”
He tossed his card above his head. The card morphed into a purple and green Voidlock crest and there was the sound of a hammer hitting an anvil. The crest suddenly morphed into metal and solidified. It hovered over his head. He had gained armor.
Voidlock
Armor: 10
Health Points: 100
“I’m who you said I am,” Walt said. “Just some NPC who got lucky with his Trials.”
Then it was Shae’s turn. She flicked a card between them. There was the sound of a hundred raven wings fluttering and from the distortion in the air a robed and hooded figure emerged. Crackling arcane energy flared around the long-limbed minion.
[Examine]
[Scrollkeep the Immortal]
Scrollkeep the Immortal. Minion. Set: Arcanist’s Keep. Rarity: Legendary. The eternal record keeper of the Thaumaturgist Card Codex, a former wizard who has ascended into their final Arcane Form.
War Whoop: Draw three extra cards.
Death Cry: This card returns back to the owner’s hand.
Arcane Command: Imprisons enemy minions with less than 10 Health Points, binding them to the card graveyard with an Arcane Anchor. Cooldown: 30 seconds.
Health Points: 5
Cost: 1 Vigor Stone
Walt’s eyes almost popped out of his head as he examined the card and minion.
What the fuck. A Legendary card right off the bat? And it had seemingly hard infinite card draw?
Every time he or a minion killed that card, it would return to her hand. And she’d be able to play it for one Vigor Stone and draw three more cards.
If he killed that minion, Shae was going to gain an insane card advantage over him with each term and overwhelm him with the sheer number of cards she would have access to. If he left it on the board, it would essentially send any of his minion that fell under ten Health Points to the card graveyard.
“He’s cute isn’t he?” Shae said. She winked and three more cards shot out of her gauntlet, joining her floating hand in front of her. “Scrollkeep’s a real sweetie. You’ll see.”
Walt gritted his teeth and braced himself for the worst.
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Glossary
A WORD ON COMBAT:
*Author Note: Please keep in mind, this story is a rough draft. Also, I’m an author first and game designer of a fictional game second. I will work hard to keep the mechanics and stats in check, especially if they are immersion-breaking. But ultimately, the mechanics and card game rules work to serve the story first.
Battleboard Arena: The three-dimensional designated zone where two Duelists duel.
Battleboard Barrier: Three-dimensional grids of blue energy to that define the limits of the Battleboard Arena. It is impossible to pass through the grids. Trying to traverse a barrier results in death. The barriers disappear once a Duel is finished.
Death Cry: Card effect that triggers when a minion dies.
Health Points: A card duelist’s health. Usually starts at 100 Points. When it’s depleted, the duelist dies.
Hellpriest: A priest of an extra-dimensional Hell ruled by the deity, Leviathan. Summon the creatures and powers of Leviathan to punish your opponent into pain and ecstasy. Hero Ability: Heal. Heal self or a minion for 10 Health Points. Cost: 1 Vigor Stone
Hero Ability (aka Psycho Ability): A power or spell a Duelist can use that’s specific to the Duelist’s class. These increase in cost the more they are used throughout a Duel.
Turn: A 3 minute duration split into two parts wherein Duelists can make their moves and play their cards.
Prio: Priority. 1:30 Duration. Duelist who has Prio means they control the segment of the Turn wherein they can play their cards. They have a minute and a half to play their cards. At the end of the duration, Prio passes to their opponent, whether they play a card or not. A Duelist with Prio has the right to pass their segment of the Turn to their opponent.
Pass: Option to pass the Turn to your opponent.
Slaynami Corporation: The mysterious corporation from another version of Earth who owns the rights to the game Slaystone and funds and organizes tournament.
Slaynami Card Gauntlet: A device of advanced and mysterious tech that holds all of the cards for a Duelist. Allows the Duelist to organize cards, build decks and play their cards. It’s linked to the Slaynami System Interface
Slaynami Chronico: A recording and streaming device made from mysterious tech, provided by the Slaynami Corporation to Psycho Slingers for official Slaynami Corp streams.
Slaynami Interface: The UI that allows an individual to interact with the Slaynami System
Slaynami System: Slaynami Corp’s system that connects to an individual and links their mind, brain and body to the designated Slaynami OS. Enhances an individual in various ways, giving them the power of the system at just a thought.
Vigor Stones: The resource used to play cards.
Voidlock: A Darkened Artist who uses the power of souls to tap into unbelievable power. Hero Ability: Soultap. Trade 10 Health Points for 1 Vigor Point. Cost: 10 Health Points.
War Whoop: Effect that’s triggered when a minion arrives on the Battleboard.
Class Compendium
Slaystone ? Class Compendium
Class is the primary factor of a Duelist’s powers and abilities. Each class represents a unique role and determines a Duelist’s Hero Ability and which card sets they are able to use.
There are ten base starting classes that may evolve into more advanced classes by using Psycho Points, Card Gauntlets and Evolver Cocoons. Information on Advanced Classes and the Ultra Slinger and Apex Slinger forms is included in the Slaynami ? Advanced Form Slinger Compendium.
The ten base classes are:
Bloodhound: Tough and resourceful hunters who can track any beast, man or monster through both the wilds and cities. Hero Ability: Tame Beast. Can tame a nearby animal and turn it into a dangerous minion. Cost: 1 Vigor Stone.
Silentblade: Sneaky and agile assassins who use subterfuge and stealth to get intimate with their opponents. Hero Ability: Stealth. Can blend in with the shadows and their surroundings to disappear from sight. Cost: 1 Vigor Stone.
Steelclad: Warriors and sell-swords who use steel and iron weaponry to control the battlefield and armor to soak up otherwise dangerous attacks. Hero Ability: Battle Frenzy. Gains 10 Armor and Enrages, doubling damage with weapons. Cost: 3 Vigor Stones.
Voidlock: A Darkened Artist who uses the potential of souls to tap into unbelievable depths of power. Hero Ability: Soultap. Trade 10 Health Points for 1 Vigor Stone. Cost: 10 Health Points.
Necromancer:As master of the undead, Necromancers have the power to summon an undead army to overwhelm and consume opponents. Hero Ability: Summon a Skeleton Minion. Cost: 1 Vigor Stone.
Thaumuturgist: Practitioners and masters of the Arcane arts. They wield powerful single-target and area of effect spells to blast down their opponents and arcane trickery to manipulate their opponent’s attacks. Hero Ability: Arcane Blast. Arcane energy blasts out of the mage, dealing 10 damage to nearby opponents. Cost: 2 Vigor Stones. 2 extra Vigor Stones per accumulative use.
Cardcleric: Wielders of the White, who use the healing powers of their benevolent Deity to administer purifications, cleanses and mending during times of conflict. Hero Ability: Battle Blaze. Healing blessing that heals self or target for 6 Health and an additional 6 Health Points the next Turn. Cost: 1 Vigor Stone.
Hellpriest: Supplicants and clergy of Leviathan who rules over the Hell dimension. Use Leviathan’s power for both pain and pleasure. Hero Ability: Heal. Heal self or minions for 10 Health Points. Cost: 1 Vigor Stone.
Greenmage: Protectors of Gaia and the verdant wilds, they wield the powers of nature to establish control of the battlefield. Friends of both the trees and the stones, expect both to aid them during times of need. Hero Ability: Friend of the Forest. Summon three Ygdar Ents and root your opponent for 1 Turn or until freed. Cost: 3 Vigor Stones.
Songslinger: The Bard swordsmen of yore. They use music, poetry and theatrics as weapons. A limerick or a well-aimed verbal barb can be just as dangerous as a blade with these raucous and dramatic performers. Hero Ability: Razor Song. A musical attack that turns musical notes into either razor blades or a personal shield. Deals 10 damage. Or Blocks 10 Damage. Cost: 3 Vigor Stones.
Card Codex - Walt's Deck for Duel 4
WALT HARMON'S DECK, DUEL 4
Walt Harmon, Voidlock, Psychoslinger
22 Cards
Soulbloom, Level Two (10 Health)
Necro Flash Heal (1 Vigor Stone)
Soul Armor (1 Vigor Stone)
Blood Imp (2 Vigor Stones)
Blood Mirror (2) (2 Vigor Stones)
Hell Mirror (2) (2 Vigor Stones)
Martyr of the Undead (3 Vigor Stones)
Blood Worm Bomber, Level Two (3 Vigor Stones)
Levitical Hellfiend (3 Vigor Stones)
Desecrate X, Level 2 (3 Vigor Stones)
Gnomesucker (4 Vigor Stones)
Blood Psalmist (4 Vigor Stones)
Boots of Nemora (4 Vigor Stones)
Wand of Green Skulls (4 Vigor Stones)
Replicate (5 Vigor Stones)
7-Fingered Ghoul (7 Vigor Stones)
Life Leech (8 Vigor Stones)
Crucible Configuration (8 Vigor Stones)
Salvatore’s Phylactery (8 Vigor Stones)
Blood Imp Mother (10 Vigor Stones)
