To Vee’s chagrin, it didn’t take long after waking from his tutorial to start feeling the adverse physical symptoms of his class upgrade. The first indicator was that the walls of the room started to bob – or at least looked like they were bobbing – and within a few minutes the freshly minted [Ghost Smith]’s awareness became distinctly floaty. It was a subtle malady, the type that could almost be overlooked by focusing on other things, but Vee suspected that it would probably get worse in the hours to come.
That was probably for the best, as it also let Vee pretend that the trembling in his hands or the tight twinge in his stomach as he reached for his father’s letter were similarly from his class upgrade.
He took a deep breath.
It wasn’t a big letter by any means, but by Gawain did it feel heavy as Vee pondered what was inside and tried to work up the courage to open the envelope. He had decidedly not thought about his father too much since coming to Oar’s Crest, and honestly that’d been working for him pretty well. Was it really such a good idea to go ahead and abandon a winning strategy? There was all that wisdom about horses and streams and such for a reason.
Still, in the base of his stomach Vee knew that his ruminating was for naught. He didn’t necessarily want to, but knew that he needed to see what his father had to say.
He looked up and met Alforde’s eyes, only for the armorsoul to give him a thumb’s up and an encouraging nod.
“It’s just words on paper,” the armorsoul said.
“Yeah. You’re being way too dramatic about this, boss. At worst it’s mean and we can just go ahead and burn it,” Reginald said, settling down next to Vee’s arm and looking at the letter with barely constrained glee. “Come on. Let’s see what your old man has to say, eh?”
Alforde shook his helmet, picking up the hat and setting him on the windowsill.
“If you’d like us to read it when you’re done we can,” Vee’s best friend said, sitting down next to Reginald to ensure that the hat stayed put. “But until you say so it’s none of our business.”
Despite himself, Vee snorted and wedged his thumb under the envelope’s flap. Truth be told, the paper was a bit on the flimsy side when he pried it open.
The letter was written on a nice thick paper, and Vee’s nerves peaked at the sight of his father’s immaculate handwriting.
Vee unfolded the letter and started to read:
Son –
I hope this letter finds you well. While I do not know much about Oar’s Crest, I am familiar with the types of trouble a young man far away from home can run into, for those are easy to find in any city.
My sincere hope is that you have both managed to avoid them so far and continue to do so in the future, though I imagine Alforde’s presence will deter most of the bad things that lurk in dark alleys.
However, should you find yourself in true danger, I implore you to remember the skill I showed you when you turned ten and to use it without reservation: an armorsoul is easier to replace than you are.
Vee paused there for a moment, gritting his teeth and scrunching the edge of the paper into his fist before continuing.
I was pleased when I heard that after all these years you have finally decided to get serious about a venture, though I must admit a healthy degree of skepticism with regard to your choice. Managing a dungeon is risky, susceptible to booms and bust like any other industry but tied to the thirst for entertainment that plagues us all.
I hope you know what you are doing.
When I went to my father for advice regarding my own first proper venture – a decade younger than you are now – he gave me some good advice. I will pass it along here, in the hopes that you have an easier time digesting it than I did.
First, set rules for your spending and stick to them. Nothing sinks a business faster than a loose purse. Fear neither credit nor debt, but be wary of compound interest. It is a blade that cuts both ways.Take nothing for granted, and always, always check your invoices yourself!
Second, follow through on what you say you will do. Never fail to hold up your end of a bargain, even if it kills you. A good reputation will smooth your road and open doors otherwise locked tight, but is virtually impossible to repair once broken.
Third, protect yourself through smart diversification. It is no great secret that people’s preferences change, but it’s dangerously easy to fall into a habit and fail to see such shifts coming. Keep your ear to the ground and always be ready to move. Should a change in direction become necessary, commit to it with all your heart.
Fourth, keep your emotions in check. Do not fall prey to the irrationality of fear or exuberance. In all endeavors, let cold reason be your only guide.
Fifth, keep professional and personal affairs separate. You will undoubtedly encounter others that you do not like, but a lack of congenial rapport need not be an impediment to doing good business. Similarly, friendships that go beyond professional can invite disaster.
Sixth, and last, know where you stand and stay there. This applies to fields of knowledge and market opportunities, but also to your values and beliefs. There will be times when you’re offered a poisoned chalice, and it might not always be obvious. Remember, it is sometimes necessary to plant your feet, shake your head, and refuse to go along with the will of others.
Even if you follow all this advice, success is not guaranteed. It never is in business.
And now, to other matters.
First, our family.
Your mother, as I’m sure you have already realized, misses you terribly. I must admit that I am disappointed but not surprised that you haven’t written home. I’m sure you believe you have good reasons for that shortcoming, but you should reconsider them.
Emory is sufficiently dutiful as my [Handpicked Heir], but wastes too much of his free time at the theater.
As for me, I am in the middle of several lucrative projects that will continue to ensure that our family continues to enjoy the same level of prosperity we are used to.
Next, our previous conversation.
Having given the matter some thought, I have come to the following conclusions:
Your decision to remain a mere [Ghost Maestro] is nonsensical to me, but I concede that there is a small chance I was hasty in my judgment of your reluctance to follow the course I laid out for you.
I make no apologies for what I said, for it was – or rather, is – the truth. No matter how distasteful you find the idea, life on a ship as a [Steelsoul Captain] is not the end of the world. There are wonders beyond imagination outside the continent, and our family has a long, proud lineage of seafaring glory. You would do well to add your name to their number.
More, you could bond with another armorsoul just as easily as you have with Alforde. They are expendable. Easy to replace.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Here again, Vee paused, cursing under his breath and clenching his fist. He looked over at Alforde, who was decidedly not looking at him, and forced himself to continue.
I do not seek to relitigate this, Vee. You have made your refusal clear, and I will not ask you to reconsider. However, I do wonder if there might have been a different way to phrase my points that you would have understood better.
Perhaps your inability to see the long term benefits born from short-term pain is a shortcoming of my own made manifest. I will not pretend to be a perfect father, nor will I ask forgiveness for not being one.
I am a Vales.
As are you.
My son…
You have defied me.
Being who I am, this is a reality I can neither overlook nor forget.
As such I am compelled to write this: your old life here in Bardis is forever lost to you. You will never aimlessly haunt your room like the ghosts you are so fond of ever again. Should this venture of yours in Oar’s Crest fail, you will find no comfort at my table nor shelter beneath my roof.
You have chosen to make your own way in the world.
Grab success by your own hands.
I could not be more proud of you.
At the bottom of the letter was the familiar swooping signature – the one bit of handwriting frippery that Tyrion Vales allowed himself – and Vee set the letter down gently.
He picked up the envelope and saw that there was a second, smaller piece of paper tucked inside. This one, written in his mother’s handwriting, was much shorter, but it brought a smile to Vee’s face.
Never forget that your father and I love you, our precious baby boy.
His throat awkwardly tight, Vee slipped both letters back into the envelope and drummed his fingers on the table. The symptoms of his class upgrade were getting worse with every passing second: the room was swaying so much he felt like he’d ended up at sea after all and his stomach still hurt. Maybe he'd leave his response for later...
No, that wouldn't do. His thoughts were clear enough that he knew how to respond, and he feared that if he went to sleep the crystalline resolve in his heart would fade away. He'd had plenty of experience with that. Grabbing a nice sheet of paper and his favorite writing instrument, Vee penned his own letter, his hand moving feverishly to get the words out before the moment passed.
Father,
Thank you for your letter. I am glad that you are all well and will endeavor to write more often. It is no proper excuse, but I have been so busy with my work that the matter slipped my mind. I’m sure that you, having had so many similar experiences over the years, can at least understand if not forgive my lapse.
Similarly, I am grateful for the advice and wisdom. I will think about them and do my utmost to put them into practice as I carry on with my dungeon Crestheart.
However, I still disagree with your assessment and plan every bit as strongly as I did when we last spoke. I am not suited for a life chained to a single vessel, no matter how splendid it may be. A dozen – no, make that a hundred – such lives would not come close to being worth as much to me as my friendship with Alforde is.
My resolve remains firm on this matter, and so the proud seafaring tradition of the Vales family will have to wait a bit longer to be furthered, unless Emory decides he’s tired of the theater and is ready to set sail.
I would not hold my breath on such a development occurring, and I’m sure you will not either.
With regards to my class, I’d like you to know that I’m writing this letter in the immediate aftermath of having upgraded my [Ghost Maestro] class to [Ghost Smith]. The side effects of the upgrade process are unpleasant, though I hope they will pass quickly with rest so that I can get back to work. I have lots to do both inside my dungeon and out in the city of Oar’s Crest.
I understand your declaration and appreciate its honesty. I will not be coming back to Bardis except perhaps to visit sometime in the future. My place is here now, and I promise you that I am going to do great things.
Watch me.
Vee signed his name with a bit more force than he otherwise might have and sealed it into an envelope. He’d give it to his mother the next time he saw her.
[Guts +1]
The Expectation on his shoulders shifted, and when Vee looked down at the snake dragon he saw that one of its scales had started glowing extra brightly. The words ‘Great Things’ were burned into it, shimmering with azure sparkles.
As interesting as that was, though, it was the next scale that got Vee’s attention. The words on it weren’t fresh, but Vee hadn’t properly read them before. Rocking back and forth in his seat, the [Dungeon Master] spent a long time reading and then re-reading it to make sure he had it right -- mostly on account of his vision, which was increasingly blurry by the second.
However, he eventually confirmed that it said what he thought it did and a new task to tackle in the coming days took root in his mind. It wasn't a blazing bonfire of revelation, with its adulating emotions and its feverish omniscience, but was instead a small, cold certainty.
Vee raised a finger and pressed it against the scale, his heart quickening at the touch.
“Open Westown Permanently,” the [Dungeon Master] whispered.
The idea shoved aside all his previous priorities – ordering new minions for the dungeon, expanding the lineup of available dunpla, spending time with Luna, setting up his new forge – and stood alone in his thoughts. The Expectation around his shoulders purred like a cat and nuzzled his cheek.
Ideas for how to bring about such a reality started to bloom in the back of Vee’s thoughts, but he was in no shape to consider them properly. For now, he needed to rest.
Smiling, Vee got Alforde’s attention and asked for help getting to bed. After all, he didn’t trust his legs now that the room was rocking back and forth like the tops of trees in a strong windstorm.
“You okay?” his best friend asked, guiding him across the room.
“Never been better,” Vee mumbled. “You can go ahead and read those letters if you want to while I sleep. I don’t mind.”
Alforde responded but Vee didn’t hear it, because he fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.
Main Character Sheets:
Vee Vales
Primary Class: Ghost Smith (Self), Level 8
Secondary Class: Dungeon Master (Oar’s Crest), Level 24
Tertiary Class: Guy-Who-Takes-Things-WAY-Too-Far (Self), Level 7
Might: 15
Wit: 41
Faith: 25
Adventurousness: 7
Ambition: 16
Plotting: 19
Charisma: 18
Devious Mind: 29
Leadership: 22
Guts: 16 (+1)
Intimidating Presence: 11
Citizenship: 24
Public Relations: 8
Determination: 7
Persuasiveness: 6
Bargaining: 4
Patience: 3
Competitive Spirit: 1
Pragmatism: 1
<3<3 Infatuation <3<3
Alforde Armorsoul:
Primary Class: Hammer Specialist (Self), Level 6
Secondary Class: Right-hand man (Vee Vales), Level 19 (+1)
Tertiary Class: Dungeon Champion (Oar’s Crest), Level 18
Additional Class: Glaciernaut (Sacha Silverblade), Level 11
Might: 59
Wit: 15
Faith: 28
Adventurousness (Bound – Vee Vales): 9
Endurance: 33
Intimidating Presence: 15
Heart of a Champion: 14
Citizenship (Bound – Vee Vales): 9
Vigilance: 11
Vanity: 2
Single-Mindedness: 1
Reginald:
Primary Class: Core Spirit (Unknown), Level ???
#$&Q#$)(@#$#@#$%!@#$##%#%()@#$**@@##
Secondary Class: Loudmouth (Self), Level 43
Tertiary Class: Majordomo (Vee Vales), Level 21
Additional Class: Announcer (Vee Vales), Level 14
Additional Class: Hyperthymesiac (Self), Level 5
Might: 2
Wit: 37
Faith: 17
Ambition: 28
Greed: 24
Deceptiveness: 27
Manipulativeness: 42
$#&*!@!!: !!!
Loyalty: 47 (+1)
Patience: 11
Irritability: 25
Remorsefulness: 17
Expository Prowess: 23
#%$Pragmatism*#$: @#61$5
Hop@#!! @#$@!@#
@#$@%%^
#4^5#*&_!+++#(@$#
Citizenship (Bound – Vee Vales): 9