The debacle that was the next morning’s training session would never be mentioned again. Basic calisthenics were… largely fine, but stumbling through the forms, stopping when things felt off and trying to make sure I made every movement properly based purely on memory and instinct was… less than ideal. I gave it up as a bad job for lunch and retreated to the library to regroup.
Finally, dinner had been consumed and it was time for evening meditation, which meant pushing my second path. This was the one that came from my Half-Giant ancestry… well, that was the jumping off point, at least.
Once again I had gone plumbing through the Akasha for something that would meet my needs. I wanted a style that focused on unarmed martial combat combined with psionic manifestation, and some understanding of ki would be helpful as well. Once again, if you kept digging enough, it was there to be found. There were actually a few options available, but some of them sacrificed things I wanted to keep, or didn't combine as well with my existing martial training, but I finally settled on a particular path.
The Warriors of the Unchained Mind had a long line of combining precognitive abilities with hand to hand combat. They focused on an ascetic lifestyle, eschewing the use of physical weapons and armor in order to hone their psionic gifts. In other words, it was kind of perfect for me.
I pushed forward.
Psychic Warrior 1
Stamina: –
Martial Attack Bonus: –
Saves:
* Fort –
* Ref –
* Will –
Skills: –
* Acrobatics
* Athletics
* Craft
* Lore (Applied Psionics)
* Lore (Theoretical Psionics)
* Meditation
* Perception
* Profession
Power Points: 1
Powers Known: 1
Max Power Level: 1
Qualities:
* Add Class Level to Manifester Level
* Add Wisdom Bonus to Power Pool
* Add Wisdom Bonus to Power DC
* Half-Giant Racial Akashic Resonance: Manifester Level multiplied by 1.5 when manifesting innate powers.
* Ascetic Path:
* Add Offensive Precognition to innate powers.
* Add Lore (Theoretical Ki) to the unlocked skill list.
* Clairvoyant Armor: Add Wisdom Bonus to AC.
* Martial Artist: Add Class Level to Martial Level
The constant humming in the back of my mind that I had associated with my latent psionic gifts seemed to crystalize ever so slightly. I could feel a faint humming in the air around my body, like a zone of will ready to react and attempt to protect me from danger.
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As expected, this new class saw no improvements in stamina, attack bonus, or saves. I was seeing the lack of stacking I had expected. I didn’t see any new skills added from the class, either. The overlap mechanic was really rearing its ugly head this time.
There were several gains as far as Qualities were concerned, though. Alongside the Martial Level and Shaper Level established the previous day, I now also had a Manifester Level. So Ki abilities were tied to the Martial, Chakra abilities tied to the Shaper, and Psionic abilities to the Manifester. I would need to add these to my Character Sheet visualizations, which was going to be a pain. I wouldn't begin complaining about more meditation though, or I would never stop.
I also had two powers to add to my known power list, though one of them had been chosen automatically. I had innate access to Defensive Precognition, and I was now adding the offensive version on to my list. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do about the other power yet. I would hold off for a few days until I had a handle on everything I needed to train in and make my decision from there.
For now, dinner and then bed. Tomorrow morning was going to be a doozy.
—
Wake up, bathe, dress in the limited clothing options available, which were essentially just a sheet of fabric and a loincloth, and go back to the pool for meditation.
This morning was my last heritage path, and the one I could confess I was a little nervous about. Half-Giants and Humans, even Atlantean humans - rather, especially Atlantean humans - are reasonably close together, and while there were some significant differences from my experience in my first life, they were largely just a matter of scope. I was still human, just… bigger, and better. But the heritage I was trying to unlock this morning was something significantly more… ancient. More primal. I could only hope there wouldn't be any significant issues.
Eventually I was able to calm myself and focus enough to begin the process once more. I found that final path, and I pushed. That now familiar thrum pulsed through me, resonating through my bones. I shuddered as a sort of crawling sensation spread across my skin, like someone was pulling it taught and then letting it go. I pulled up the sheet.
Giant 1
Health: —
Attack Bonus: —
Saves:
* Fort —
* Ref —
* Will —
Feats: 1
Skills: 2
* Athletics
* Craft
* Perception
Qualities:
* Add +1 to Strength
* Add +1 to Constitution
* Giant Skin: Add Constitution Bonus to AC as Natural Armor
I let out a breath I had been holding in. That was… kind of anticlimactic. I mean, yes, bonuses to attributes were a big deal in general, and Natural Armor (that must have been that skin crawling sensation I felt) that scales with an attribute could be quite impressive in the long term. Honestly, this wasn't a huge deal in the short term. I would just have to wait and see.
I paused momentarily at that thought. I realized I felt significantly calmer than I had before. Time didn't seem as pressing as it had before. Yes, there were things that I needed to do, but they would come in time. Rushing things at this point could only be detrimental. I wondered how much of the earlier anxiety has been a result of me mainlining aspects of humanity’s Akashic record - the inexorable march of progress and innovation certainly encouraged a sense of “get things done and don't stop moving”. It was what had led to the rise of industry and the information age in my first life.
Giants, on the other hand, were… more gradual about things. When you had centuries to figure things out, I suppose taking your time and deciding on the best approach made sense. It made me wonder where I would end up, age and development wise, as I continued down this path. Thirty was well into the mature years for a Human, was just about right for a Half-Giant, but for a full-on Giant… well that really depended on the type. On top of that, the genetics I was triggering were things that hadn't been seen in millennia, and certainly not with my specific mix in play. It was suggested by some scholars that the storm giants, cloud giants, and even the eldritch giants might all trace their ancestry back to the primordial giants of Atlantis to a degree. I was curious what that would mean for me as I progressed.