Starling had been moving through the forest following a gradual incline for about half an hour when the ground began to rise up ahead of them in a much steeper fashion, breaking up through the trees. Along the way they had noticed several more unfamiliar plant species, all with strange leathery bark or purple tinges to them that made them stand out. So far they hadn’t identified anything they recognised. While this was concerning, they kept focus on their current task, keen to identify a water source and somewhere to camp before they moved on to the next most important tasks in their mental checklist.
While walking they had been listening and watching warily, their [Environmental Awareness] kicking in when they concentrated. It was definitely sharper if they stopped moving and held still, but still provided a powerful bonus to their senses even while they walked. When the skill was active they felt like they could hear and see further through the trees and their other senses were boosted as well. Apart from some small birds that would flit off whenever Starling got near they hadn’t encountered any other wildlife - Occasionally the [Environmental Awareness] would draw their attention towards a strange sound or moving bush in the instance, but when they stopped to increase the skills efficiency nothing was there.
I can’t get over this whole thing, if I concentrate on this skill I just get ‘better’ at picking things up? It’s such a weird concept but I can’t deny how effective it is.
Along the way their skill had also drawn their attention to scuff marks on the trees in the area, some at hip height and some up higher than Starling’s head. The leathery bark was scraped and torn as if something had taken the edge of a knife and drawn it across the surface. A thick red sap oozed from these rents, attracting swarms of small buzzing insects that Starling didn’t want to get too close to. Concerning, if something was roaming around here that could damage these trees that badly they needed to watch themselves. There didn’t seem to be any signs of them at the moment however.
Starling checked their Status a few times when walking, but everything was too overwhelming to really understand now. Sitting down when they had established some stability was the right thing to do. The only thing they had really noticed was that their Stamina was now showing “High” instead of “Full”, so clearly they were doing something to affect it.
After a short distance they came to a break in the undergrowth, and what was clearly some sort of nature trail through the trees. It forked off from their path, but continued in roughly the right direction. Looking closely at the broken ground with their new [Environmental Awareness] Starling was able to pick out the rough outlines of different animal tracks. Something with cloven hooves, small paw prints and something that gave Starling a real jolt of sudden fear, that was definitely a boot print.
Just the outline of one foot, obvious in its clean lines compared to the wildness around it. seeing it brought Starling out in a cold sweat and without even really realising it, they found themselves carefully crossing this trail and continuing on their own path through the brush.
[[Wisdom Check Failed]]
[[Emotional Attributes Temporarily Locked]]
[[Stamina drain increased]]
Following the rising terrain they started to carefully pick a path through the scrubby ferns and loamy soft soil that made up its surface. To Starling’s surprise, concentrating on [Environmental Awareness] while they picked their way through made the going much easier. It almost felt like their feet were subtly guided on sturdy places to stand, and as the way got steeper and the soil gave way gradually to exposed rock hand holds became apparent as well. They stopped before they really started to exert themselves up the rock face.
Climbing an unknown incline, without safety equipment or a spotter is a really stupid idea. But if they could get up above the tree tops and look out over the area, they should be able to spot a source of water, work out the time and also hopefully spot some signs of civilization and safety.
Deciding the risk was worth it, but being extremely careful, Starling started to climb, senses straining with [Environmental Awareness] to help spot good handholds and footholds on the surface.
[New Skill Discovered: Natural Climbing]
[Primary Attribute: Agility]
[The wilderness provides paths for those who know how to look]
- Enhances ability to identify natural handholds and footholds
- Improves balance when traversing difficult terrain
- Better assessment of climbing route safety
- More effective on natural surfaces than artificial ones
As the notification of the new skill appeared in the corner of their vision, they noticed that the handholds ahead of them had started to glow different colours, blue were the ones that Starling had already thought might be safe, and fading through green to yellow and then to red for the less clearly stable ones. This made climbing far easier, and they started to progress faster up the steepening incline as it became more of a cliff.
Ok, these skills are amazing, I need to keep unlocking them and see what else they can do. This is like bouldering in a gym, not climbing an unknown rock face!
As Starling continued to climb through a harder section, one more akin to bouldering than just casual climbing they noticed that the number of hand holds they could identify through the skill was dropping, from seeing ten or so holds at once they were only seeing the next one or two options, and the colours weren’t as vibrant, they were fading into the natural rock and Starling was having to strain to see them. There was a notification that had appeared that they brought the focus on to expand.
[WARNING: Low Stamina!]
[Strength, Dexterity, Endurance, Focus and Willpower have been temporarily reduced due to lack of Stamina]
[WARNING: Skills using these stats will have reduced effectiveness until Stamina is recovered!]
[WARNING: Utilising multiple skills at once multiplies Stamina drain!]
Oh, my Stamina is low? I guess that makes sense, I am starting to feel tired.
Starling opened their stats screen and gasped at what they saw.
[Name: Starling]
[Level: Beginner]
[Status: Alive/Recently Transferred (03:11)]
[Health: Full (Warning, class restrictions prevent full Health Details from being displayed)
[ ████: ███ (Warning, current class restrictions prevent full ████ Details from being displayed)]
[Stamina: Extremely Low (Warning, class restrictions prevent full Stamina Details from being displayed)]
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Crap, this has tanked all my attributes, I should have had a rest before I started climbing. This is much worse than just over exerting yourself and needing to take a break. I could put myself in a lot of trouble by pushing too hard with these skills. I better be really careful with how I use them.
Starling took stock of their situation, they had just climbed past a small shelf that they could descend to and sit at for a few minutes safely and hopefully recover some Stamina. They moved down carefully, and made sure to stop using their skills.
Using multiple skills at the same time increases the Stamina drain as well? Damn that is frustrating, I don’t really want to stop using [Environmental Awareness] ever. I guess I need to pick and choose what to use based on the situation.
Starling sat for a few minutes keeping an eye on their Stamina in the status window, thankfully as their heart rate slowed and their breathing lessened their Stamina changed from Very Low to Low and then to Medium.
Ok, phew, don’t push too hard. I need to see if there is a way to just watch my Stamina rather than having the whole window open all the time. I can’t let that happen again.
After resting for a few minutes and seeing their stats return to normal, Starling started the climb again, this time only focussing on using [Natural Climbing] and keeping a careful eye on their Stamina by opening and closing their character status as they rose through the trees. To see what happened, they tried to pick handholds not highlighted by the skill, it felt strange trying to touch them, like a magnet pushing away at their hand. They could still try and use them, but along with the discomfort of feeling repulsed from the hand or foothold, they noticed their Stamina drained faster as well. When they switched back to the colour coded handholds, they could feel the skill pulling their hands and feet into the perfect positions, it felt like they were -snapping- into position as they climbed.
Right, don't fight the skill, it knows best it seems.
As Starling continued to rise higher the progress became increasingly difficult, almost as if they weren’t supposed to be able to climb this high. Handholds were further apart, requiring delicate shifting of balance or swinging out and around obstacles to continue the climb. Starling knew that they should turn back, that most people would have by now, but they kept going.
Methodically checking each hold, burning muscles spurring them on rather than pushing them back. Checking their Stamina as they went they could see it draining, but not as bad as before.
Hmm, something has changed, my Stamina was draining a lot faster earlier. I don’t know what I am doing different, it isn’t just only using this climbing skill.
[Willpower Check Successful: 16 (+4 from past experience)]
[Skill Enhancement: Natural Climbing effectiveness temporarily increased)]
Starling knew this feeling, the same determination that kept them in that burning tower until everyone was safe. It came with a euphoria, a recognition that their Willpower was as strong as the status screen said. Their past had damaged them in many ways, but it had forged something unbreakable within them. A phrase flashed through their mind at that moment, a memory from long ago.
“Despite everything, you are still you.”
Their trust might falter, but their Willpower had been tempered with fire.
The next handholds grew brighter, as if the System itself was acknowledging this strength, rewarding them for pushing past the point of safety.
Not every scar was a weakness.
Finally, Stamina low, muscles aching, lungs burning, they pulled themselves up onto a small ledge in the cliff face. The view was stunning, and whilst decidedly alien was familiar enough that Starling was pretty sure they were looking out over an old growth deciduous forest that hadn’t been disturbed in a very long time.
Trees spread out across a large valley in every direction, only faltering out on the slopes of mountains that rose majestically out of the foliage. The leaves on the trees were like the ferns and other plants below, tinged with purple. Some had all purple leaves, some even were red like blood. It made for a colourful and beautiful tableaux. The valley was cupped in a basin made by four mountains, with one side of the valley seeming lower than the others. Starling guessed that would be where any water would be running out and possibly collecting into a lake.
Looking up at the sky, they were surprised to see two suns. One in the more traditional scale and colours like Earth and a second smaller violet emitting one that was lower on the horizon, as though it had only recently risen. They just stared at it for a minute, absolutely overcome with how beautiful and alien it was to see.
Two suns. Two actual suns. I don't know what the implications of that are but, well, I am definitely not on Earth, that's confirmed.
Starling took a few moments to just bask in the view, take it in and feel the warm sunlight of both of the suns wash over their body. It was pleasant and warm, the air was clearer than below - less spiced but still fresh and a joy to breathe.
Having hoped to establish cardinal directions based on the movement of the sun they realised they needed to find another way of establishing something like compass points. Having two suns could wreak havoc with orbital mechanics and Starling wasn’t certain if relying on even the traditional sun for direction was a good idea until they had time to track its progress through the sky for several days.
For now the peaks of the mountains would work as landmarks, handily there were four, and each was pretty distinct. Naming them North, South, East and West wasn’t the most inspiring naming convention but it gave them reference points for now. ‘North’ had a ragged double peak that made it stand out from the others. With their new climbing skill it shouldn’t be too hard to get up on top of a tree to check where they were in relation to the peaks while they wandered the valley.
[New Skill Discovered: Wilderness Navigation]
[Primary Attribute: Intelligence]
[Finding your way requires more than just following the sun]
- Improves ability to create mental maps of terrain
- Enhances landmark recognition and recall
- Better at identifying natural navigation markers
- Assists in maintaining directional awareness
- Basic understanding of local celestial patterns
Starling grinned in delight.
Damn, it’s like getting a reward just for doing the right thing!
They took a second to relax and enjoy the dopamine rush and just take in the beauty of the landscape.
Maybe things aren’t going to be too bad here.
As they leaned back against the sun-warmed rock behind them and relaxed for the first time since the morning of the fire, Starling noticed that the forest wasn’t quite as undisturbed as they had first thought. Looking out over the canopy and tying in [Environmental Awareness] they quickly realised that what they had first identified as random gaps in the tree cover as being connected and making paths through the trees.
[Skill Level Increased: Environmental Awareness has reached Novice]
[Primary Attribute: Focus]
[Your connection to the environment deepens as your awareness expands]
New Capabilities:
- Extended sensory range
- Animal tracking boost
- Weather pattern recognition
- Improved effectiveness while moving
- Basic wildlife behavior interpretation
[Note: Higher Focus attribute increases skill effectiveness]
[Note: Skill drain on Stamina reduced]
The notification flashed across the lower half of their vision at the same time as their senses sharpened, the new clarity of vision and hearing drew their attention to movement they hadn’t noticed before. Something large was moving through the forest, trees shaking as it brushed past them.
Starling’s thoughts instantly went to the gouged trunks they had passed on the way over, concern furrowing their brow as they tried to imagine what sort of creature would be large enough to shake these trees and leave damage like that in its wake.
As they continued to take in the area around them with the skill engaged they suddenly realised that more and more movement was all around, trees they had assumed were being moved by the wind were in fact being disrupted by something under the canopy. Huge sections of the forest were being shaken and moved, the whole forest was alive with movement, all of it traveling from East to West.