Leo took the stairs down from the top of Elgin Isle to the beach. The stairs were a work of art now, carved by Hugh, with an almost snake-like path down with railing that appeared to be an extremely stretched mud dragon on either side.
Hugh had Earth magic instead of the normal storm dragon magic, which was Air. The lack meant he couldn’t fly and had no breath weapon attack, but could level. He had done so, and taken Earth shaping abilities, which he used to create statues. Once they had been crude, but after a year of paid instruction from a renowned artist and near-constant practice, he had gotten very good at it.
The beach itself was covered in sunbathing dragons, as well as multiple statues—all also of dragons. Hugh had done a statue of his lover Zun in her armor with rocks hovering around her, her face downward facing with blind eye. He had placed near the top of a large rock on the beach—to give it perspective, he claimed. He had also done another piece of his lover Tea playing with multiple of their adopted mud wyrm children, which he had placed in the surf so it looked as if they were playing in the surf. Other, slightly less creative statues of other dragons—his friend Cal, his mother Ann, a dragon he had once carried a flame for named Polly—around the beach.
A few more dragons waved at Leo as he walked among them, but most ignored him. He made his way over to Hugh’s cave.
Hugh had made his own cave amazing. The entrance was thirty feet across now, with a deep channel on one side for dragons to swim in, a shallower channel for those that wanted to walk in through water, and a raised space for those that wanted to walk in dry. Glowstones shed light throughout the entrance, and the whole thing was carved with Bas relief of various scenes of famous dragons.
Waiting at the front was one of the mud wyrms that Hugh had adopted after the fight against House Orsini last year. Hugh had raided their bank as part of a campaign to put pressure on them and force them to come out of their fortress and fight. He had found a bank vault with the four eggs in them. No one had ever discovered who had the eggs, or why—and according to Hugh, mud wyrms were very common dragons, so even storing them in a vault was a bit weird.
Regardless of the who or why, Hugh had rescued them and was now raising them. Each mud wyrm, as a baby wyrm, had a thin, longer body with mud colored scales and a face closer to an Axolotl than a true dragon in Leo’s opinion. They also didn’t fly.
But they could level—and get larger. Only one had been consistently availing himself of the opportunity, however. With the leveling stats came size, so that wyrm stood out to Leo.
“Hey Mac,” Leo said to the six-foot-long mud wyrm at front.
“King Leo,” the mud wyrm said, contracting its long body in an awkward parody of a bow which revealed a bottle of wine behind him.
Leo frowned as the one-year-old wyrm took a drink and then sighed. “Man I won the lottery being born here. Did I tell you that I left a bottle of wine in the dungeon and it occasionally reproduces it?”
Leo waved his hand at Hugh’s adopted child. “Don’t bother with bowing. I’ve never stood on ceremony.”
“Want some?” the wyrm asked, holding the bottle forward.
Leo wasn’t sure how to deal with a sentient, talking, fighting one year old that was also drinking. He just knew he didn’t like it. But every dragon thought it perfectly normal for those that could afford it. They were more weirded out by Hugh depleting his own hoard for his child. Especially an adopted child. There complaints usually boiled down to ‘a dragon shouldn’t drink till he can pay for it or raid it himself.’
Ignoring the wine bottle, Leo asked, “How has adventuring been going?”
Hugh had been paying far more money to buy delves into the two dungeons inside Leo’s realm than for booze. It was so that his children could level. Hugh had offered it to all his children, and each had made a level, but three of them barely bothered. Mac, however, went all the time. He had the demeanor of a sleazy used-car salesman, and Leo knew a lot of his build was tricky and… roguelike… but he was a hard worker.
Mac gave a tooth-filled grin to Leo. “Well, given that Dad is so generous and kind to me, I’ve made Level Six with my adventuring party now. Also, since that new dungeon is a Water dungeon, I’ve been super useful to my group. I’ve made a ton of money, and I’ve got my own little hoard going, and some decent abilities. I’m going to be an amazing dragon someday, just like Dad.”
“Wyrm,” Lily said automatically, correcting.
Mac frowned at her. “Well, sure, I’m a wyrm. Dad can’t fly either, so it’s fine. No need to point it out.”
Lily flushed slightly. “Sorry, just an automatic habit to correct inaccuracies, I wasn’t trying to be mean.”
“It’s cool,” Mac said. Then he tilted his head slightly, an expression clearly learned from Hugh. “You guys here to see the hatching of Hugh’s real children?”
“You’re his real child,” Leo said, automatically. “He cares for you deeply. Why aren’t you in there?”
“Eh, seems boring,” Mac replied, waving his bottle around.
“C’mon, ya scoundrel,” Leo said affectionately. “No hiding out here and getting drunk to avoid seeing your new baby brothers and sisters.”
“You can’t make me…” Mac began, but Leo just raised an eyebrow.
“Fine, fine,” Hugh’s kid groused. “I’ll lead you there. But I’m out the first time your back is turned, just sayin’.”
Mac ran across the dry walkway, his Chinese-style dragon body awkward on land, then jumped into the water entrance. He led them into the main cave, which had a huge pool in the center, with a rock covered in carefully placed bioluminescent mushrooms in the middle of the pool. Numerous tunnels led off the main cave, and Mac exited the water again and led them waddling down one. It was a much less stylish tunnel that led to a nearly empty cave. In the center of the cave, however, was a thick set of woolen blankets around the base of five more eggs.
Not one of them was rocking, despite the intense stares of the three dragons in the cave.
The largest one, almost twelve feet long, was Leo’s best friend Hugh. The other two were Zun and Tea, his lovers. Zun was about nine feet long and was missing a wing and had an obviously shattered and atrophied leg. Tea was seven feet long and missing her front foreleg.
Since they all had bronze scales, swept back horns, and no visible primary or secondary sex characteristics, Leo was very glad they were all different in such large ways. He hadn’t ever mistakenly called them the wrong name, and could recognize all three easily.
Hugh glanced up, grimaced, and rolled his eyes. “Might as well go back, Leo. By Merdrek’s long slumber, they’re taking their sweet time hatching. Not even a wriggle to any of the eggs. I’m legit beginning to think that they aren’t going to be coming today at all.”
“They will,” Tea said, confidently.
“I hope so,” Zun said. “Not that I don’t ejoy both your company, but this is boring beyond all reason.”
“Too true,” Mac said quietly from beside Leo. “And on that note…”
Leo watched, amused, as the mud wyrm scurried back out of the cavern.
Hugh called after him, “You have to help welcome your brother’s and sister’s to the world when they’re ready! If you don’t I’ll cut your wine ration!”
Then he lowered his head and spoke in a quieter, slightly higher-pitched voice.. “Hey, Tea?”
“Yeah?” she asked.
“Would you mind if I went and hung out with Leo and Lily for a bit? Just at the front of the cave, maybe?”
“If he goes I’m going,” Zun said.
Tea sighed. “Just stay in ear shot and I’ll call if anything interesting happens.”
The three of them walked to the front of the cave. Mac saw them coming and scampered out further onto the beach, although Leo wasn’t sure why. Maybe just a sense it was his Dad’s friend group, not his. Leo had never had any desire to talk to his Dad’s old gold buddies when they came over either.
“So, gate formed yet?” Hugh asked.
Leo shook his head no. “Anxious to get away from all your kids? Nine is rough, even for a three parent household.”
Hugh shook his head. “No, not at all. But I’ve been paying an absolute ton of money to get Mac, and the other three lazy bastards, delves in the dungeon. I helped finance the Dragon’s Fall inn relocation. I paid for essence potions so I could make caves—which is super inefficient, I had to give that up fast. I have paid for a ton of alcohol for my friends and kids.”
Leo held up a hand, “About that—”
Hugh laughed. “C’mon, ya cat, I’ve told you and told you—dragons are different. We’re more capable, and more knowledgeable, than an average adult human. Right out of the egg, even. Drinking isn’t a problem for us.”
Well, you certainly aren’t wiser, Leo thought, but held his tongue. Everyone on this world did seem to believe that dragon’s drinking was fine… But it still made Leo shudder.
Hugh continued. “As I was saying, I’m bleeding gold. My hoard is dropping the same way my Mom dropped me into that river—like a rock. What you pay me can’t even begin to cover it. I either get adventuring or wildly change my lifestyle. Not to mention cutting down on what I’m doing for my kids and my community. Plus, Tea and Zun are getting pretty irritated by the shrinking hoard.”
“Yeah, shrinkage upsets women in a lot of categories,” Leo said.
Usually, Hugh got his jokes, but this time he just nodded vigorously. “Yeah, they’ve been frustrated. I thought that staying with my mates and kids would be a great new lifestyle. I must admit though… somehow it never clicked to me that they would then get to have a huge say in how I spend my hoard. I don’t want to be a bad mate myself… so we need to go beat up some more creatures and take their ill-gotten goods.”
“And get experience,” Leo said. “I’ve been stuck at Level Sixteen for the whole year.”
“I finally made Twelve, so I’m caught up as a Level sixteen creature myself,” Hugh said.
Leo raised an eyebrow.
“Well, I’ve been adventuring with my kid. While everything I kill only gives me a single experience, I was already kinda close.”
“Huh, not bad,” Leo said. “What did you get as an ability?”
“I took the advanced Earth manipulation ability. I can hold for ten times as long for twice the essence.”
“Huh.” Surprised he didn’t take more defensive or offensive abilities.
Hugh gave him the side eye. “By Merdrek’s teeth, you’ve been packing more opinions into your stupid ‘huh’ noise from the day I met you than you do into full blown speeches.”
Lily laughed.
Hugh grinned a Cheshire cat grin at her. “Lily gets it. And I know what you’re saying, but I do want to be able to manipulate the Earth better. I’ll spend most of my powers on combat stuff, swear. Besides, ya cat, I know you have four or five non-combat abilities yourself.”
“Huh,” Leo said again, and all three chuckled.
In the silence that followed, Leo looked at his own status chart.
Leonard Emmanuel Evans
Level Sixteen
Body, Mind, Soul, Wyld, Metal
Health
60
Stamina
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28
Essence
58
Level Stats
Strength
18(21)
315 base pound-lifting capacity, +55% melee damage, +33% running speed [Items raise to 23, 345 pounds, +65% melee damage, +39% running speed]
Agility
28(32)
-110% enemy hit chance, +110% hit chance with all weapons, +44% running speed, +.5 critical modifier
Dexterity
14(15)
+25% base success for crafting and physical skill success rate, 50% chance to raise base weapon damage roll by one step
Endurance
12(14)
+4 base Stamina, +40% Stamina Recovery Rate, +40% base Health Recovery Rate
Toughness
24(30)
+14 base Health, +70% base Health, +70% base Stamina, +7 to resist poison, disease, and physical status effects. (30 with items, +20 base health, +100% base Health, +100% base Stamina, +10 to resist poison, disease, and physical status effects)
Perception
16
+18% hit, +18% critical chance with ranged weapons. +30% chance to notice stealthed individuals. General increase in discovery rate.
Connection
24
+140% Essence recovery (58/day)
Capacity
24
+14 base Essence, +140% base essence
Appearance
14(16)
Notably handsome
Non-Level Stats
Intelligence
20
+100% skill acquisition rate, may gain rare and difficult skills.
Magic
26
+64% Magic Effects. +2 Maximum affinity.
Charisma
10
Luck
10
The Fates neither dislike nor care for you
Secondary Stats
Mind Affinity
2
-20% essence cost to all Mind abilities, +20% effect for all Mind abilities or +2 to the difficulty to resist.
Wyld Affinity
3
-20% essence cost to all Wyld abilities, +20% effect for all Wyld abilities or +2 to the difficulty to resist.
Birth Perks
Race: High Elf
-2 to Strength, Endurance, and Toughness stats base
+2 to Agility and Magic stats base
Increased chance for Being magics and Wyld magic. Gain an additional ability at Levels 2, 10, and every 10 thereafter from one of those magics if possessed.
Lifespan average of 400 years. Maximum of 3 perks positive and negative each, with standard chance of inheriting or acquiring at birth.
Rank: Natural
May obtain Level 80 without ascension, access to extremely rare or upgraded magical abilities.
Graceful Body
+4 Agility, +2 Dexterity, +4 Appearance
Predator
+4 Agility, +10% critical chance, +.5 critical modifier
Line of Stardew
+4 Magic, always start with Wyld, gain 1 additional Wyld ability at Level 2, Auras for Wyld are gained 10 levels earlier and this can exceed maximum level and may gain 2 higher maximum Wyld affinity.
*Genius
+10 Intelligence, increased magic ability access. May gain +2 maximum Mind affinity.
*Being Arcane
With the appropriate prerequisite abilities and stats, upon obtaining Level 30, may gain any or all of the Arcane abilities: Kinesthetic, Cognitive, or Empathetic.
*Aura Mastery
May gain auras as if 10 levels higher, including access to auras that are beyond maximum level once reached.
Acquired Perks
Bond to Ygg’drasil, First Rank
Ygg’drasil, the living mythical artifact crafted to connect the Kingdom of Averia directly to numerous dimensions. The magic swirling through you increases your power beyond reason—if you can handle it.
+1 Max all affinity. +4 Magic. +4 Capacity. +10 Connection. If Arcane, gain Travel Magic. +50% Experience required to level.
Priest of Asnandi
Tied to the Sea of Chaos: Your soul is able to more easily draw in magical power from the source of all magic. +2 Connection, +2 Capacity, +100% essence recovery rate
Asnandi’s Shift: May spend 2 essence to move up to 5 feet per point of occult. If part of an attack, +50% to accuracy. If part of a dodge, +50% to dodge.
Power of the Multiverse: +10% experience gain per dimensional access directly tied to the priest’s soul.
Ghost Wolf Pact
All elves who claim allegiance to you may bond with ghost wolves, regardless of ghost wolf level. As the magical repository of this skill, you gain a fraction of the power of Freyvir, Kami of the Ghost Wolves, as your own. +1 Wyld affinity. +2 Strength, +2 Agility, +2 Perception. All bonuses to ghost wolf animal companions are doubled for you. +5% experience total required to level.
Sun Eagle Pact
All elves who claim allegiance to you may bond with sun eagles, regardless of sun eagle level. As the magical repository of this pact, you gain a fraction of the power of Zaxis, Progenitor of the Sun Eagles, as your own. +1 Wyld affinity. +2 Agility, +2 Endurance, +2 Perception. All bonuses to sun eagle animal companions are doubled for you. +5% experience total required to level.
Sky Lynx Pact
All elves who claim allegiance to you may bond with sky lynx, regardless of sky lynx level. As the magical repository of this skill, you gain a fraction of the power of Zurita, Progenitor of the Sky Lynx, as your own. +1 Air affinity. +2 Agility, +2 Dexterity, +2 Perception. All bonuses to sky lynx animal companions are doubled for you. +5% experience total required to level.
Athletic Tier-2
The huge amount of time you spend working out and training has paid off. +20% effective rank to Strength, Agility, and Endurance, round down. +10% to Dexterity and Toughness, round down. +15% to appearance, round to closest.
Skills
Level
Effect
Administration
14
-7% to realm administration costs, -28% to business costs
Level 10 Skill: Do it yourself: +1% to all realm business and per capita income
Athletics
20
+60% to run speed, +20 to check to climb or avoid obstacles
Level 10 Special Skill: Burst Fighter: For up to 6 minutes, all stamina expenditures are halved.
Level 20 Special Skill: Air Fighting: No penalties to fighting while leaping or falling. This ability is unavailable if Agility is ever below 20.
Business
7
+35% to expected income, and -7% to expected costs, for operating any business
Dodge
18
+54% to dodge incoming attacks.
Level 10 Special Skill: Slip from the Crowd: First additional person attacking you after the first imposes no additional penalties.
Instruction
10
+5% increase in learning rate of someone learning from you per point of difference in your skills
Level Ten Special Skill: Calculated Delegator: +2% to learning rate of all people working on a project with you on the subject matter of the project.
Imbuing
8
Formal knowledge of imbuing, may create tier-advanced lesser rituals.
Leadership
15
People consider you to have 30% more status than you do, and if they are followers, are willing to accept conditions 15% worse than baseline without complaint.
Level 10 Special Skill: Visible Tryhard. When in a leadership position, all under your authority work harder, motivated by the example of your 18-hour days. +1% per capita income or business income.
Light Armor
12
+24% defense added from light armor, no penalty to accuracy and dodge from light armor.
Level 10 Special Skill: Like the wind: No penalty to hit and accuracy while wearing light armor.
Melee Weapons
1
+1% to hit and damage with any handheld weapon
Mixed Arts Fighting
13
+26% to hit and damage with fists, +13% to dodge, +6 to trip, pin, or incapacitate and avoid the same.
Level 10 Special Skill: All the Weapons: In any ‘lock,’ may deliver an unarmed blow as an additional attack at no penalty.
Natural Sciences
19
Extremely detailed understanding of the non-magical components of the world and how they work.
Occult
17
You can sense magic that is not concealed that is connected to you, whose area of effect you are in, or that is within 10 feet of you. Your magic powers have 34% greater effect. You can sense the purpose of simple magic and vaguely discern more complicated magic.
Level 10 Special Skill: Telekinetic Mastery. +20% accuracy and damage with Telekinetic skills
Research
9
+18% base rate to discover information in archives, +18% to daily chance to discover something new while researching, modifying Intelligence rate
Ride
6
+30% to stay on mount, and -12% penalties to accuracy and dodge from being mounted. +6% damage with all mounted melee attacks
Seduction
2
People find your attempts to seduce them 4% more favorable than baseline, compared to what they are looking for
Shield
12
+36% block with shield, +12% accuracy and damage to shield bash
Level 10 Special Skill: Bonk!: Any critical with a shield attack also has also forces a Toughness check for knockout at a negative equal to % of life lost over 10, rounded up.
Stealth
8
-40% enemy chance to detect
Survival
7
+21% hunting and foraging
Small Blades
2
+8% to hit and parry, +4% to damage, and +4% critical chance with small blades
Sword
18
+54% to hit and parry, +54% damage with swords
Level 10 Special Skill: Assisted Throw: Half accuracy penalties and +20% damage when using bladed weapons and telekinesis as a combined attack.
Abilities
Effect
Body
Kinesthetic Learner*
+1 Body ability at Level 20, and every 10 Levels thereafter. +20% to occult skill gain rate.
Regeneration, Rank I
Spend 2 essence. Gain 2 health ((2.47 rounded down) 1 health x1.2 (Wyld affinity) x1.3 occult) x 1.32 (Magic stat)) until max per 6 seconds for 1 minute.
Sleepless
Only require 2 hours of sleep per night
Mind
Cognitive Learner*
+1 Mind ability at Level 10, and every 10 Levels thereafter. +20% to occult skill gain rate.
Analyze
Spend 1 essence and gain a basic readout of any creature or item that does not possess anti-divination magic. Gain knowledge of basic Health, Stamina, Essence, and rough capabilities and weaknesses.
Telekinesis, Rank III
Spend 2 (3 x.8 = 2.4 round) essence, and move a single object, up to 26.7 pounds, up to 20 feet away per occult at speeds up to 60 miles per hour, modified for net damage change, controlling it for 6 seconds. If attacking, does 1-6 base damage. Damage, speed, and weight modified by magical and telekinesis altering abilities. (Current damage 2-14 (1-6 x1.32 (magic) x1.3 (Occult) x 1.1 (affinity) x1.2 occult telekinetic specialty)
Inertial Weapon, Rank II*
Based on high Intelligence, the telekinesis ability, and cognitive learner, this unusual power modifies kinetic force. This adds 10% damage to kinetic attacks, modified to higher percentage damage by magic score. Currently 63% increase (.2 x1.64 (Magic) x1.34 (Occult) x1.2 (telekinetic occult specialty) x1.2 (Mind affinity))
Inertial Armor, Rank I*
Gain 2 armor (2.27) (1 base x1.32 (magic) x1.3 (Occult) x1.2 (telekinesis specialty) x1.1 (Mind Affinity).
Mind Affinity, Rank II
+2 Mind affinity
Soul
Empathetic Learner*
+1 Soul ability at Level 10, and every 10 Levels thereafter. +20% to occult skill gain rate.
Soul of Magic, Rank II
+4 Magic Stat
Wyld
Animal Companion, Rank I
May have 1 animal companion. It gains +2 to all physical stats.
Aura of Growth, Rank I
+10% base (29% actual (10x1.3(Wyld affinity) x1.34(occult) x1.64 (Magic stat) agricultural modifier within 5 miles of the mage
Aura of the Herd, Rank I
+10% base (29% actual) (10x1.3(Wyld affinity) x1.34(occult) x1.64 (Magic stat) modifier to the gain provided by any magical animal benefits as well as growth of the animals. Adds +3% base (9% actual) to agricultural growth in general (worms, chickens, cows, etc.)
Bestial Toughness, Rank I
+4 Toughness
Metal
It hadn’t changed in a year, except for a few skill increases. Leo felt a certain frustration and greed both. He couldn’t deny that he secretly hoped he could level again, and soon—he wanted the gate to open to an easy adventure against really bad people, although he hated the thought. It was easy to fall into the trap of trying to self-improve by killing things for experience. The dungeons would solve that someday, but for the moment, Leo was too high level to benefit much.
For the third time today, Leo glanced up at his tree. Soon. He knew he was playing with fire in his wish, and he really didn’t want interesting times in the Chinese sense of the word… but he did love leveling.
Lily laughed, and Leo flushed. She knows what I’m thinking.
Lily stood and brushed her hands off on her dress, although no dirt appeared on the illusory garment. “Well, shall we head to the meeting, then, since we’re not about to see eggs hatch?”
Leo stood as well. “Let’s do it.”