As Tobias approached the tree the haze become brighter, unlike previous times where he was able to identify the clusters and individual rats as he neared the tree the sense of aggression overwhelmed the capability of the minor predator recognition. Surrounding the tree, the sense of Rat became more than a glow it took on the characteristics of an odour.
[ping Minor Predator Recognition +1]
Creeping forward, the presence of the Rats grew further. Tobias readied himself the only solution that he could see was to accept the pain that was to come and draw out the rats in a stream rather than a mass attack. Finding that first cluster became an overwhelming need, He focused on all the signs that his skill was giving him, moving ever closer the now stench that he was recognizing as rat. While it was not possible to separate the clusters into individual rats, finally he was close enough that he could gain a sense of the closest clusters. Inching his way around the tree it became clear that the largest cluster was cantered on the tree and there were two separate groupings one towards the clearing and the other pointed toward the stream. It seemed clear that attacking the spur that approached the clearing would mean that he would soon be overwhelmed by the rats and while many would die, he would join them.
Moving ever more slowly he moved back towards the spur that leads towards the stream. Carefully looking for anything that would give him an advantage he found more tinder and several branches, Using some of the vines that he had found earlier to bind the tinder to the branches, Using a flash of his flaming weapon he ignited the two torches that he had made and tossed them at the head of the grouping that faced the clearing. Immediately dropping to the ground and attempting to become one with the surroundings Tobias ignored the squalling stream of rats that rushed out of the shrubbery. Hoping that the grouping nearest him would not join the rats now rushing the clearing he waited. The scent of rats that came from the tree sharpened but did not join either rats now roaming the clearing or the grouping near him, able to read the clusters now in the closest grouping Tobias felt that he was going to survive the rats Igniting his aura and his club he leaped forward, screamed loudly and killed the largest rat of the nearest cluster. He then turned and move quickly away from the tree towards the stream. The cluster that he had attacked rushed towards him as did 2 more clusters, emptying the grouping. As he approached the stream he turned still with initiative he again killed a rat before it was able to bite him, then it was a flurry of pain for him while various rats, were struck, bit him and toasted themselves soon all that was left was rat bodies with crisped fur and smoke. Bodies of 15 rats soon surrounded him. Quenching his aura and ignoring the pain and injury that the rats had caused he leaped into the stream and ducked down so that he was almost completely submerged, again willing himself to become still and silent he waited. Rats from the central tree arrived in small numbers enough that he would have been taken down and killed not even counting the 20 or so that were now streaming back from the clearing and settling back into the clusters, the two torches that he had made flared and then went out.
[Fight Summary]
Damage taken 13, Damage given 27, Mana used 15. Duration 5 ticks
Loot 15 rat bodies, 2 bunch of tinder(found and used), 2 branches (found and used) 1 vine (used).
New recipe Torch (1 tinder, 1 branch)
Quest step 5/5 rat nest found
Quest step 27/25 Rats killed
Characteristic Gained
Attack +1
Stealth +1 (ability to creep and sneak)
Defense +1 (reduces the amount of damage taken from an attack)
Flame Aura +1
Titles Updated
Near death Lover, a second near-death experience
Bonus Skill available due to pre-planning and use of your core aspect Will
Choose between
Aura of pain. (rare)
Mana Boost (common)
Singing (uncommon)
Now he was out of combat his hit points rapidly returned to normal, shocked he wondered how he had survived the attack which had been much worse than expected. Perhaps a better plan would have been to collect rat skins and create some armor first. But he had to accept that the result was impressive two skills improved, two new skills one of which looked like it saved his life when it kicked in mid-fight.
And that did include the skill that he could choose. The aura of flame had proven to be highly successful and given that the Aura of pain also was a rare skill, there was no real choice. So Quickly selecting the Aura of pain. Once he added the skill he was able to understand the effect. Once activated the skill decreased the attack attribute of the attacker with each point of damage given to the defender, so that should mean that in a long combat the defender would take less and less damage unless the attacker was able to resist pain. Interestingly it only cost 1 point of mana for each attacker effected. the downside was that this would consume large amounts of mana if there were a large number of attackers.
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The new title had also given him a bonus Characteristic and with long term survival becoming an issue, Two near-death experiences being two too many, Constitution was the answer for now.
Player Tobias
Male
Characteristics
Strength
1
Constitution
1
Endurance
1
Agility
2
Intelligence
3
Ego
6
Perception
1
Attack
1 + 1
Defence
+ 1
Hit-points
15
1 per Round
Mana
15
3 per Round
Stamina
10
.1 per Round
Attributes
Mental Toughness (Ego)
2
Affinity for Fire (Ego)
1
Mana Boost (Intellect)
1
Skills
Flame Aura
2 + 1
3 damage per tick
2 per tick
Pain Aura
+ 1
Reduce attack
1 per attacker
Minor Predator Recognition
1 + 1
Flaming weapon
1
Minor Gathering
2
Minor Item recognition
2
Basic Trade-skill
1
Perception
1
Stealth
+ 1
History
Near-death Experience
Bonus Skill point
1 used
Near-Death Lover
Bonus Characteristic
1 used
Fast Growth
Bonus Characteristic
1 Used