Chapter 6 - Gearing Up!
Age of the Godlings - Year 0 - Kroonensnoob - Day 3
We quickly broke camp next morning, as we didn’t really have a camp.
I tried to be efficient, but I had woken up during the middle of the night howling a blood curdling scream, somehow having this very vivid dream that I had spent my very essence to fuel a mighty lightning bolt, and died from the effect.
That of course scared the Bejezus out of Shikman, Kerthax and Scooter.
Who then got annoyed with me saying it was just a nightmare, i’m okay just go back to sleep.
Sleep after that came a bit troubled.
Breakfast was not a collective ritual for our party.
It was some reeds and juicy insects for me.
Kerthax had caught some cross between fish and frog, and was happily stuffing himself with it.
Scooter was looking at Kerthax consuming the fishfrog, spittle slavering from his jaws.
Shikman looked at us both, huffed a bit disdainfully and went off to pluck at tree roots and berry bushes. I hoped he knew what he was doing. Eating the wrong berries could get you in all sorts of trouble, but maybe gardengnome metabolism was different to humans.
Finishing off with a particularly nice beetle, I looked for some high ground from where I could use my Electro-Metavision and find the disturbance in the usual swamp pattern, but I couldn't find anything appropriate in the vicinity.
I didn’t really want to share tidbits about my private set of powers, but it would be difficult to explain otherwise, and it would be the first hard step in forming a working relationship with Shikman.
I walked over to Kerthax, who was finishing off the fishfrog, and activated Electro-Metavision,scanning the lifeform before the last bloody gobs were consumed.
“Shikman, Kerthax, I have a quest to inspect lifeforms with a vision enhancing spell of mine. So I hope you don’t mind me looking over your gathered food.”
It seemed I had their attention now.
“However this spell has also led me to believe that there is some strange location not very far from here, to the north.
I was making my way towards it when I happened upon a certain lizard gentleman hunting party.
I want to investigate it, and just have to find some high vantage point in order to get accurate bearings.”
Shikman looked with curiosity at me, while Kerthax cleared his mouth and then started to speak.
“To the north, a tribe of Antarians have their hive, they have always been ruthless but you could still reason with them. A few weeks ago we lost all contact with them, and now they are like unthinking beasts, maybe your spell can sense them”.
The gardengnome godling had idly started to snack at his food while listening intently.
“Ahh Shikman, can I just get a look before you finish those”
I quickly went over and looked over Shikman’s foraging, inspecting for previously unseen specimens
[You have inspected 77/500 lifeforms with Electro-Metavision]
Yup, long way to go on that quest.But the swamp was after all a crawling mess of jungle life, it was just a question of having enough time.
“Kerthax, do you know how many Antarians were in this tribe.”
Kerthax made a convulsing motion, which possibly could be interpreted as a shrug.
“The tribe came in from the great barrens to the far north, beyond the falls some years ago, when I was a hatchling. They were not many then, but their Queen can lay eggs at a rate which puts any lizard maiden to shame.
But it is difficult to even know the magnitude of their hive, they have some spires aboveground, but from what I understand most of their hive is underground, and who knows how deep it is, and how many drones and soldiers are within it”.
“Do you think I will fit in the tunnels ?” I asked Kerthax. Who looked at me in alarm.
“Mylord, I hesitate to doubt your august wisdom, but delving into a hive filled with savage humanoids turned monsters, surely that is too much even for you. But to answer your question, it will surely be a very tight fit with your considerable bulk.”
A crazy idea was playing out in my head, an imaginary scene of me blocking a tunnel, Kerthax and Shikman supporting me with spears keeping the throng of insects trickling towards my Hipponian bottleneck, while I dispatched them as they awkwardly came into my greater melee range.
Harvesting a hive worth of XP would be beneficial to all three of us, and aid me in the longterm, therefore it could not be immediately discounted as being too dangerous.
First of all, more information was needed in order to make a sound decision.
In order to do that I had to get my bearings.
Shikman interrupted my mulling when he spoke up.
“We both have a quest to find our people, if our corporeal forms, us, are slain it will take time to reform, and even if we get to our people before the quest timer, we will be weeks behind the competition.”
Shikman held his eyes on me while continuing.
“That could be the tipping point leading to our favoured people and worshippers getting killed by a schmoozel with an early power race and even just a common godhead.”
Shikman sort of strutted around our little camp while conveying his reluctance to my scheme.
And paused, looking at me, waiting for my answer.
I replied “From my previous experience, risk often comes with reward, and preparation and planning can reduce risk. However I understand your sentiment, this is not something we should just walk into. I’m prepared to divulge what my other spells and skills are, if you are willing to do the same, then we can actually plan how we to work together on this.”’
I finished speaking and had eye contact with Shikman the whole time.
At the end of my reply, I looked at Kerthax and Scooter.
Kerthax was bobbing his head in agreement. And Scooter was, well Scooter was enthusiastically rubbing its ass against some tree stump, leaving behind telltale smears.
I looked back at Shikman who looked at me, while contemplating our exchange.
He then nodded, and said “I can agree to sharing knowledge of current spells and skills. You go first”.
I held my breath for a moment then summoned my character sheet, and started to share.
“Ok, I have my vision ability, which allows me too see some details on living things, creatures, plants and so on.
Next on, I have the ability to Stun a target I touch. It has a 10 minutes cooldown, so its sort of a once per encounter kind of thing.
Then I have a clerical spell called consecrate”.
Here Shikman interrupted me and said “Yes most godheads have a priest class with this as the lowest tier of magic, I have Consecrate as well. It's more or less useless in this situation”.
I didn’t display any annoyance at his interruption or negative disposition, and went on after he had finished.
“Lastly I have Soothe the Beast, a spell to make taming beasts easier.”
Shikman looked at me in wonder “If you have 4 spells at the start you must have a significant godhead. What about thine skills ?”
Oh, all my powerful secrets out in the open, well I didn’t really have any secret skills, woodgnawing just seemed stupid, but we had made an agreement.
“Diplomacy 1.84 , Leatherworking 1.21, Skinning 1.09, Woodgnawing 1.16.” I stated simply.
Shikman looked at me, a bit warily.
“What is Woodgnawing ?” he asked, suddenly seeming unsure of himself.
I looked at him, then broke a twig of a nearby bush, and went back to him and explained “I can chew wood into certain shapes with my teeth. At the start I didn’t have any tools, so I thought my huge teeth could give me an advantage”.
That definitely sounded smarter than my actual thought processes at the time.
I chewed for a moment, while rotating the twig, and when I took it out, I could see the end was rounded and not torn where I had snapped it off.
Shikman looked at me “Thats a very strange skill, do you know if its common for your kind to have this skill ?”
I shrugged “I haven’t even heard about Hipponians, since a couple of days ago. Your guess is as good as mine. Now let me hear what kind of stuff you have ?
Shikman spread his arms out in a grand gesture, revealing his divine powers to the plebians. “He takes the drama too far” I thought.
“My clerical spells as mentioned is also a variant of consecration.
I also have an inspection ability as you, but mine is geared towards assessing materials potential in crafting.
Third, I have an active aura which enhances crafting skills.”
Shikman, ever the prancer, almost ran in circles, guess he didn’t like divulging personal secrets as well.
“I have not had much time to delve into training my skills, what with being hunted through the swamp” Shikman raised an eyebrow at Kerthax, who had the sense to look embarrassed, eyes in the ground, hands behind his back, one foot sort of scraping the dirt.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
My only reaction was a little almost suppressed snicker.
Shikman resumed walking about the camp while talking. “My highest skill is Herbalism, which is at 3.23 , mostly I have used it to find food, but I have found some reagents with it as well. I have gained a weaving skill of 2.32 by making my loin garment, and woodworking 1.77 by making this.” a small wooden pointy stick materialized in Shikmans hands.
“If I can just try to understand, how can your weaving skill be 2.32, from just making one small garment ?” I asked Shikman.
“Well, I trained of course, while walking along, I practiced weaving reeds in different patterns, also to get a feel for which pattern would suit the material and purpose best. When not doing that, I have been gathering roots and berries, sniffing and tasting them very carefully, and through that I unlocked the Herbalism skill.
And I also have the Diplomacy skill at 3.14”.
“What, how is your Diplomacy that high ? I only got to 1.84 from our agreement” I inquired, while trying not to sound too whiny.
“You have shared the skill gain with your diplomat of course, and it may have been that the system thought I was the one making the best deal, and rewarded me accordingly, in recognition of my innate superior negotiation techniques.”
I cringed a bit at his over the top smugness, cheeky bastard.
“Alas, my crafter skills are for the moment too low to craft something worthy of divine beings such as us.” He shook his head.
“However if we are indeed to delve into a hive, we must prepare, we will camp here for 2 days, and we shall craft what equipment we can in that time, as it may safe our lives.
If the Stormlord deigns, we could use the fur and canines of a some beast, either tamed or slain, so I suggest you use the day for that, oh and do make an effort to at all times have some wood in your mouth, I’m quite interested in exploring your gnawing skill.”
Shikman paused to inhale then droned on.
“I will use Kerthax as my assistant, and guard while I construct the most rudimentary of workshops. And I now trust him, to not pick on my divine flesh.”
I thought it over, if fiddling sticks could make Shikman willing to take a risk, I was okay with waiting for 2 days, and what he said made sense, consolidate strength before battle.
But did he have to be so goddamned pompous.
I stood up, and tried whistling at Scooter, but my mastery of the Hipponian body was not yet up to the task. As a direct consequence, an inhuman amount of drool spewed out of my huge mouth.
Both Shikman and Kerthax looked shocked at me. In the formers case, the shock turning into anger.
“How dare you” Shikman fumed at me, “If you don’t agree with my proposition, at least have the decency to decline respectfully, one god to another.”.
I blinked at him, twice. Then wiped my mouth. “I haven’t been in this body for that long, and it would seem that my mouth has significant differences from the mouth of my previous body”.
Shikman looked quizzically at me again, like when he had learned that I had 4 spells.
“You are a novice god ? This is your first time being a god, I can’t believe it… oh I hope that you have a good amount of knowledge about the System from your previous life, but I must admit that you seem a bit ignorant.”
I was split, all my instincts screamed at me to not divulge anything to the God of Gardengnomes, but another part of me knew the power of knowledge over ignorance and pretense.
I had after all had a career in IT, and bosses with low understanding of the technology of ongoing projects were unhelpful in the best of cases, I didn’t want to be that guy.
Also there was the whole trust issue, turning this faux pas into something that expanded me and Shikmans relationship, could also prove valuable.
I began to explain “In my previous life, there was no system, no magic, no monsters. Just one sentient race on a planet. You could maybe argue that technology was our magic”.
Shikman nodded “Perhaps your world has been in a magic-dead zone for a long time. But the relevant fact is then, that you don’t know anything about the System, which you will need.”
“Most sentients just have their characters sheet, as gods, we will interface with a lot more components of the System than just a character sheet, so there will be a steep learning curve for you.”
The prancing began again.
“Also if you are not raised into a world with magic, you will not know the ways of magic and monsters, your whole decision making will from the onset of your civilization be handicapped greatly by this.”
I replied to Shikmans disdainful speech.
“Shikman, you are right I don’t. But our understanding of technology was good, and if I play my cards right, that will be my edge. Also I’m willing to learn, but now I will be going, wood in mouth, ho Scooter with me”.
Scooter came over, tongue lolling stupidly out of his mouth and I waddled forth.
I had waddled for possibly 30 minutes, stopping once in a while, if I saw any insect, plants, tree or bushes which I hadn’t seen before, and not inspected with Electro-Metavision.
There was a clearing in the swamp jungle here, and as usual it was a body of open water.
I thought it a nice place to cool down with a little mudbath. I didn’t quite know how to treat my body in a good way, so I tried to pamper it a bit, with multiple daily soaks in pools. Which felt natural and good, so it was probably the right thing to do.
Oh, and I had gnawed the whole way. And I had received a notification that my skill had increased, just by training like Shikman had said. And as my skill increased a weird larger than life understanding of wood gnawing came to me, if I imagined the piece of wood I was gnawing, I could then imagine what object I wanted to make, and which places to remove wood, other places to gnaw slow but strong, and flatten the wood surface a bit.
I spat out the little piece I had in my mouth and turned it in my hands. It was ugly, poorly made, had saliva all over it, but it sort of looked like a Garden gnome from my human heritage.
Somehow making something from my memory as a human, even as stupid as something to piss Shikman off with, gave me some consolation with the fact that Earth was probably permanently screwed, given the circumstances that led to my death.
I was intrigued if I could actually gnaw-carve a resemblance of Shikman’s facial features into the figurine. And decided to try training face gnawing on another piece of wood, to train before I went on with my Magnum Opus.
I walked into the shallow part of the pool, and took a deep breath going under, and letting the tepid water run over me.
I chewed while imagining the wood piece, with Shikman’s face on it, and chewed as my skill instinct guided me.
With a flash the calm waters erupted in a hail of droplets and a large lizard lunged at me.
You have been bitten by Stygian Octodile for 23 damage.
Bleed effect 2 hp/s for 10 seconds.
“Oh my god, what the fuck, i’m barbeque”.
“Ok wait, i’m a Hipponian vessel of divine fury, its this fucking crocodile who is about to get fucked up, at least I hope that will be the case”.
I immediately summoned a stake from my inventory in my other hand, and went for its closest eye.
But suddenly the world was spining, and I was underwater, the fucking bastard was dragging me off and spinning me around in the water. Somewhere in the distance I could hear Scooter yapping.
[Stun] I gargled while underwater, and as with the Peryton, the Octodile also went limp.
I jammed the stake into the eye of the beast.
Critical hit, damage x2
You have inflicted 86 piercing damage to Stygian Octodile.
It suddenly whipped into motion again, no longer affected by my stun, but clearly enraged by the large piece of sticking coming out of its head.
With a flick of its tail, it whipped around and its jaws grabbed my other arm which held the stake.
I tried to fight it, but even with my relatively high natural Hipponian strength, I couldn’t hold the Octodile while we were underwater.
Your arm is currently being properly chewed up by Stygian Octodile for 9 damage
Bleed effect 2 hp/s for 10 seconds
I was going to lose this fight, unless I could turn the battle around, but I was a one trick pony and I had spent my Stun spell and the cooldown was too long. I was also pretty sure I would not be able to soothe this beast into not eating me.
I had played around with the inventory mechanics, and after seeing Shikman summoning a spear from thin air, I had thought this could have many combat applications, too many too get into right now with my right arm in the vice like jaws of something called an Octodile. The name was quite descriptive as it looked like, well, an eight legged crocodile, yeah it was scary big.
So it was time to make my move.
From my inventory I summoned the Peryton Antler into my right hand, currently embedded inside the Octodile jaws.
Iron antlers immediately blossomed in the Octodiles repitilian face, erupting in an instant, tearing through skin and bone.
You have inflicted 72 piercing damage to Stygian Octodile.
A mewling howl escaped the Octodiles mangled head.
Shit, how may HP’s does this lizard have.
The Octodile snout and mouth were skewered with the Peryton antlers, but while damaging the croc, it also locked the damned Octodile’s jaws completely.
I summoned my Peryton Scalpel in free my hand, and went stabbing for the remaining eye. But not quick enough, as it closed its heavy ridged eyelid.
You have inflicted 5 piercing damage to Stygian Octodile.
This was not going to cut it. I needed to make another critical hit, or several more.
Otherwise the math said I would be fish toast. I tried taking a deep breath, but it came as a ragged pant. No, I had the upper hand now, the antlers had disabled its main attack, and ensuring I was not in range of all the claws an Octodile was sure to have.
I raked it with the scalpel, aiming for the eyelid, and it responded with a valiant attempt at ripping my arm out its socket.
Your arm is being mangled by a pain mad Stygian Octodile, 8 damage.
I wrapped my free arm around its head, taking care not to spike myself on the antler tips jutting from its snout. The tension decreasing on my arm was an immediate relief, as I hugged the head, even when it jerked its head around madly, I could keep a hold on it.
But it was hard to attack it with the scalpel in this position, I really didn’t want to loose my grip.
Maybe I did have the upper hand, at least I more or less still had 2 hands.
Quickly pondering on that, I inhaled, tightened my core, and then wrenched the antler to the side with my entombed hand.
You have inflicted slashing 23 damage to Stygian Octodile.
The Octodile mewled and thrashed around, and I held on for life, or at least for my arms sake.
Suddenly the wild yapping of Scooter was next to me, and then the Ghostfur hyena was tearing into the neck of the Octodile.
I twisted the antlers the other way.
You have inflicted slashing 19 damage to Stygian Octodile.
Your arm is being mangled by a pain mad Stygian Octodile, 3 damage.
I stabbed indiscriminately with the scalpel scoring numerous smaller hits, and thats when I noticed one of the small wounds inflicted by my scalpel slowly close itself.
This bastard Stygian bitch has insane regeneration.
I twisted my hand back and forth furiously. My other hand went for the closed eyelid, with the scalpel, with enough poking maybe the eyelid would come off, and I could get to the eye underneath.
This went on for a fair bit, and I felt exhaustion slowing my stabbing arm. The eyelid seemed just about to give away as the whole head sudden lurched to the side.
Then the notifications washed over me.
Stygian Octodile assist kill - 424 Experience points gained.
GONG!
- World Announcement -
First monster kill with an iron weapon goes personally to Stormlord Perun -
- Personal Announcement -
Perun and the first tribe of his favored people, that he finds will gain the “Ironblood” talent.
You have gained the “Ironblood” talent.
Congratulations, your pet Scooter has gained a new level.
You have completed the quest : Beast Godhead 2/?, and have gained 500 XP and a Hyena leather gorget has been added to your inventory.
[New Quest chain offered : Beast Godhead 3/?
Tame a mate for your pet.
Question completion reward : 1.000 XP and Beastmasters furry Scarf]
[Felicitations, through hard work you have learned a new skill.
Skills are the butter of civilizations!]
[Your skill in “Small blades” is now 1.04]
Avatar of Perun
Species : Hipponian
Level: 1
Sex : Male
Age : 32 years
Renown : 1 (Your name kinda rings a bell...)
XP: 2799 (3000 to next level)
HP : 50/133
(2 HP/hour)
STA : 200
MP : 155/160
(+6 MP/hour)
Holy energy 160/160
(+6 HE/hour)
Attributes
Strength 20
Wisdom 16
Charisma 16
N/A
Dexterity 13
Intelligence 16
Luck 20
N/A
Constitution 20
Spirit 16
N/A
N/A
Classes :
Stormlord Avatar - Lvl 1
Combat Skills
Clubs 1.02
Short Spears 1.27
Unarmed 1.34
Small blades 1.04
General Skills
Diplomacy 1.84
Leatherworking 1.21
Skinning 1.09
Woodgnawing 1.46
Magical Skills
Electro Metamagic 4.42 (#)
Lightning Magic 1.07 (/)
Holy Skills
Perunian Clerical Magic 1.00 (@)
Beast Shamanism 1.32(¤)
Talents
Excessive Force
Semi-Aquatic
Militaristic
Sweet Luck
Ironblood
Abilities
# Electro Metavision 7.34
/ Stun 1.16
@ Consecration 1.00
¤ Soothe the Beast 1.23
Inventory
Perythorax : Armor: 7 Durability : 14/14 Quality : Exceedingly low
Peryton antlers : Durability 49/64 Quality : High
Peryton Scalpel : Durability 4/11 Quality : Exceedingly low
5 Peryton claws
2 Clubs
4 Stakes
The Lightning Masters left Sandal : Mana regeneration x1.09 Arrmor 2: Durability 40/40 Quality : Wellmade - Part of a set : Lightning Masters Tropical Vestments
Beastmasters furry undies : +2% to interacting with Beasts, Armor 4, Durability 90/90, Quality : Wellmade, Part of a set, Beastmasters Alpine Garb
Hyena Leather Gorget, Armor :7 Durability 30/30 Quality : Meager
Head of a Stygian Octodile with plenty of grisly lacerations