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Trixie ◐ and Guinness ◮ were reborn as Shebbynall Palagi ◐ and Knieckmuch Vitti ◮, female and male [Gnomes] (remarkable) in the city of Bonnish (population two hundred thousand) of the Federated Ravorno States on the Ravorno Peninsula, Eurial continent. Bonnish was a densely packed city that lay along the steeply descending mountains—nearly cliffs, in truth—into Seacliffs Bay, just off the Tides of Hebborg. To follow the streets was very often to move up or down hill at a steep angle, so much so that locals often gave directions up-and-down mountain and up-and-down coast, rather than some sort of cardinal directions.
Not that compasses aren’t cool, it’s just that pragmatism wins the day.
The Palagi and Vitti families were neighbors and fast friends, and the greenhaired Shelby ◐ and purplehaired Nick ◮ were inseparable growing up, often spending many hours at the Funcore Game Hall, owned and operated by the Vitti family. Through Status unlock, Shelby and Nick both attended the publicly funded educational system. Thereafter, they both attended prestigious Public Scientific Library which, contrary to its name, was actually an academy.
Being male was an entirely new experience for Nick, and he had some difficulty the first few years. But Shelby was an understanding and supportive soul and, in time, Nick came to embrace his new maleness.
This was grossly exacerbated by Gnomish romantic culture which emphasized melodramatic and sickeningly sweet acts undertaken by males to woo females, who were expected to act reticent, even if not. Notably, such romantic displays nearly always failed to succeed in wooing, but the failure in itself was accepted and often praised if impressive nonetheless. Such romantic displays were such a central feature of Gnomish society, that even now, the city of Bonnish featured several dating agencies, most famous of which were “Blushes and Sparks” and “[Find Love].” Forget racing at the coliseum; this was public entertainment at its finest.
Encouraged by Gnomish culture, Nick threw himself into increasingly elaborate romantic displays directed at the most popular and pretty students at the Academy. He was passionate, earnest, and in no small measure assisted by several lifetimes of Traits and Skills. Indeed, he had gained a reputation as a true spectacle among Gnomes.
Shelby found it insufferable.
In their last year at the Academy, Shelby and Nick planned a day trip out of the city.
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“I’m—telling you, that it’s… overblown,” Shelby ◐ slurred.
“Nah, nah—*hic* it’s weally quite scary. All the name. The Malignant—no, the Malevolent…Atoll. The Floating …Skeery. The Fear *hic* -some Isle. The Cobalt Island,” Nick ◮ slurred back.
The two had finished their picnic, along with a bottle of Silblemante wine that Nick had snuck out of his parents’. They were far from the city, out on the beach on Beaconlier’s Coastline, not too distant from the manned lighthouse at its tip, both having a picnic and getting drunk together. Neither of which, surprisingly, they had ever done before, either alone or together.
“Nonono… It’s bad…. Fine!” Shelby decided. She scooped Nick up in a princess carry and began toddling towards water. Nick’s hat fell off and was left behind in the sand as he reflexively wrapped his arms around her neck. He glanced up at her face, then the sand and the approaching ocean, then her face again.
“Wut are you doin’?”
“I’m… [Wata Walkin’],” Shelby managed to get out.
“Oh, okay,” he responded quietly as he looked down contemplatively into the water.
Shelby had some difficulty getting past the crashing surf, but once she had done so, it was only a little bumpy as she began the two kilometer walk out to Cobalt Island. As they were walking, suddenly the water before them started churning and a large monster appeared. It rose up before them twenty meters, with horrible black shapes forming its body and dozens of tentacles. Shelby and Nick just stared up at it for several moments, before (suddenly sobered) Shelby turned and started hightailing it back to shore.
“Nick!” Shelby yelled after only a few steps.
“What?!” Nick yelled back.
“Use magic! Keep it off us!”
“I don’t have anything that’ll work on water.”
“I don’t care. Use [Ventriloquism] to distract it; give it an [Imperious Look]! Just do something!”
Nick did get some of the sea kelp to grow above the water and wave in the general direction of the monster, though it frankly didn’t care to pursue them at all as long as they weren’t trying to cross the channel.
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The two of them collapsed on the blanket they had brought, laying on their backs panting.
“Ha, ha, that was terrible. Ha, ha, told you it was, ha, dangerous.” Nick started.
“Ha, ha, why are you panting. You didn’t run any.”
“Ha, umm… it was that scary? And that did take a lot of MP you know.”
They lay there in the relative quiet of heavy breathing and crashing waves.
Nick glanced up as a bird alighted upon the branch of a nearby tree. “You know,” Nick started, “I bet—” and then his mouth was smothered by Shelby’s lips as she jumped on him.
The blanket they lay on got rather frumpled.
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As Shelby ◐ and Nick ◮ cuddled in bliss, the sun was fading into afternoon, its orange glow lapping across the dark blue of the sea.
Into this silence, Shelby prompted, “I think we should get married.”
Nick blinked several times, then ran his memory of the sound back through his head again. “Marriage?” he asked, puzzled. “Where’d that come from?”
“I mean, it kind of fits doesn’t it.” Shelby was in advocate mode. “This is an easy going life. We’re the same species—for once. We’re [Gnomes] in one of the best-developed civilizations I’ve ever heard, let alone seen. You’re studying to be a [Machinist], I’m studying to be an [Engineer]. We’ll be working in manufacturing for our livelihood. And, after school, what? We enter the [Gnomish] dating scene?”
“Well, sure,” Nick replied absently. “I guess.”
“Yeah, that’s working so well for you. I mean, you know the average marital age of [Gnomes]? And then what do we tell our spouses? ‘Oh don’t worry about the other guy?’”
“Or gal,” he replied cheekily.
“Pendant. And we’re practically married already. Or more than married I suppose with our bond. Or is that less married? I mean, I’m not necessarily… physically attracted to you.”
“Nor am I,” Nick interjected quickly.
“But that doesn’t mean the whole starting a family thing won’t work. Maybe we’ll use less monster next time, but it can work. We’re—”
Nick cut her off with a finger to her lips. “I get it,” he said solemnly. “So, our parents?”
“We’ve known each other our whole life. It wouldn’t be so strange to announce it so young. Well, maybe a bit, but it would be explainable.”
A half dozen ocean waves broke before Nick replied. “Okay. Let’s do it.” Then, a beat later, “So do you want me to propose [Gnomish]-style, [Catkin]-style, or [Elven]-style?”
She shut him up with her lips again.
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Shelby ◐ and Nick ◮ Classed shortly thereafter, both receiving as their initial what was usually an evolved Class for others: [High Engineer] (rare) for Shelby and [High Machinist] (rare) for Nick. Nick was already at Level 42, but Shelby’s ridiculous multipliers meant that she hit Level 63. With that, she immediately evolved her Race to [Green Gnome] (rare), a [High Gnome] variant, and her Class to [Engineer of the Deep] (ultra rare). The latter she suspected she received on account of being attacked twice and eaten once by deep sea monsters, but the description was too vague to determine.
A final demonstrative examination at the Academy and both were certified to ply their trade in society. As their families were celebrating their commencement, they jointly announced that they were engaged to be married, which really only turned the [Gnomish] party up to eleven. The elder Mr. Palagi broke out a case of the special wine, while the elder Mr. Vitti broke out a bottle of [Dwarven] spirits. There were hangovers all around.
Coming out of school, Shelby and Nick began their careers at Nemo Networks at a high-level entry level position on account of their evolved Classes which, while exceedingly rare for young ones, was not unheard of. That said, Shelby was coy about [Engineer of the Deep], and both Nick and Shelby kept their true levels a secret from their employers. Nonetheless, they quickly established a reputation as a highly efficient and effective design and manufacturing team: while a few hundred Skills helped, it turned out that their telepathic Skills were the ones they used most often and most effectively, especially once they figured out how to send images.
A few months later and they celebrated their nuptials. It was Shelby’s first marriage and Nick’s first as a man. But they figured it out just fine. Old souls and all that. The Company gave them two weeks off and they celebrated their honeymoon in a quiet cottage in one of the dry continental forests a day’s travel inland.
Shelby and Nick spent five years at Nemo Networks, then another seven at Golbrews, all the time advancing their trades and their employer’s manufacturing. At that point, they decided to set out on their own, naming their company Phoenixolutions. There was much anticipation by the [Gnomish] community, mostly over their high reputation and the fantastic word play in the name; Shelby and Nick just thought the fantastical and mythical [Phoenix] was a good metaphor for their lives, and didn’t quite understand what all the hype was about.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
During that time, Shelby and Nick were blessed with four children: Bonnie, a daughter; Cline, a son; Eddie, a son; and Georgie, a daughter. They had a happy and healthy home life, no doubt improved by any of a dozen Skills they had to draw upon. Shelby in particular was glad to take advantage of Nick’s [Lady of the Hearth] skills, which she hadn’t felt the full advantage of as Cota ◐ on account of not being family to Tanaka ◮ at the time. While Bonnie the eldest was already leaning towards an artsy occupation—spontaneous floral arrangements, perhaps—Eddie was already keen to head into the family business.
Then, just after Bonnie Classed: War.
The Neutral Alpine Territories declared war on the Federated Ravorno States (where Shelby and Nick lived) and, for a time, Shelby and Nick were anxious whether they would need to pull out their deadlier skills yet again and ruin this quiet life they had come to enjoy.
Nonetheless, on account of the war, orders for craftsmen were at an all-time high and Phoenixolutions found their products in high demand, both by the government and discerning private military forces. And so, as the first year after the declaration passed, the distant war quickly faded from conscious worry. And indeed, after two years, a peace treaty was signed—with hardly a thousand soldiers killed and nary an enemy within sight of Shelby and Nick’s beloved city.
With the end of the war and Eddie recently Classing, the demands on their time decreased after making a barrel-load of money. In so doing, Shelby and Nick reflected on their business. Why were they making so much money? They certainly couldn’t spend it all this lifetime and, for all they were reincarnators, they couldn’t take it with them.
Hmm…
And so with that, Shelby and Nick got into the philanthropy game. Donations and public works galore! The Vitti Plaza and Waterfountain. The Paulus Palagi Scholarship for Enterprising Game Board Designers. The Ararara Public Library, named after a dear friend. And The Matilda Vitti Orphanage for Lost and Abandoned Girls.
Soon, and perhaps inspired by their parents’ own youthful marriage, Bonnie and Cline married their respective spouses. Eddie was still battling it out in the ferocious Gnomish dating pool, while Georgie had just Classed herself. All was right in the family.
Naturally though, a few more years passed and Shelby and Nick discovered another use for their money: Grandchildren!
They were a righteous terror.
And so, the years and decades passed.
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On the top floor of the Vitti estate, the family matriarch and patriarch rested, confined to their bed by the frailties of age. Their eldest, Bonnie, rested in a nearby chair, in between the increasingly common visits to her parents.
“Bonnie?” Shelby ◐ suddenly rasped out, “Get me some hot water.”
Bonnie perked up at her mother’s sudden request, scanning the room for what had woken her mother from her stupor and/or prompted this request. She conspicuously did not move from the chair.
“You’re not going to do it are you?” Shelby prodded. Bonnie shook her head, unable to get any words out, as dread began to creep into her chest.
“Ugh, I’ll do it myself,” Shelby grunted. Then, with a few shaky hand movements, [Mage’s Hands] put a small amount of water from a sink into a mug and dragged it across the room to her, where [Fire Manipulation] heated it. “{I should really get some [Water Mage] Skills sometime,}” she mumbled under her breath in [Ostesh], a language spoken only half a continent away. Then, speaking up in Bonnie’s direction, “And yes, I’m going to do it. He watched me die once, but she had children and a husband, so a few years for them was fine. Me? I’m old and my family—bless you—is lovely. But it’s my time. Your father’s dead.”
Bonnie flushed, angry and frustrated at her mother’s insane ramblings. It had gotten worse in the last year, but still, she couldn't get used to it. She consciously ignored the fact her mother was using two [Mage] Skills she never knew her mother even had, while her mother brewed the herb. “What if he just fell asleep? You remember that time Jimmy thought Dad had died and had the rest of us in an uproar.”
“Bah!” Shelby spat. “You all were in an uproar; I knew he was fine. We never told you kids but your Dad and I are literally bound by our souls. It’s even got its own Trait. And,” Shelby paused to swallow, her throat dry, “I felt it when he passed on. He’s waiting for me, and I—I can’t let that happen.”
Frustration building, Bonnie ran out of the room. Meanwhile, Shelby quickly drank the hot, bitter water, and leaned back in the bed with a sigh as she waited for peace to come to her. A few minutes later, Bonnie returned with the rest of her siblings and—incidentally—her newborn niece. Seeing the empty cup, no one said anything, but prying one eye open and seeing her family had deigned to appear, Shelby first sighed heavily and then yawned deeply.
“We had this conversation long ago and it’s not happening again. But in my last moments,” Shelby yawned again, even deeper this time. “I suppose I could give a bit more consideration to your collective concern about the family after we’re gone. Hnnnn!” she grunted like she was trying to pass something. “[Bless Sapients].”
> Ding!
>
> You have received a blessing from Shebbynall Palagi Vitti.
>
> [Shelby’s Familial Blessing] (rare): For the remainder of your life, any action taken to better the family is 50% more likely to succeed. Additionally, receive +2 WIS, +2 INT. Inheritable by your children and grandchildren, but no further descendants.
By the time the stunned members of the Vitti mercantile family turned their attention back to their matriarch, she was already dead.
> Ding!
>
> You have died.
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> Name: Shebbynall "Shelby" Palagi Vitti (L156)
> Other Names: Trixie, Cota, Myr, Fly #5, Emil Marlonson, Queenie, Masami, Amelia
>
> Race: [Green Gnome] (Ra) (L78)
> Class: [Engineer of the Deep] (UR) (L78)
>
> HP: 0/385,193 (9,855 / hour)
> MP: 0/868,967 (8,383 / hour)
>
> CON: 74
> STR: 74
> DEX: 269
> INT: 687
> WIS: 691
> CHA: 176
> Free: 3
>
> 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 (Remarkable)] [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 6] [Less Sleep II] [Lightning Resistance II] [Magic Eater III] [Magic Growth III] [Omnivore] [Pain Resistance IV] [Planktivorous III] [Quick Hands 20] [Salt Water Tolerant III] [Skin Sight 22] [Slippery 12] [Sticky Fingers 16] [Tracking Nose 6] [Treasure Hunter 6] [Water Jet 14] [Water Resistance II]
> Life Skills: [Battlefield Prim 8] [Battlefield Proper 8] [Butchering 14] [Child Rearing 32] [Cleaning 38] [Cooking 26] [Digestion 14] [Dinner Bell 16] [Disguise 15] [Easy Birth II] [Eating 42] [Fast Talker 16] [Fishing 14] [Gardening 16] [Good Morning to You 28] [Hygiene 32] [Internal Clock 40] [Laundry 18] [Learning 50] [Magical Gardening 19] [Make Up 16] [Meditation 25] [Mirror] [Natural Leader 26] [Planning 38]
> Languages: [Belly Speech 25] [Eastern Kneet 40] [Greenwood Elvish 40] [Ostesh 40] [Polyglot I] [Ravornia 60] [Speak with Elves 40] [Tyr Trade Tongue 9] [Ucarhi 40] [Ucarhi - Creator of Written Ucarhi] [Ventriloquism 5] [Western Kneet 12]
> General Mage Skills: [Acid Splash 12] [Mage Hands 30] [Mage's Blade 23] [Mage's Shield 14] [Mana Bolt 8] [Mana Finesse 20] [Mana Lance 2] [Temperature Control 24] [Water Manipulation 12]
> 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 7] [Divine Channel 21] [Divine Courage 9] [Divine Faith 2] [Divine Fortress 10] [Divine Lay on Hands 21] [Divine Reflection 9] [Divine Smile 6] [Divine Smite 16] [Divine Speed 12] [Divine Thought 10] [Divine Will 8]
> 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 19] [Court of the Forest] [Detect Poison 6] [Disorienting Mist 1] [Forest Stride 46] [Grasping Roots 20] [Locate Animal 20] [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 12]
> 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 12] [Grow Fruit 6] [Heal Plant 2] [Root Strike 12] [Rooted Stance 4] [Speak with Animals 22] [Swaying 2] [Wood Shaping 16]
> Engineer Skills: [[Skill] Inspiration 8] [Arcane Design 16] [Biomimicry 12] [Critical Thinking 12] [Draft Schematics 28] [Hack Job 8] [Improvised Weapon 1] [Keen Eye 4] [Magic Pen 34] [Mathematics 22] [Mechanics 30] [Pressure Tolerance 8] [Project Management 26] [Prototyping 18] [Reinforce 24] [Statics 12] [Structural Integrity 6] [Troubleshooting 14]
> v. 1.04
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> Name: Knieckmuch "Nick" Vitti (L108)
> Other Names: Guinness, Tanaka Ai Takamoto, Arial of Myr, Elaria Greenwood
>
> Race: [Violet Gnome] (Ra) (L54)
> Class: [Machinist of Monsters] (UR) (L54)
>
> HP: 0/86,700 (4,420 / hour)
> MP: 0/98,500 (3,165 / hour)
>
> CON: 67
> STR: 107
> DEX: 233
> INT: 113
> WIS: 191
> CHA: 173
> 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] [Less Sleep II] [Pain Resistance IV]
> Dryad Bond Traits: [Dryad Bond] [Tree Beneficiary] [Skillshare (Common)] [Skillshare (Uncommon)] [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]
> Machinist Skills: [Alignment 12] [Assemble 26] [Carve Metal 32] [Carve Stone 4] [Carve Wood 24] [Disassemble 4] [Fine Tune 14] [Impossible Assembly 6] [Read Schematics 30]
> v. 1.04