Book 2: Chapter Three: Plan for Personal Improvement_Dryad Dungeon

Ty pulled up his ability chart. He was level Eleven and had powers to pick—both for level eleven, and the level ten ability he hadn’t taken for his elf heritage, which had to be from Wyld or Soul magic. His chart had an insane number of options—powers from three magics that he could pick, as well as additional powers specific to his status as dungeon lord of the Dryad Dungeon.

Ty glanced up to see that Saelenia’s eyes were fuzzing out. “Can you see my chart?”

“Of course I can. I saw it the first day you made the dungeon, when you picked you branching paths,” Saelenia said, then tutted. “Sheesh. And they say us old folk have memory problems.”

Ty flushed. “What do you think?”

They stared at the chart together for a moment.

Air

Airborne Reflexes, Rank I

+4 Agility

Strike of the Wind, Rank I

Spend 2 essence. You move with blinding speed, gaining +50% accuracy and a 50% chance to land an extra blow against an equal speed target every 6 seconds

Wind Parry

Spend 1 essence, +50% to dodge incoming ranged physical attacks and +20% to dodge all normal attacks

Master Parry, Rank I

+20% dodge as a static buff

Sky Archer

+50% to rate of fire and damage with archery weapons

Lightning, Rank IV*

1 essence. Do 4-11 base lightning damage, with +100% to accuracy, as a ranged occult attack. Need to be Level fifteen.

Agonizing

Anyone hit by your lightning that takes at least one damage must make a Toughness check at -1 per rank of lightning or suffer shock (lose offensive actions for 6 seconds, -40% to dodge)

Whispered Words

1 essence. You can speak and have it carried by the wind to only your chosen target, up to 200 feet away

Wind-Boosted Leap

Jump +10 feet, modified by all air-magic-modifying abilities

Shocking Shield, Rank III

3 essence per 6 seconds. Anyone attacking takes 3 base lightning damage and must make a Toughness check at +0, -1 per Air Affinity, to resist shock (lose 6 seconds of actions and take -40% to dodge)

Air Affinity, Rank II

+2 Air Affinity

Soul

Soul of Magic, Rank I

+2 Magic

Natural Leader, Rank I

+2 Charisma

Improved Connection, Rank I

+4 Connection

Improved Capacity, Rank I

+4 Capacity

Shield, Rank I

May spend 1 essence and gain a 4-hit-point shield that lasts for 6 seconds.

Barrier, Rank III

May spend 3 essence and gain a 6-hit-point shield that lasts for 1 minute. Damage is taken off from the barrier before any critical multiplier is applied.

Talk Down

The wielder may spend 2 essence and make a contested Charisma check against the target’s highest Intelligence, Magic, or Charisma score, with the defender getting any bonuses against mind-affecting powers. Success will calm the target so that they won’t initiate or continue aggression, unless harmed or witnessing others they care for being harmed

Soul Affinity, Rank I

+1 Soul affinity

*Eldritch Power, Rank II

+20% damage to all energy attacks, as well as all damage reduced by shields and barriers.

*Magic Wellspring, Rank I

+10% to Capacity and Connection Score

+Dungeon Passage, Rank II

+200% magic benefit to region and world from all dungeons tied directly or indirectly (through sub-dungeon lords) to the dungeon lord. Will create a small effect in the world related to the dungeon in the same node

Wyld

Bestial Strength, Rank I

+4 Strength

Bestial Agility, Rank I

+4 Agility

Bestial Endurance, Rank I

+4 Endurance

Bestial Toughness, Rank I

+4 Toughness

Bestial Senses, Rank I

+4 Perception

Were Form, Rank I

May spend 1 essence, and 1 essence per every 6 seconds, to assume a partial were form. Gain +4 to Strength, Agility, Endurance, and Toughness for the duration of the ability.

Resilient, Rank I

Gain back 1 Health per 10 minutes at no cost.

Regeneration, Rank I

Spend 2 essence. Gain 1 health until max per 6 seconds for 1 minute.

True Grit

Wound penalties to accuracy, dodge, and Stamina recovery are halved

Wyld Affinity, Rank I

+1 Wyld affinity

Animal Companion, Rank I

Gain an animal companion. That animal gains +2 to all physical stats. “Animals” includes any magical beast less than Level 6 for this power.

Soul/Wyld

Familiar, Rank I

May bond with a single familiar. This familiar gains half the level of its master and is a sapient magical beast.

+Web of the Grove’s Power, Rank I

The dungeon lord enhances his connection to the Dryad Grove Dungeon. His stat gain becomes +5 Magic and +5 Toughness, and the dungeon gains an additional +1 magic effect and +.1 loot rating.

Saelenia refocused on Ty. “That’s a whole mess of magical abilities, youngling. What were you thinking is the important question.”

Ty tapped his teeth. “Well, I’ve taken a ton of damage and protection abilities lately, and with Helryn gone, I think that I’ll have a chance to work on my dungeon powers. I was thinking of taking Dungeon Passage, rank II and The Web of the Dryad’s Grove… and I’m curious as to what the effect in the world will be from the dungeon passage.”

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“You didn’t get any special powers at level ten?” Saelenia asked.

Ty grimaced. “No… I’d hoped with all the odd combinations of unusual abilities that I’d get offered something insane, but no dice.”

“Maybe Magic Wellspring?” Saelenia asked. “That sounds like the basis for some extremely powerful abilities.”

Ty hesitated. He had wanted the extra Magic stat from Web, and he wanted to see the effects of Dungeon Passage, Rank II. Saelenia had a good point, probably… but still.

“I’ll wait and give that a go when I hit Level Twelve. For now, I’ll take the other two options.”

Ty made his selection of abilities, then also selected his stat increases—entirely in capacity—and brought up his chart.

Tywyndyll il Belmoria

Level Eleven

Air, Soul, Wyld

Health

Stamina

Essence

Level Stats

Strength

180 base pound-lifting capacity, +10% melee damage, +6% running speed.

Agility

+10% enemy hit chance, -10% hit chance with all weapons, -4% running speed

Dexterity

-10% base success for crafting and physical skill success rate, 20% chance to lower base weapon damage roll by one step

Endurance

+2 base Stamina, +20% Stamina Recovery Rate, +20% base Health Recovery Rate

Toughness

+11 base Health, +55% base Health, +55% base Stamina, +4 to resist poison, disease, and physical status effects

Perception

Connection

+00% Essence recovery rate (17/day)

Capacity

+16 Base essence, +80% essence

Appearance

Slightly good-looking

Non-Level Stats

Intelligence

+60% skill acquisition rate.

Magic

+36% Magic Effects, +1 Maximum affinity

Charisma

+00% perceived social skills

Luck

The Fates neither dislike nor care for you

Secondary Stats

Air Affinity

-20% essence cost to all Air abilities, +20% effect for all Air abilities and/or +2 to the difficulty to resist

Armor

-1 from all physical damage

Birth Perks

Race: Master Dryad

Unique

+2 to Strength and Endurance. +4 to Toughness. -2 to Agility and Dexterity. +1 armor.

+4 to Magic stat base

Tireless (Needs only 2 hours of sleep per 24 hour period.)

Gain an additional Wyld ability at Levels 2, 10, and every multiple of 10 thereafter.

Immortal.

Access to the ‘branching path.’ One pick per 10 levels of the bonded dungeon.

May breed with female dryads, producing dryad seeds. Female dryads will feel attraction to you.

Rank: Natural

May obtain Level 80 without ascension. Access to a significant number of rare or upgraded magical abilities.

Remnants of the Storm

The levels and power were altered and assisted by the magic that came down the dungeon to you. The Belmoria magic line, and 5 gained levels as a lightning mage, have been combined to this perk. Gain 1 extra Air ability at Level 5 and every 10 levels thereafter. Gain Air auras 15 levels early. Gain +1 actual and +1 maximum Air affinity.

Dungeon Lord

You may become a dungeon lord

Smart

+6 intelligence

Acquired Perks

Bonded Dungeon Lord of the Dungeon of the Dryad’s Grove

No powers of the dungeon lord are gained. Instead, powers taken through the ‘branching path’ may synergize with the dungeon.

Polite

Naturally inoffensive. -10% chance for someone to take offense to your position on a matter.

Skills

Level

Effect

Academics

Moderate understanding of history, culture, geography, and important people throughout the world

Architecture

+3% to final building quality, may build basic buildings

Administration

-5% to realm administration costs, -18% to business costs

Athletics

+9% to run speed, +3 to check to climb or avoid obstacles

Business

+15% to expected income, and -3% to expected costs, for operating any business

Cooking

+25% quality to cooking

Dodge

+18% to dodge incoming attacks

Farming

+16% to base farming output

Imbuing

May use advanced lesser rituals in magics possessed to create items

Leadership

People consider you to have 10% more status than you do, and if they are followers, are willing to accept conditions 2% worse than baseline without complaint

Natural Sciences

You have a solid grasp of basic concepts

Occult

You can sense magic that is not concealed that is connected to you, whose area of effect you are in, or that is within 9 feet of you. Your magic powers have 24% greater effect. You can sense the purpose of simple magic and vaguely discern more complicated magical purposes. +24% to accuracy with magic attacks.

Lightning Mastery: +10% damage, +10% range, and +1 difficulty to resist lightning attacks

Seduction

People find your attempts to seduce them 4% more favorable than baseline, compared to what they are looking for

Staff

+8% damage with staffs, +4% to hit with staves, 8% chance of knockout on critical.

Survival

+12% hunting and foraging

Sword

+12% damage with swords, +12% to hit with swords

Abilities

Effect

Air

Lightning, Rank III

3 essence. Do 7-16 (3-8 base (x1.36 magic, x1.1 affinity, x1.1 Eldritch Power, x1.24 occult, x1.1 Occult specialty)) lightning damage, with +100% to accuracy, as a ranged occult attack.

Shocking Shield, Rank II

2 essence per 6 seconds. Anyone attacking takes 4 (4.49 (2 base x1.36 magic, x1.1 affinity, x1.1 Eldritch Power, x1.24 occult, x1.1 Occult specialty)) lightning damage and must make a Toughness check at +0, -1 per Air Affinity, to resist shock (lose 6 seconds of actions and take -40% to dodge)

Air Affinity, Rank I

+1 Air affinity (-10% essence cost and +10% effect to all essence powers)

Soul

*Eldritch Power, Rank I

+10% damage to all energy attacks, shields, and barriers

+Dungeon Passage, Rank II

Barrier, Rank II

May spend 2 essence and gain a 7-hit-point shield (4 base (x1.36 magic x1.24 occult x1.1 eldritch power) that lasts for 1 minute. Damage is taken off from the barrier before any critical multiplier is applied.

Wyld

+World Roots of the Dryad’s Grove, Rank I

The dungeon lord enhances his connection to the Dryad Grove Dungeon. His stat gain becomes +5 Magic and +5 Toughness, and the dungeon gains +1 magic effect and +.2 loot rating.

Air

N/A

Soul

N/A

Wyld

N/A

The Branching Path

Abilities

Effect

Roots of the Dungeon Tree

Your power slowly stretches between numerous dungeons, multiplying and increasing all future powers.

You may become dungeon lord for multiple dungeons. When you do this, you pick a subordinate dungeon lord, regardless of whether they have the dungeon lord perk. When a dungeon lord dies, you choose the next one, breaking the normal dungeon lord cycle. The dungeons will become a loosely interconnected, single mega-dungeon with separate segments. Each dungeon so gained will provide additional benefits for all remaining ‘branching paths’ abilities chosen, as well as a small static bonus. Additionally, each dungeon will provide a small bonus to your primary dungeon.

If not taken at Level 1 this path is forever lost. Dungeon of the Dryad’s Grove*: +5 Toughness, +5 Magic

“I can take about three times the damage a normal mortal does to kill—and about four times what a normal elf takes,” Ty said musingly. “And I can throw lightning and hold shields for a huge amount of time as well, thanks to my insanely high essence.”

“Impressive,” Saelenia said sardonically, and Ty flushed. His Level Eleven was nothing to her Eighty-Eight, and given the nature of leveling and how abilities stacked, she was vastly more than eight times stronger than him.

He scratched the back of his head, a gesture copied from his liege. “Yeah, yeah.”

Salenia chuckled. “So what now?”

Ty beamed up at her. “Well, first, I’m going to run the dungeon. Since everyone in the party is Level Nine or higher, and it’s up to Level Seven, I think we can easily handle it and make a tiny bit of experience. I’ll also be learning what’s in the dungeon.”

“Bet someone in your group gets mauled after that dismissive speech,” Salenia said. “I vote it’ll be Dalryn. He’s cocky enough without you feeding it.”

Ty flushed. “Probably Dalryn. I’ll take it seriously though. Besides, we’ll be fine, we have a healer.”

Saelenia raised one green eyebrow.

Ty rolled his eyes but continued. “After running the dungeon I’m going to go back to my home. I’ve got to start settling people now that I’m officially Baron Tywyndyll ap Belmoria—and I’d like to take a bit of time to scout my future barony, and see what it has to offer and how to build it. And spend some time with Ivy and Forli as well.”

“How is little Forli?” Saelenia asked.

“Still a bit shook-up from the experience of being an adventurer,” Ty said.

“Got her stabbed, did you?” Saelenia asked.

Ty winced. It had been considerably worse than that, although he didn’t feel “he” had done it. “Well, she’s very happy. She’s growing a daughter—um, seed—and happy about that, and she loves running the household. And she always has ‘the daughter that saved the Crone and made the first of the new generation of dryads’ to tout to everyone.”

Saelenia smiled. “I’m glad to see my daughter doing well. Given the tree she was born from, I had few hopes. But it is pleasing. Anyway, you were talking about your plans?”

Ty nodded. “Yes… I need a second dungeon for the build I took, my branching paths, to work—when I say I want to be a dungeon master, most people don’t understand the half of it. The tree of Worlds opened a path to a freezing dimension of advanced magic—Ice Pines. That’s my next plan, to see what I can find in that world.”

Saelenia glanced at Ty skeptically. “You don’t look like you take to cold well.”

“Still.”

Book 2: Chapter Three: Plan for Personal Improvement

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