Kreeble still seemed concerned for them, and Cyn couldn’t help but find Torith’s words concerning as well. Having the rest of her life largely impacted by living in a cave for an extended period did not sound like a good time. She was short enough, Cyn did not need to end up evolving into a gnome. Or worse, one of the spider people. Ultimately though, there just wasn’t a better option. The party of humans needed to get stronger and more well equipped, and this was really the only route unless they wanted to try and brute force the infested area.
The first thing they needed to do, though, was find and speak with Ander, the forman. At least Cyn thought so, but Kreeble was very insistent that he show them to places they could stay. The crowd mostly dispersed after the party walked away from the central crystal, but she could still feel a lot of eyes on them as the elder gnome led the way to guest housing. None of the buildings they passed on the ground floor were dilapidated, but it was clear that upkeep on many of them had become less of a priority. It was obvious what ones were currently being lived in or used because they were overall just cleaner.
Most of the well-kept buildings on the ground floor looked like housing, and private living was just not a thing. Kreeble explained that the housing had been designed for short term living, as their guests were once frequent but rarely stayed long, and to preserve the limited space a number of people would share the same house. He offered to let them choose pre-established groups to join, but did not seem surprised when the party made it clear they did not want to be separated.
As they walked Kreeble pointed out a communal kitchen and dining area filled with simple tables and chairs. He explained that gnomes had many more in the area’s above, but this was the only one available on the ground. Hex inquired if they might be willing to teach him there, and the only thing Kreeble said in response was that he would talk about their options once they were settled in. He also pointed out where the Arachi, the spider-like people, lived, since their housing requirements were different from elves and gnomes. Cyn had been correct in assuming the long eared humanoids would be called elves.
Arachi were basically refugees, arriving at Cogtopia only a few years ago. They had been driven out of their homes by the Illuminants expanding throughout the interior of this moon. Cyn wondered if the situation here was more dire than anyone seemed to want to let on, but also felt like every time one of the party spoke they were showing a suspicious level of ignorance. Kreeble clearly was trying to cover for them, but he could only do so much.
After showing them a few more buildings, including the storage building they would find Cogtopia’s profession stones, since they were learned much the same way that classes were, the party arrived at what would be their home for the near future. Outside, it looked identical to the surrounding buildings. Walls and roof made of gray rock, a handful of glassless windows, and a door that Cyn suspected was not made of wood, even though it did look like it. She had not seen anything resembling a tree down here, so a source of wood ample enough to be wasting on doors seemed unlikely. The windows at least had cloth coverings on the inside, so they were not totally devoid of privacy.
Inside the floor was the same rock as the walls and roof, just more smooth. It looked like it could use a bit of cleaning, but seemed overall livable. It was dark initially, as Cyns diadem had turned off a while ago, but Kreeble fiddled with a cluster of buttons near the door and showed them how to use it to turn the glowing crystal light residing in the ceiling on. Instead of beds, one wall of the main room had hammocks lined up along the wall and stacked on top of one another. Infinitely better than the bare mine floor. On the other side was a handful of chairs and tables with a woven carpet underneath. There was a single door on the other side of the room, but otherwise that was it.
The elder gnome said it was the washing room behind that door, and made them gather at the buttons to show one more thing. “Anytime you are in here you will want to press this one. It takes a good chunk more mana than turning on the lights, but it prevents sounds from escaping.” The look he gave the party now was more serious then the jovial gnome that had been showing them around. “Now sit, there's an important discussion to be had before you go and mess up your future.”
Finally, maybe they would get some answers. That seemed to be everyone's thoughts, as the party silently rearranged the chairs into a circle and sat down. Kreeble climbed up onto the remaining chair and let out a deep sigh. “I don’t know how much help I can actually give you before the System intervenes. But I am going to try. Just don’t give me excess details. Am I correct in assuming that, for you, this was labeled as a dungeon?”
They all nodded but before he could continue Dana asked, “What do you mean by that? ‘Before the System intervenes’?”
“The System is very peculiar when it comes to the Awakening. Interference from the Collective, the surviving Awakened dimensions, is extremely limited until after your terminus event.” He quickly held up a hand as Dana opened her mouth to speak again, “Don’t ask! I can’t tell you what that is. Only that it’s what the System is preparing you to survive.”
“If I remember correctly from my studies as a youth, dungeons are only one possible trial for the newly Awakened before they get to go home.” Kreeble threw up his hands again, waving frantically. Cyn did not see which one of them had tried to speak this time, but assumed it was the Archer again. “No, no questions! Let me get out what I hope I can. I don’t know how or when I will be stopped before I say too much.
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“Root humans only exist in the five hundred or so years after a dimension is Awakened, at most. If a dimension is particularly stubborn about it. Usually they are gone within a single generation. You are just too evolutionarily volatile to stick around as a species for long, and the advantages that come from evolving before the terminus event are too tempting. Everything you do adds up to what you will become. How you mold your class, your profession, even where you linger and who you spend your time with.
“Being in a dungeon means what you do here might not have as large of an effect,” He eyed Cyn as he paused, then shook his head, “Actually, it might. I would not think the System would allow you to be affected during Awakening like that, but having a non-standard skill at level two is kind of insane.” Cyn felt the burning stares of her party again as Kreeble continued. “Anyway, that is to say, be very selective about training your professions. Try to progress through your chosen profession on your own, or as a party, as much as possible, because if you learn skills directly from us it is going to have effects long term. Our home was so peaceful before the Illuminants that we stopped learning how to fight. We evolved out of classes entirely. And I doubt learning our ways would help you, since they barely help us anymore.”
Kreeble had practically admitted what Cyn already suspected. The gnomes, and their other, now permanent guests, were in serious trouble. She had wondered why they had not tried to regain control of the mines, but if they had to fight without class skill assistance it made more sense they had retreated into the city instead. Since Kreeble had fallen silent Cyn hoped he would allow a question, especially one that was more in line with this being a dungeon, “Is there something that can be done to help you here?”
The old gnome gave her a slow blink before responding carefully, “I suggest doing whatever you thought you needed to do before you got here. If this is a dungeon, this isn’t the real Cogtopia. As real as it feels for us inhabiting it, it will cease to be once you are gone.” While she was still absorbing that, Kreeble quickly stood and brushed himself off.
“And now, before I am reduced to a pile of dust or forget what we are talking about, we are going to stop talking about it. I can feel the System warning down to my bones. Anything else will have to wait until you meet those who actually know what they are allowed to tell you. Good luck, and make good choices.”
As he left the party called a chorus of thank you’s after the elder gnome, who gave them a sad smile before shutting the door behind him. As soon as he was gone Scott turned to Cyn. “Alright, putting aside all that for a moment, what in the hell is this skill they keep mentioning?”
Cyn, embarrassed, told them it was the thing she thought she wasn’t supposed to do with her mana that happened during the mimic fight. On further request, she supplied the full description.
Freeform Mana Casting (Unique)(Passive) -
The System honors your willful attempt to manipulate mana without skill assistance, and has permanently removed all natural safeguards relating to mana use. Proceed at your own risk.
[Human] - Evolutionary path altered.
[Mage] - Evolutionary path altered.
“I agree with Kreeble. That sounds insane to have at level two. And not in a good way.” This came from Hex, but all Cyn could do was shrug. It wasn’t like she could go back in time and change it. And she probably would have died without it.
“I’m being careful. It's too late to do anything about it, so I might as well learn how to use it.” She paused, then added in, “I’m sorry for not mentioning it before. Not because I intend to read off every time something changes for me, but because it probably would have been helpful to know you can gain skills just by being stubborn.”
The Guardian let out a sigh, rubbing his face with one hand. “Yup, nothing to do about it now. What do y’all make of the rest of…” Scott took his hand off his face to instead wave it in the air, “This? Personally, I don’t want to spend the energy thinking too hard about it. At least not until we are out of here.”
Scott’s preferred solution of putting it off was basically what all of them had been doing already. They had just been collectively rolling with the punches for the most part since meeting, and no one was keen to change that, even Cyn. As badly as she wanted answers, speculation would only get them so far, and it sounded like it could even hinder them if they were not careful.
They also agreed that while none of them wanted to stay here long, professions would probably be worth at least picking up and trying for a while, depending on what was available. And when Sam confirmed the washroom had running water and a bath, no one could resist the call of being clean and not sleeping on the hard ground for at least a few days.
From here the party split up. Dana was going to go see if she could find, and get answers out of, Ander. Cyn thought they should go as a group, but the Archer reminded everyone she was an attorney in a previous life. She was pretty decent at getting answers, and mobbing the guy was probably not the way to go about it. Sam and Scott would be remaining at the house for the moment, intending to take turns getting clean and cleaning their clothes. Hex intended to head straight for the storage building to learn cooking, and Cyn decided she would join him to see what was available, since sticking around to wait her turn in the bath was not appealing.