Tale of Diep:Melancholy Forest

Melancholy Forest is one of the ten areas of in. It is the second area, and the first hostile zone players will enter. It is recommended for players Level 1 through 7 to enter this area, keeping in mind that leveling in The Realm is a lot slower.

Location
Melancholy Forest is one of the two east-most areas of The Realm, alongside. is near its northeast border close to the sea. Somber Falls is to the south of it, and is to its west. Melancholy Forest slightly goes under the east part of Toil Ridge, allowing it to border a small part of the. At its northmost point it somewhat connects to the. Melancholy Forest allows easy access to many areas of The Realm due to its large size and influence on the map, despite being an early area. There are only four areas it doesn't touch.

Overview
Melancholy Forest is the first hostile area players will explore in The Realm, the main world of the Tale of Diep. Imperium counts as its own area for its prevalence and game mechanics, but it is technically within Melancholy Forest. Melancholy Forest is, as the name implies, a massive forest. Within it, the trees can range from far spread, to a tight tough to navigate thick forest. All in all, Melancholy Forest is a relatively quiet area full of easy enemies and has a great atmosphere by nature.

, Disciple of the Hexagons, is the resident of Melancholy Forest. His Hexagon Fortress lies near the heart of Melancholy Forest. He keeps the Band of Thieves out and oversees all Hexagons and entities related to them from his fortress. If he is killed, his Fortress will close for 45 minutes as everything is reset, as well as other things. These include, all hexagons and polygons associated with them with a huge radius around the death of Hexen will have halved HP and resistances, hexagon-based bosses/mini-bosses that were present near the fortress where Hexen has been defeated will greatly reduce in HP and resistances, and Superior Hexagon nests will stop spawning hexagons for a long time around its destruction area...

Melancholy Forest is plagued with terrifying and vicious wildlife, a powerful criminal empire founded by the Band of Thieves situated there, and much more. The thieves are feared by Imperium by making travel throughout The Realm nearly impossible for ordinary Tank Empire citizens, leaving only soldiers able to go out and bring them to justice. Tanks that exit Imperium and enter Melancholy Forest usually leave with less than they entered with, and sometimes their lives go missing too...

NPCS


More will be added soon enough.

Scorpios
Scorpios are strange creatures that live in the Melancholy Forest. They are a thriving Drone species that are a vague cross between centipedes, scorpions, and ants. They spawn mostly around Colony setpieces in Melancholy Forest, but can be found scattered around the area. They have a hierarchy system that puts certain Scorpios above others. Scorpios do not attack Polygons, but they are willing to attack and feed on ANYTHING ELSE THAT MOVES unfortunate enough to anger too much of the swarm...


 * Scorpio Larva: Scorpio Larva are spawned from Scorpio Queens. Scorpio Larvae look like two pale green circles that progressively get smaller as they approach the tail, which is a short gray spike. They have two black eyes on the front of the head circle. They are completely helpless, unable to attack, and aimlessly squirm around in place near the Scorpio Queen that spawned them. They have 30 health. After three minutes pass, they grow into Scorpio Scuttlers. There can be a max of 16 Scorpio Larva in a Colony at one time. If a Scorpio Larva dies while at the maximum number of Larva, a Scorpio Queen will spawn one not long after.
 * Scorpio Scuttler: Scorpio Scuttlers grow from Scorpio Larvae after three minutes pass. They look exactly like Scorpio Larva, but with two smaller circles coming out of the sides of the head circle, with one small claw on each. They are also composed of three body circles instead of two. Two small claw-like teeth extend from the front of the head too. Scorpio Scuttlers, now that they've developed claws, can move around the Colony at a pace of 1 tile per second. If provoked by entering their 15 tile detection range, they will run away from the player at a speed of 2 tiles per second. They deal 5 contact damage if touched, and will bounce away from the player. Scuttlers have 65 health. After five minutes, they will grow into a Scorpio Juvenile. There can be a max of 12 Scorpio Scuttlers in a Colony at one time. If a Scorpio Scuttler dies while at the maximum number of Scuttlers, a Scorpio Larva will grow into one.
 * Scorpio Juvenile: Scorpio Juvenile grow from Scorpio Scuttlers after five minutes pass. They look exactly like Scorpio Scuttlers, but are slightly larger, have three claws per hand, and are now composed of four body circles instead of three. They move faster than Scuttlers, at 2 tiles per second. When provoked by entering their 15 tile detection range, they will chase the player at 3 tiles per second. If they make contact with the player, they will take 9 damage and be pushed slightly away. Juveniles have 130 health. After twelve minutes, they will grow into one of the Stage 4 Scorpios (Scorpio Warrior, Scorpio Crawlatite, Scorpio Gnasher, Scorpio Berserker, or Scorpio Queen). There can be a max of 8 Scorpio Juveniles in a Colony at one time. If a Scorpio Juvenile dies while at the maximum number, a Scorpio Scuttler will grow into one.
 * Scorpio Warrior: Scorpio Warriors have a chance to grow from a Scorpio Juvenile after 12 minutes pass. The Juvenile may also evolve into a Crawlatite, Gnasher, Berserker, or Queen. The Scorpio Warrior looks like a massive Scorpio Juvenile, but composed of five body circles instead of four. Being a 'Stage 4' Scorpio, they are even larger than the Guardian. Scorpio Warriors will crawl around and outside of the Colony at a speed of 2 tiles per second. When a player enters their 25 tile detection range, they will chase that player at a speed of 2 tiles per second, but every few seconds, will charge up to 4 tiles per second for 2 seconds. If contact is made with a Scorpio Warrior, they will suffer 15 damage, be knocked back 5 tiles, and receive Broken for 3 seconds, making the next attack possibly fatal. Scorpio Warriors have 500 health. Like all Stage 4 Scorpios, if attacked from behind, they will swipe the player with their tail for 8 damage. There can be a max of four Stage 4 Scorpios per Colony. If one dies while at the max, a Scorpio Juvenile will grow into one.
 * Scorpio Crawlatite: Scorpio Crawlatites have a chance to grow from a Scorpio Juvenile after 12 minutes pass. The Juvenile may also evolve into a Warrior, Gnasher, Berserker, or Queen. The Scorpio Crawaltite looks like a massive Scorpio Juvenile, but composed of five body circles instead of four. Their claws also sit on top of two further extensions from their arms, allowing them to swipe instead of lunge at players. Being a 'Stage 4' Scorpio, they are even larger than the Guardian. Scorpio Crawlatites will crawl around and outside of the Colony at a speed of 2.5 tiles per second. When a player enters their 25 tile detection range, they will chase that player at a speed of 3 tiles per second. If contact is made with a Scorpio Crawlatite, the player will suffer 7 damage, be pushed back 6 tiles, and be given Slowed for 2 seconds. Scorpio Crawlatites have 1,000 health. Like all Stage 4 Scorpios, if attacked from behind, they will swipe the player with their tail for 8 damage. There can be a max of four Stage 4 Scorpios per Colony. If one dies while at the max, a Scorpio Juvenile will grow into one.
 * Scorpio Gnasher: Scorpio Gnashers have a chance to grow from a Scorpio Juvenile after 12 minutes pass. The Juvenile may also evolve into a Warrior, Crawlatite, Berserker, or Queen. The Scorpio Gnasher looks like a massive Scorpio Juvenile, but composed of six body circles instead of four. Instead of three claws, they have a Trapper barrel on each hand with a claw on each side of it. Being a 'Stage 4' Scorpio, they are even larger than the Guardian. Scorpio Gnashers will crawl around and outside of the Colony at a speed of 2 tiles per second. When a player enters their 25 tile detection range, they will run from that player at a speed of 3 tiles per second, firing a trap from each hand at a speed of one trap every 1.5 seconds. If contact is made with a Gnasher's Trap, the player will suffer 4 damage. If the Gnasher itself is touched, the player will suffer 8 damage and be pushed back a few tiles. Scorpio Gnashers have 675 health. Like all Stage 4 Scorpios, if attacked from behind, they will swipe the player with their tail for 8 damage. There can be a max of four Stage 4 Scorpios per Colony. If one dies while at the max, a Scorpio Juvenile will grow into one.
 * Scorpio Berserker: Scorpio Berserkers have a chance to grow from a Scorpio Juvenile after 12 minutes pass. The Juvenile may also evolve into a Warrior, Crawlatite, Gnasher, or Queen. The Scorpio Berserker looks like a massive Scorpio Juvenile, but composed of five body circles instead of four. Instead of three claws, they have a Destroyer barrel on each hand. Being a 'Stage 4' Scorpio, they are even larger than the Guardian. Scorpio Berserkers will crawl around and outside of the Colony at a speed of 2 tiles per second. When a player enters their 25 tile detection range, they will attempt to stay 15 tiles from the player, backing away if they approach, or moving forward if they back away. The Berserker will fire both Destroyer cannons at a single target, with one bullet fired from each simultaneously every 3 seconds. The Berserker will not suffer recoil from the shots, and each one deals 10 damage, but travels slowly. Like all Stage 4 Scorpios, if attacked from behind, they will swipe the player with their tail for 8 damage. This is also the contact damage the Berserker will deal to the player if touched. Scorpio Berserkers have 820 health. There can be a max of four Stage 4 Scorpios per Colony. If one dies while at the max, a Scorpio Juvenile will grow into one.
 * Scorpio Queen: Scorpio Queens have a chance to grow from a Scorpio Juvenile after 12 minutes pass. The Juvenile may also evolve into a Warrior, Crawlatite, Gnasher, or Berserker. The Scorpio Queen looks like a massive Scorpio Juvenile, but composed of five body circles instead of four. It has two spawners on each body circle following the head, one on each side. Being a 'Stage 4' Scorpio, they are even larger than the Guardian. The Scorpio Queen will lie immobile near the center of the Colony, surrounded by Scorpio Larva it produced, and their grown states like the Scuttler and Juvenile. If there is less than the maximum of 16 Larva per Colony, one will spawn from one of the Queen's spawners a few seconds later. Like all Stage 4 Scorpios, if attacked from behind, they will swipe the player with their tail for 8 damage. It cannot move or attack otherwise, but making contact with the Queen will deal 30 damage. So don't do it. Scorpio Queens have 2000 health. There can be a max of four Stage 4 Scorpios per Colony, but only one of these can be a Queen. If one dies while at the max, a Scorpio Juvenile will grow into one, with priority given to the Queen if the current one does die.

Band of Thieves
Outlaws, vandals, crooks, criminals, and other ne'er-do-wells booted out of Imperium for their constant lack of respect for the law. Outside the walls of Imperium, where no rules apply and the Cult is at large, the Band of Thieves makes a living robbing and killing any hero or villain who dare tread their ground. They don't fight fair, but no one expects them to. Have a dire fear and hatred of Scorpios, whom try to feast on them regularly. As such, Thieves do 2x damage to Scorpios and will focus on killing them over players in their vicinity. Bandits will commonly spawn in groups together, ranging from three to eight bandits.


 * Forest Bandit: Skilled rangers of the forest turned criminal following exile from Imperium. They now use their talented aim to shoot down any who impede their territory from afar. Forest Bandits look like shaded tanks with large brown cloaks covering majority of the body, in similar vein to a Cultist . They have two small brown circular hands, the left one having a barrel on it, and the other nothing. Forest Bandits have a very large provocation range of 40 tiles, with an actual attack range of 15 tiles. Once it is entered, the Forest Bandit and all other Thieves nearby will begin moving as a mob toward the player in the underbrush. The Forest Bandits will attempt to stay hidden among the trees and other plant life in Melancholy Forest, firing arrows from afar. These shots deal 3 damage, with a 33% chance to deal 6 damage. Forest Bandits fire once every second and have 250 health. When a player gets within 5 tiles of them, they will dash off 10 tiles backward.
 * Crooked Outlaw: The ones who do the talking, Crooked Outlaws get in close with their twisted blades to get the job done. They look exactly like Forest Bandits, but instead of a Ballista on their left hand, its a lance. Rarely, a Crooked Outlaw will spawn with a bag in its other hand, increasing Tankit dropped on death. Crooked Outlaws, like Forest Bandits, spawn in a group of other bandits, and activate to chase the closest player once one gets within 40 tiles of them. Crooked Outlaws in the initial burst will attempt to surround the player. Crooked Outlaws dont have a fighting style, randomly swiping their blades, lunging forward with them, or spinning in an area attack. All do 8 damage and lightly push the player back. The lunge attacks do inflict Stunned for 1 second though. Crooked Outlaws have 375 health and pursue the player at a speed of 2 tiles.
 * Snare Keeper: Snare Keepers are quite proficient trap designers. They can set up snares and turrets that can really hinder swathes of Tank Empire soldiers if they're stupid enough to trigger enough of them. Less commonly found in combat, but they're presence is well known by their contraptions. If encountered, Snare Keepers will rapidly flee from players at the speed of 6 tiles per second, leaving behind Thorn Mines with similar mechanics to the, in that once the mines are approached, the four thorns inside of them will launch outward. Thorns deal no initial damage, but will do 4 damage a second for five seconds, totaling 20 damage, so be very careful. Every 10 seconds while provoked, the Snare Keeper will stop moving for one second to create a Thief Trap or Thief Turret as it flees. If not provoked, it will wander the forest at a speed of 2 tiles per second, creating a Thief Trap or Thief Turret every minute. Snare Keepers have 150 health.
 * Thief Trap: Thief Traps are created by Snare Keepers. They appear as almost completely transparent light gray dotted circular outlines, spanning 5 by 5 tiles, but circular. When entered, the Thief Trap will trigger, releasing a light gray particle effect as all players within 7 tiles are pulled to its center and Paralyzed for 3 seconds, allowing the Snare Keeper time to escape. Dodging a Snare Keeper's Thief Traps are essential to catching and killing it. Drones and Traps can be fired into the Thief Trap to activate it early, but standing too close will still result in being pulled in.
 * Thief Turret: Thief Turrets are created by Snare Keepers. They are small wooden looking tanks with four wooden spokes sticking outward, evenly spaced apart diagonally. Thief Traps are completely stationary, fire in one direction, and come in three variations: Gunner, Hunter, and Destroyer. The Gunner fires quickly but deals 2 damage a shot. Their bullets do not travel extremely far. The Hunter fires slower at once every second and a half, but if both shots connect the player will take 12 damage, 8 for the large bullet and 4 for the small. The Destroyer Turret fires once every 3 seconds, but its shots deal 18 damage. All Thief Turrets have 200 health.
 * Coin Harlot: Very rare to find thief enemies that spawn alone throughout the Forest, not part of a thief group. Coin Harlots look like the other thieves, but deep blood red with a golden lining where the hood meets the body. Their two hands are also red. Coin Harlots have 800 health, and begin immobile and invincible until approached. Once a player gets within 6 tiles of it, the Coin Harlot activates, releasing four Coin Dancers which will then begin orbiting it evenly spaced apart. The Coin Harlot will then slowly march toward the player at a speed of 3 tiles a second, as the Coin Dancers follow their behavior described below. Once the Coin Harlot hits half health, it will begin repeatedly teleporting around the area, firing one shotgun of five golden bullets that deal 12 damage each between teleports. Every fifth teleport, the Coin Harlot will spin, laugh, and summon two Coin Darters. Repeats this until killed.
 * Coin Dancers: Summoned when the Coin Harlot is activated, Coin Dancers will slowly rotate around the Coin Harlot, completing a rotation in about five seconds. Coin Dancers cannot be killed, and look like large pieces of Tankit. Every two seconds, Coin Dancers will fire golden bullets in the pattern of a Tri Shot at the closest player, with each bullet doing 4 damage. There is a 33% chance that a bullet that hits a Coin Dancer will deal no damage and be reflected back at the player. Upon the Coin Harlot hitting Phase 2, the Coin Dancers vanish.
 * Coin Darters: Summoned by the Coin Harlot during its second phase. Coin Darters will be summoned by golden particle arcs released by the Coin Harlot. When summoned, they will begin flying quickly toward the player and drive-by shoot them repeatedly, firing quick bursts of five shots, each dealing 2 damage, and generally being very annoying. Coin Darters fly at a speed of 12 tiles per second exceptionally quickly and randomly around the battle zone. Coin Darters have 10 HP, and no more than six can be alive at one time.

Bosses

 * (Through )

More will come soon enough.

Trivia

 * The first hostile area of the game.
 * The second officially named area of The Realm, after the Desolate Plains.
 * The name came from a misunderstanding on SoundCloud after someone thought one of my themes, named 'Melancholy Forest' was for the game.
 * That theme was soon taken down by me for not being very good, but its legacy lives on.
 * First area to be given its respective page.
 * One of the two Realm Areas with only two enemy groups. The rest have three.
 * The Desolate Plains only has one, the Cult of Panzer, but its not two. ;)
 * The first Realm Area with an official Realm Boss planned.