I slowly wake up suspended in the sap of my pod. It’s so warm and comfortable in here. No wolves or other beasts to get me. I take a quick look outside using the perception of the flora network. Nothing out of the ordinary. The trees have recovered and returned back to their original shape on their own. The wolf I killed is still laying on the ground, but some of the grass roots have started to spread to it. I wonder what will happen if I leave it there. Well, I can’t be lazy all day, I still need pants. I think I got skill points when I leveled up after killing the wolf. A shiver runs up my spine as I think back to yesterday. The loss of control when I stepped on my own tail concerns me. What if I can’t snap out of it next time? What if someone is nearby when I go berserk?
I let out a sigh, well as much of one as I can manage in sap. If my family and friends saw me now, what would they think of me? I’m pretty sure I’m a literal monster now. But what does it mean to be a monster? I’m not going to go around just killing people. No, I’m still me, for whatever that counts for. I won’t let this, what I’ve become change me. I’m still me, I’ll stay human even if it’s only on the inside. I’ll keep doing what I like to do, and if people have a problem with me, I'll deal with it when I get there.
After giving myself a pep talk, I start draining the sap from my pod. Giving my arms and stomach a once over I see everything is in perfect order. Not even a hint that they were shredded.
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Name: Petal
Race: Willow Dryad: Level 4 (Rare)
EXP: 13
Nutrition: 54/100
Skill points: 21
Health: 200/200
Mana: 1400/1400
Stamina: 400/400
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Man, this sap is like, major great at everything. I should bring some home with me, I think my sister would love it as skin cream. I notice something different about my stats window, specifically the abilities and skills sections.
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Strength: 50 (+)
Agility: 20 (+)
Endurance: 40 (+)
Magic: 70 (+)
Fortitude: 30 (+)
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General skills:
1. Universal Understanding (+)
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That’s weird, what does that little plus next to them mean. Wait, I have skill points to spend. Does that mean I can upgrade them? I get being able to upgrade the skill I have but why are skill points used to upgrade ability scores? Or is it something else? One way to find out. I think about applying one point to universal understanding and the skill levels up by one.
General skills:
1. Universal Understanding – Level:2 (+)
OK, so one-point equals one skill level. Wait that isn’t right, I’ve lost two points.
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Skill points: 19
Hmm, two points to level two. I think maybe it requires as many points as the level you are reaching. One way to find out, I slot another level into universal understanding.
Skill points: 16
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General skills:
1. Universal Understanding – Level:3 (+)
Yep, so for skills it costs as many points as the level you are reaching. That’s good to know, before I accidentally blow all my points on something stupid. Now what about the ability scores? I’ll just slot one point to fortitude and see what happens.
Skill points: 15
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Strength: 50 (+)
Agility: 20 (+)
Endurance: 40 (+)
Magic: 70 (+)
Fortitude: 31 (+)
OK, so one-point equals one point here, interesting. I guess it makes sense, if you were to make it so you needed the equivalent in points of the stat plus one to level it no one would be able to get anywhere after like twenty points. Hmm, I’m going to add one point to everything then save the rest. Better safe than sorry.
Skill points: 11
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Strength: 51 (+)
Agility: 21 (+)
Endurance: 41 (+)
Magic: 72 (+)
Fortitude: 31 (+)
Hold up, that math doesn’t add up. I thought for a second, I accidentally double tapped the add on the magic stat. Then I remembered this is all mental so I can’t accidentally double input. So why did magic go up two points while I’ve only lost four. Oh boy here we go again with the confusing fantasy system charades. I slap two more points into magic just to see if it was a glitch.
Skill points: 9
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Strength: 51 (+)
Agility: 21 (+)
Endurance: 41 (+)
Magic: 76 (+)
Fortitude: 31 (+)
Not a glitch, my magic stat goes up two points for every point I place into it. I don’t know why that is though. Blah, out of my pay grade. Useful to know but no way am I going to be able to figure out why it happens without way more experimenting with this system thing. I’ll save the rest of my points for a rainy day. So, my final stats are looking like, well darn. I noticed my health, mana, and stamina all changed. But I was not paying enough attention to catch the changes as they happened. I’ll have to remember to watch for that next time.
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Name: Petal
Race: Willow Dryad: Level 4 (Rare)
EXP: 13
Nutrition: 54/100
Race Traits:
1. Child of Nature
2. Flora Control
3. Blessed life
4. Magical conduit
5. Flora Network
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Age: 0
Skill points: 9
Elements: Light, Life, Spatial.
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Health:200/205
Mana: 1400/1558
Stamina: 400/430
*************************************************************************************
Strength: 51 (+)
Agility: 21 (+)
Endurance: 41 (+)
Magic: 76 (+)
Fortitude: 31 (+)
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General skills:
1. Universal Understanding – Level:3 (+)
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Titles: World Walker, Perfect Child
As I finish messing with and double checking my stats the pod finishes draining. I cough up the remaining sap in my lungs and drop the petals. It’s a beautiful mid-afternoon, with a light breeze swaying the grass and trees. The birds chirp merrily from their hidden perches. It’s a perfect day in every essence of the phrase. I walk over to the tree I was working with yesterday. I want to make myself a skirt to finish covering myself up. However, when I get to the tree, I’m disappointed to see it’s missing a lot of branches. Well to be fair, I did have it stab that wolf for me yesterday. Moving down the line I keep my eyes open for a branch that I can use to make a decent skirt with. Too long, too short, not enough leaves, perfect. I find a branch that has most of its large leaves off to one side.
Pulling it down, I start the process of shaping it into the desired form. I enlarge the leaves, making them longer and wider. Once they touch, they start melding together, creating a solid barrier against the eyes. The branch begins to narrow and lengthen. Stretching out to the approximate length to make it all the way around my waist. Small hooks on the very ends complete the article and I snap it off the branch. Swinging it around my waist I reach around my back and attach the hooks together. Finally, I have something resembling clothing. There may not be anyone else around to see me naked, but it gives me some comfort to have coverings.
Now that I have basic clothing on, it seems like a good time to do some more plant work. EXP isn’t going to gain itself.