> Ding!
>
> You are ready to be born. You may now crack open your shell.
Tanaka ◮ cooed.
<*sigh* Well, you kept your promise. You had just gotten back with Rin when you collapsed. We rushed to get healers for both of you, but they couldn’t treat your poison in time. You should have seen the look on Rin’s face when he woke up and figured out where he was and what happened. He was furious with me for weeks about not disclosing your full capabilities. But, he eventually got over it and, in recognition of your service, spread your ashes in the Ai statuary and freed your daughter. Your partner had moved on, but your daughter and son were both well last I heard. I passed about eight years after you did.>
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Cota ◐ was born as a [Kobold], a herd-based bipedal lizard with very rudimentary tool use, whose adults averaged 70 cm. Cota had wondered if they were considered sapient, but after a month of studying their communications, concluded their language (as such) probably only had about fifty words in it. She didn’t even get a Skill out of it. And despite being social creatures, they definitely did not get along with each other and frequently killed each other, though none of the others seemed to care about the deaths. Ultimately, there was also a lot of posturing involved among the other [Kobolds], but Cota usually just went straight for lethal strikes, her high level [Claws] both sufficient to do so and inconspicuous enough to avoid undue problems.
On the other hand, Tanaka ◮ was born as a [Cave Bat], whose adults topped out at 25 cm long. They too were definitely not sapient, which was disappointing, but Tanaka received the inherent Skills [Fly] and [Echolocate]. While [Cave Bats] were much more agreeable socially compared to [Kobolds], they were all idiots and, as such, unsuitable friend material for Tanaka.
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Finally, after a few months’ growth, Trixie ◐ and Guinness ◮ received System access.
They were surprised to say the least.
> Ding!
>
> You have received access to the System v.1.0.
>
> As a growing young member of your species, it is imperative upon you…
And so on and so forth. In addition to the new introduction, there were notifications that the XP Tables for Class and Race had been rejiggered, as had the Rarity table.
First, the XP Table was now on a slow exponential curve, rather than the quadratic curve it had previously been on. While the earlier levels were a bit easier now, because the new XP table increased at faster and faster rates, the later levels were much more difficult. Counterbalancing that however, the new XP table did not have an increase on a tier-up in Race or Class, unlike the old table. This in turn was counter-counterbalanced by the fact that tier-ups occurred every fifty levels, rather than thirty levels as before.
All-in-all, it now meant that, for example, your typical [Human] would get to the high 30s or low 40s, but would never be able to tier up within their lifetime; instead only the top few percentage points of [Humans] would tier up, and probably only at advanced age.
Second, the Rarity table had now been extended to eight from six: (common) (uncommon) (remarkable) (rare) (very rare) (ultra rare) (fantastic) and (unique). The other changes to Rarity were murky, but apparently included improvements in both internal consistency and with other aspects of the System. Apparently the Rarity tables were now separately treating Race and Class from each other and from Traits/Skills, which were now explicitly recognized as being either Tiered (null, II, III, IV, V) or Ranked (the numbered ones).
As to the Status page, nothing had changed for Trixie, but Guinness’ Traits and Skills had been reorganized into Tiered Traits, Ranked Traits, Tiered Skills and Ranked Skills. Guinness was blathering on-and-on upon how the new organization was organized when, fed up, Trixie exclaimed,
Whereupon Trixie explained to Guinness the [Status Modification] Trait and how she had acquired it a while back. With that story, both were left wondering how the Skill had never come up in the literally hundreds of years they had spent together. After much discussion, they ultimately decided to blame it (mostly) on trees and dryads being untalkative sorts despite their close relationship.
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Thereafter, Guinness used [Belly Speech] to yell out into the cave in [Greenwood Elvish] the most creative complaints and cursewords directed to the System that Trixie had ever heard. Included therein were very cross words as to the System’s parentage.
“—And your father smelt of—Oh, hey I got the Trait,” Guinness smirked.
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When she was done, she was quite pleased with how she had organized it.
> Name: Guinness (L5)
> Other Names: Tanaka Ai Takamoto, Arial of Myr, Elaria Greenwood
>
> Race: Bat (C) (L5)
> Class:
>
> HP: 548/548 (270 / hour)
> MP: 285/285 (155 / hour)
>
> CON: 15
> STR: 15
> DEX: 11
> INT: 4
> WIS: 4
> CHA: 5
> Free: 0
>
> Attributes to Everything!: [Winning Smile] [Winning Charm] [Bodily Mana] [Agile Health] [Flexible Casts] [Smart Doctoring] [Strong Magics] [Good Choice] [Beautiful Healing] [Charming Refill] [Bodily Refill] [Flexible Refill] [Smart Healing] [Strong Healing] [Strong Refill] [Wise Healing]
> Fast Growth!: [Dedication] [Mind for Body IV] [Improved HP III] [HP Regen III] [MP Regen III] [Speedy Speedster] [Investment] [Status Modification]
> Bodily Traits: [Elven Ears] [Eagle Eye] [Magic Eater] [Tracking Nose 8] [Succulent III] [Home Flexibility 4] [Barkskin 8] [Chlorophyll 18] [Disguise 8] [Fly With Wings 4] [Echolocation 3]
> Dryad Bond Traits: [Dryad Bond] [Tree Beneficiary] [Common Skillshare] [Uncommon Skillshare] [One with Your Tree]
> Interpersonal Skills: [Reluctant Leader] [Charming 1] [Noble Bearing 22] [Persuasion 16] [Planning 18] [Learning 16] [Empathy 24] [Negotiation 32] [Imperious Look 28]
> Speaking: [Belly Speech 6] [Greenwood Elvish 40] [Ventriloquism 8] [Speak with Elves 40] [Eloquent Speech 24]
> Nature Skills: [Call of the Wild 4] [Constrict 5] [Gardening 12] [Locate Animal 12] [Native Knowledge 4] [Plant Growth 6] [Woodshaping 12] [Tree Riding 18] [Wither 4] [Thorn Rain 4] [Nature's Defense]
> Domestic Skills: [A Hearth to Call Your Own] [A Hearth to Rest] [A Hearth to Roam] [Child Rearing 26] [Easy Birth] [Hygiene 22]
> Melee Skills: [Curved Sword 12] [Daggers 6] [Dancing Footwork 16] [Fortified Block 4] [Light Armor 8] [Mounted Aim 1] [Pummel 5] [Reave Defense 6] [Reflecting Block 8] [Shield Bash 4] [Unarmed Combat 4]
> v. 1.01
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
> Ding!
>
> You have died.
----------------------------------------
> Name: Trixie (L5)
> Other Names: Cota, Myr, Fly #5, Emil Marlonson, Queenie, Masami, Amelia
>
> Race: [Kobold] (C) (L5)
> Class:
>
> HP: 0/1,313 (525 / hour)
> MP: 0/2,446 (443 / hour)
>
> CON: 7
> STR: 12
> DEX: 7
> INT: 36
> WIS: 36
> CHA: 7
> Free: 0
>
> Traits: [Adonite's Blessing] [Agile Health] [Beautiful Healing] [Bodily Mana] [Bodily Refill] [Bonded Dryad] [Catkin Life] [Charming] [Charming Refill] [Exemplar - Arcane Battle Maid] [Flexible Casts] [Flexible Refill] [Good Choice] [HP Regen III] [Improved HP III] [Improved MP III] [Live Fast IV] [MP Regen III] [Princess Kidnapper I] [Reincarnator] [Skillshare (Common)] [Skillshare (Rare)] [Skillshare (Uncommon)] [Smart Doctoring] [Smart Healing] [Speedy Speedster] [Status Modification] [Strong Healing] [Strong Magics] [Strong Refill] [Studious] [Winning Charm] [Winning Smile] [Wise Healing]
> Bodily Traits: [Air Resistance II] [Amorphous Body] [Buoyant 24] [Calm Stomach III] [Cold Resistance II] [Dark Vision III] [Eagle Eye] [Elven Ears] [Firm Purchase III] [Hair Control III] [Heat Resistance II] [Instinctive Dodge 4] [Lightning Resistance II] [Magic Eater III] [Magic Growth III] [Omnivore] [Planktivorous III] [Quick Hands 12] [Salt Water Tolerant III] [Skin Sight 20] [Slippery 10] [Sticky Fingers 11] [Tracking Nose 4] [Treasure Hunter 3] [Water Jet 14] [Water Resistance II]
> Life Skills: [Battlefield Prim 8] [Battlefield Proper 8] [Butchering 13] [Child Rearing 18] [Cleaning 36] [Cooking 18] [Digestion 11] [Dinner Bell 12] [Disguise 15] [Easy Birth] [Eating 39] [Fast Talker 11] [Fishing 12] [Gardening 16] [Good Morning to You 24] [Hygiene 20] [Internal Clock 16] [Laundry 12] [Learning 43] [Magical Gardening 19] [Make Up 16] [Meditation 25] [Mirror] [Natural Leader 23] [Planning 30]
> Languages: [Belly Speech 25] [Eastern Kneet 40] [Greenwood Elvish 40] [Ostesh 40] [Polyglot I] [Speak with Elves 40] [Tyr Trade Tongue 9] [Ucarhi 40] [Ucarhi - Creator of Written Ucarhi] [Ventriloquism 4] [Western Kneet 12]
> General Mage Skills: [Acid Splash 12] [Mage Hands 18] [Mage's Blade 23] [Mage's Shield 13] [Mana Bolt 8] [Mana Finesse 20] [Mana Lance 2]
> Fire Mage Skills: [Fire Immunity] [Fire Manipulation 18] [Firewall 13] [Fireball 18] [Firebolt 12] [Flamethrower 12] [Flaming Sphere 12]
> Paladin Skills: [Divine Aegis 19] [Divine Arrow 8] [Divine Aura 18] [Divine Body 4] [Divine Brawn 6] [Divine Channel 21] [Divine Courage 9] [Divine Faith 2] [Divine Fortress 10] [Divine Lay on Hands 19] [Divine Reflection 9] [Divine Smile 5] [Divine Smite 16] [Divine Speed 12] [Divine Thought 6] [Divine Will 4]
> Melee Skills: [Archery 8] [Claws 16] [Heavy Armor 24] [One-Handed Sword 24] [Shield Bash 12] [Two-Handed Sword 5] [Unarmed Combat 15] Druid Skills: [Barkskin 25] [Command Animal 18] [Court of the Forest] [Detect Poison 6] [Disorienting Mist 1] [Forest Stride 46] [Grasping Roots 20] [Locate Animal 18] [Locate Plant 22] [Native Knowledge 18] [Natural Healing III] [Natural Recovery III] [Plant Growth 40] [Poison Resistance IV] [Summon Animal 12] [Tree Network III] [Water Breathing 10] [Water Walk 4]
> Tree Skills: [Attract Birds 12] [Bless Animals 8] [Bless Elves 1] [Bless Sapients 6] [Branch Strike 8] [Chlorophyll 12] [Defensive Domain 8] [Ent Stride 28] [Ent Walk 28] [Extract Nutrients 10] [Grow Fruit 4] [Heal Plant 1] [Root Strike 12] [Rooted Stance 4] [Speak with Animals 20] [Swaying 2] [Wood Shaping 1]
> v. 1.01