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Vol2 Chapter 3
Manliness Vs Brawn
Don logged onto Royal Road a couple hours earlier than usual. Previously while looking for shops he found a craft shop whose inventory gave him some ideas. After spending about an hour ‘browsing’ in shops throughout the city, he stopped at an overpriced Inn and rented a room for the next two nights.
The room was pretty nice, a big bed, a nice table, ornate rug, and a small locked chest in the corner. Don took out the craft supplies and a journal.
Master Folren’s Artificing Journal
Before he became a master, artificer Floren did many experiments in his youth. The many trials, errors, and successes of those early years are recorded here.
Gives basic understanding of beginner and intermediate level artificing.
Don’s artifice skill was still beginner level 1, he needed to increase it a bit for the project he had in mind. He had a the whole night before he was leaving to kill the eagle god with Rose and Tolan. Don opened up the book and turned to a page with a certain schematic. Don didn’t know who Master Floren was but he must’ve been a bit of an eccentric. The journal had dozens of ideas, some detailed, some vague, but each was interesting. It showed a progression of the writer’s understanding of artificing. The further along in the book, the more advanced the ideas. Don’s project was on page 30, to get a fundamental idea of how to build it, he needed to work with the basics by building a few of the toys on page 17.
Page 17
Stun bolts.
Materials:
-2 thin pure iron spikes
-1 type E material wrap (For the positive charge)
-1 type F material wrap (For the negative charge)
-1 type K material wrap (For insulation)
-1 Glass cylinder
Sygs required: Plus charger, Minus Charger, Hold Charge, Release Charge.
The blueprints included a something that looked like an ancient capacitor that discharged between a pair of spikes. The sygs were artificing symbols that could be input into an item which gave it another property. Marking each spike with a charge syg would cause them to slowly build up a charge of that type. The hold charge syg would prevent it from dissipating, and the release charge syg was set to activate if something made contact with the two exposed spikes, canceling the hold syg.
Don spent the next few hours making half a dozen stun bolts.
Skill level up: Artifice [2]
From what Don understood, stun bolts were tazers that charged themselves from the static electricity in the air, but took a few hours to charge and only had one use before needing to charge up again. They dealt physical lightning to whatever they were stabbed into.
After Don figured he was ready, he turned to page 30. Don shook his head in wonder, as to what the circumstances were that lead Floren to need to make one of these.
Another hour and a half later Don finished and locked the chest in his room. One of the most useful things about a room with a chest was that anything he put in there stayed in there if he died. It was the best protection for against being stalked by thieves.
Don left the Inn and met up with Rose and Tolan at the exit to the city. Rose perked up at Don’s arrival. “Good morning. Ready?”
Don answered, “Yep, today is a bad day to be a nomad.”
As a prophet of Lu, Rose was in direct contact with the god. He relayed information about the next target to her and she told everyone else. The eagle god was worshiped by a group of traveling nomads. Passing through wouldn’t have been a problem but they decided to stay in the land governed by Lu. Even that wasn’t a big deal for Lu, but then the nomads started spreading their beliefs to the locals of the area, and that was something Lu would not tolerate.
The group started down the main road of Sairei. It was well traveled by merchants and adventurers alike. After an hour Tolan casually said, “We’re being followed.”
Don nodded, “Ya.”
Rose looked more interested than worried. Although the road had many people travelling with many others in the same direction, people who stayed the same distance from you for a while no matter how fast or slow you moved stood out.
Tolan asked, “Friends of yours?”
“No. A few days ago a group of thieves tried to rob me. They didn’t get what they wanted and didn’t seem like the type to give up after one try.”
Tolan seemed amused, “So what did they get?”
Don smiled, “Nothing, but a few of them left their equipment behind, this cloak for example.”
Tolan seemed to just notice that Don was wearing a black cloak, afterwards he burst out laughing. He asked, “So any preferences on what to do with them?”
Don opened his inventory and checked the status of the stun bolts.
Stun bolts [6]
Charge 63%
A glass cylinder that takes static electricity from the air and stores it. When the exposed end comes into contact with anything it will discharged.
Deals 1329 Lightning damage at 63% charge
Don said, “Need them to follow for another hour or so. After that it doesn’t matter.”
Tolan nodded without asking why. After three more hours the group turned onto a smaller road that lead to the nomad village. No one followed.
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Hob sat at the table of a cheap Inn at Eisendol watching a magic crystal in the corner. Many places in RR had such things that acted as TVs within the virtual reality. Of course they didn’t play live TV, if they did it would move 4x slower than normal. From what Hob could tell, four shows were simultaneously recorded from different popular channels, and played one after another in RR. Of course such things weren’t that interesting, but Hob had a lot of time to think while waiting for orders from his guild officer.
Earlier today he found the elf in possession of the target wandering around Eisendol. It wasn’t exactly hard, that pretty-boy stood out in a crowd like a floodlight at night. He followed him to the expensive Inn next door where the guy rented a room upstairs. Earlier the elf had somehow wiped out the previous group that was tasked to acquire the target so the bosses were being more cautious. From the guild chat of the guys tailing him, Hob learned that the elf was traveling with a priest and paladin of the church of Lu. The church was not an organization to be messed with. Even if they could kill the group, if the pair were active members, killing them would put the guild in a bad position with the church. They were told to back down and observe for a while.
-Hob you still at the Inn?
Hob sighed.
-Yea, still here.
-Josel’s group lost the target off the main road. You said before that the elf rented a room at the Elwind Inn right?
-Yep.
-Those rooms have chests with intermediate level locks. A good place to put something for safe keeping, right?
Hob smiled, it was about time he got to do something.
Hob saw the Innkeeper take the key off the rack that he gave to the elf. The empty space had the room number, telling Hob which door it unlocked. Hob could just pick the door, but if someone in the hall came or went while he was doing it, guards would be called and Hob wouldn’t get away. He equipped some formal looking clothes and waited outside the Inn for someone to leave. After a pair walked out, Hob waited a few more minutes and walked up to the Innkeeper. Before saying anything he took out a map and placed it on the counter.
“Excuse me sir, a pair I was supposed to meet left from here a few minutes ago and I just missed them. I think they was going to a nearby restaurant, could you show me where the best ones are around?”
The Innkeeper looked down at the detailed map of Eisendol for a moment before frowning. He couldn’t understand it upside down, so he came over to the other side of the counter and pointed at several spots. Hob thanked him and walked away. Hopefully it would take the innkeeper a while to realize the master key was no longer in his pocket. Without being noticed Hob walked up the stairs and made his way to the elf’s room. The master key unlocked it and Hob walked in.
The bed looked like it hadn’t been used yet but their were some small bits of metal and tools on the table. Hob made his way to the chest and REPLACEed his lock picking tools, but instead of fidgeting around, he merely said, “Unlock.”
Infamy rises by 3 (+3 INF)
The chest clicked and Hob smiled. When your Unlock skill is a great deal higher than the level of the lock, you don’t have to manually pick it.
Hob raised the lid of the chest, causing four spikes to shoot out and pierce Hob’s formal attire.
You lost 1550 Health Points (-1550 Health)
Hob cursed himself, he couldn’t believe the elf boobytrapped his chest. Of course even as a thief, his health wasn’t that low as to die from a trap that was so weak.
Click*
Hob went pale at the sound as he noticed that the iron spikes that were sticking from his chest had strings attached to them, metallic string.
Before he could remove the spikes he was electrocuted.
You are paralyzedYou cannot moveYou lost 756 Health Points (-756 Health)You lost 811 Health Points (-811 Health)You lost 782 Health Points (-782 Health)You lost 759 Health Points (-759 Health)
He couldn’t move and he was losing hundreds of health points a second. He could nothing but watch as his health bar went to zero. In his last moment he noticed that the chest's contents had four glass jars, each connected by a wire to the mechanism that shot the bolts were lodged in his chest.
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Don’s group made its way to the nomad campsite outside a small village. Rose asked, “Moment of truth. A few of the villagers are followers of the that eagle god. If we kill all the followers the eagle will be just as weak as that fox was, if not, it won’t be as easy.”
Don passed Rose and Tolan two stunbolts each. “Then if we raise the odds in our favor, we don’t need to kill the villagers. These won’t be able to deal too much damage to a god, but if any of us can stick it with one of these, it should be at least partially paralyzed and unable to fly away.”
Don had no intention of killing villagers who were in the wrong place at the wrong time just to make a quest easier. It was unmanly.
Rose smiled as she examined the device. Tolan smirked and said, “So stick ‘em with the pointy end?”
Don nodded. "Most of the strong attacks would require both wings. Take out one and most of its abilities would be sealed."
The group made its way to the edge of the nomad settlement. Don took out his lute and started playing Melody of the wind.
You’ve heard Melody of the Wind
Health and mana regeneration increased by 10%
Resistance to wind based magic increased by 15%
for 2 hours
Rose and Tolan received effects as members of the party, but everyone around heard the song.
“Ohh, what’s that?”
“Music?”
“Who’s playing?”
A couple of nomads followed their ears to the source. Don played and Rose and Tolan sat non-threateningly. The nomads consisted of human warriors and shamans, the tribe had about sixty people present.
Don figured music about the wind would appeal to nomads that worshiped an eagle, or at least appeal to some of them enough to come to the edge of their settlement.
After about fifteen showed up in front of Don, he stopped and said, “Hi guys. We need you to leave. Like, today.”
One of the nomads, a shaman said, “Leave? Who are you to ask us to leave?”
Tolan took over. “We are representatives of Lu. Your clan has been charged with the spreading of a foreign belief in the lands presided over by the church of Lu. As nomads you have overstayed your welcome.”
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The shaman looked pissed. “Our people lived here long before this kingdom had a name, our ancestors were driven out and Forced to become nomads! Now you come and tell us to leave again!”
The shaman raised his staff but Tolan quickly bashed him with his shield. Rose cast her holy buffs, “Divine Might, Shield of Faith, Light of Lu.”
Don took out his sword as the rest of the nomads realized where this was going. Rose’s buffs strengthen attack, defense, and magic defense. Though Divine might didn’t give him much of a strength boost. It was more for paladins as it converted faith to strength for a while. Light of Lu was an all around stat buff so it still gave him some extra umff.
Don started striking the closest warriors to get to the shaman in the group before he could buff everyone or curse him. Luckily Tolan got to him first. After seeing him though Don turned to see that Rose was undefended and being charged by a pair of warriors with swords drawn. Don tried to make his way over to her but there were too many between them.
Rose took out a mace and brained the first guy before ducking low and driving her mace into the next guy’s stomach, Tolan noticed that Don had a worried expressions and chuckled and Don rolled his eyes in realization.
There are two general builds of priests. Those who specialize in healing and buffs, and battle priests. Although a battle priest’s spells were not as powerful as a buff/healer, they could fight on the front lines without a baby sitter. Rose’s faith stat was likely higher than a normal priest at the cost of lower wisdom. Her heal spells were not top class but when under the effect of Divine might and shield of faith, her attack and defense were no less than a that of a warrior with light armor.
Don kept the nomad’s positions in mind as well as his party member’s. When Rose and Tolan were looking the other way, Don used Dance of scattering light. He reflected the sun’s light all around him, blinding half the people. He switched to fiery dance and finished off the few who were close to make way for the next ones.
Skill level up: Fiery Dance [9]Skill level up: Dual Wield [7]
Don’s dances attracted attention and gathered nomads around him, Tolan plowed through the large groups, Rose healed them while periodically taking out anyone foolish enough to attack her. After about an hour of constant fighting the camp was empty and Don was another level higher. Because they fought on the outskirts of the camp, a slow but steady stream of new nomads poured in after others were killed, providing constant battle, but not at an overwhelming rate.
Don, Rose and Tolan picked up loot and japtem throughout the area. Nomads were not rich, they mostly had monster drops from recently hunted local mobs. The swords the warriors dropped were low quality, the light armor and leather hides they wore had nothing on Don’s equipment. The shamans did have some good staffs, but Rose had picked most of them up.
In the large tent where the chieftain had lived, there was an ornate statue of a majestic eagle. Don took out Lu’s essence and waited for a moment.
A gust of wind came from nowhere and coalesced into a form, a sphere. After a moment it became solid and wings emerged from the side as a beak formed in the front.
The three meter tall eagle, with a golden name above its head, Wilfrind, looked around for a moment before speaking.
-What is this power I feel? Offer it to me.
Don put the essence back in his inventory and said, “No free lunch for you, come and take it.”
Wilfrind opened its wings and flapped once, the gust filled the tent and threw it in to the air. Don and Tolan were already running up to it with a stunbolt in hand, but another flap and the pair were sent backwards.
At this point the eagle god looked around the village and realized everyone was dead.
-You... Will Pay For -ARGHH!
Rose had snuck up behind the eagle and stabbed her stunbolt into its wing. An electric jolt could be seen over the wing and the eagle seemed to be unable to move it well. Don and Tolan ran up to the bird again but this time they each took a side, Wilfrind turned to its side and tried to rip Rose’s head off with its beak but she had already gotten away after stabbing it. It turned to Don and flapped its remaining wing, though this time along with a powerful gust came a barrage of feathers. Don wrapped the wind around his swords and threw it into the eagle god’s attack. The wind currents cancelled each other out, but the spiraling wind of Don’s attack threw the feather’s trajectory off and none had struck him.
The god looked pissed. It started cawing out, something that sent a shiver down Don’s spine. From the trees of the nearby forest came a large rustling sound. It was the sound of hundreds of birds taking off, and they were on their way.
Don charged forward, if the birds got there they group would be too occupied to finish the god before the stunning effect wore off, he needed to take out its wings before that. Don yelled, “Get its wings!” signaling Rose and Tolan of his plan. From three directions the giant bird was ambushed, Tolan with his shield, Rose with her second stun bolt, and Don.
Don started running while dancing, something which drew the god’s attention, just as Don blinded it with the sun’s light off his swords. It flinched, and a moment later it started flapping its wings, trying to take off. Don wrapped his sword in fire, but the wind from the takeoff blew it out. Don had to cancel out the wind before he could use it.
Don wrapped the sword of his right hand in wind, and the sword of his left in fire. He threw the wind at the god then threw his remaining sword following the trajectory. The Gale blade carved a path which the sword followed. Although the fire started to die out as soon as it left Don’s hand, there was still some left as it pierced the wing.
-ARAAARGH
The god cried out as the embers of the blade were fanned by the wing’s movement, causing the area to erupt in flames. The god crashed down and threw its wing, causing the sword to fly off. However before it could put out the fire, Tolan shield bashed it, sending the god backwards and stunning it. Don used his remaining sword to hack away at the eagle until it died.
Quest Update: Slay the Gods
Lu, the god of Light has requested that you kill the lower gods that have encroached upon his territory. Accept and he will offer assistance.
Progress 02/19You have gained a level!
You have gained a level!
Skill level up: Sword mastery has reached level 10 and is now intermediate
+50% Atk and Atk Spd when using sword.
Don quickly turned to see that the cloud of birds was dispersing. Don sighed in relief and checked the God’s loot. A sapphire, a large pile of feathers, and another glowing gem.
You have obtained the spirit of Wilfrind!
Leadership increased by 20 (+20 LEA)
Intellect increased by 10 (+10 INT)
Wisdom Increased by 10 (+10 WIS)
Your divine affinity has increased
Don’s opened up his stat and skill window to see how well he was doing.
Status WindowAvatar DonAlignment NeutralRace Lunar ElfTitle NoneLevel 139Class Blade DancerFame 320Infamy 0Health 7290Mana 2370Strength 359Agility 304Wisdom 75+80Intellect 110+50Vitality 110Affinity to Nature 0Charisma 105Charm 185Leadership 20Perseverance 66Fighting Spirit 122Endurance 108Concentration 12+30Luck 20Attack 351Defense 132Magic Resistances None+ Charisma stat is added extra 80 points.
+ Charm stat is added an extra 80 points
+ Enables you to equip certain items specialized for the class.
+ Increases Attack Power while dual wielding swords.
+ Enables you to learn secret skills based on your level in Blade Dancing Mastery.
SKill windowLight of the Heavens [Max] 00%Sword Mastery Intermediate [1] 1%Dual Wield [7] 25%Drawing [2] 16%Bluff [3] 81%Automapping [7] 51%Detect [4] 71%Disarm Trap [2] 32%Identify [5] 12%Scan Intermediate [3] 20%Unlock [2] 0%Blade Dancing Intermediate [1] 65%Cross Body Parry [7] 90%Fiery Dance [9] 7%Illusion Steps [6] 23%Dance of the Brave [1] 14%Dance of the Fighter [2] 34%Dance of Death [6] 35%Tailoring [6] 23%Artifice [2] 21%Repair [4] 59%Lute playing [2] 33%Dance of Scattering Light [1] 65%Gale Dance [1] 29%
Tolan walked over to Don and said, “I didn’t ask before, but why did you tell the nomads to leave? If we simply went with a surprise attack instead of antagonizing them first it would’ve been easier.”
Don nodded and said, “And if we killed all the nearby villagers that would’ve made it easier too. However I have no intention of killing anyone without a good reason, it just isn’t manly. I had no right to kill them if there was another option, I had to give it to them beforehand.”
Tolan shook his head, “So this is going to be a frequent thing?”
Don said, “Yep, anyone who doesn’t attack us on sight gets a chance to leave. Got a problem with that?”
Rose who had overheard their conversation burst out in laughter. She said, “You’d make a good paladin. Tolan isn’t a fan of killing innocents, but in this game that actually makes him part of the minority. He was just checking to see if you were like that too.”
Tolan rolled his eyes and started walking out of the settlement. Rose followed as did Don.
A few hours later the trio was back in Eisendol. They agreed to move onto a different city within Sairei kingdom. If they wanted the killing of a god to be no more than a day trip, they needed their home base to be closer to areas with gods. Don went to the local tailor with the eagle god’s feathers. As promised, the tailor paid Don handsomely for the lot, 730 gold. Of course neither of them knew what properties the feathers would impart on whatever they were made, but if it was anything like the fox god’s pelt, the tailor would make a fine profit.
Next Don went back to his Inn to check the trap he made. When he opened his room he found a some gold and a leather satchel.
Master Lock Pick Set
Durability 37/40
The lock picks of a professional thief
Requirements:
200 AGI
50 LUK
Effects:
+2 Unlock Level when equipped
Don smiled. The trap he built into the chest killed whoever was unlucky enough to have unlocked it. And after Don increased his luck a bit he would be able to use the lock pick set for himself.
The group would leave in the morning so he still had the room for the night. Don got out all the remaining parts he had and opened Forlen’s book. He hadn’t expected the trap or even the stun bolts to have worked out so well and he wanted to spend the night increasing his Artifice proficiency.
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