Joe chopped through a smoky black wolf that had reached the top of his iron wall. It was getting harder and harder to push the hordes back. Either Sogath was getting stronger or his body was getting weaker and that was affecting his spiritual battle. Without the mental construct he had fashioned in his head, Joe was sure his will would have been overrun by now.
He stretched his information plaque, expanding the plinth with it. It was now a small wall about the size of a chalkboard, covered with carved text from Hawking.
You have selected [Transformation]. The following is a list of Lycanthropic traits that can be converted into skills. Each trait you transform into a learned skill will weaken the empowered curse, giving you longer to seek a cure.
[Blood Rage] (Strength) (C) You can infuse yourself with a berserker rage, allowing you to fight with the ferocity of a beast while taking and inflicting damage that you couldn't or wouldn't in your normal state. This state comes with a loss of mental acuity and reason. Cost: Moderate Stamina
[Brutal Bite] (Strength) (C) Your jaw will elongate and your teeth will grow and sharpen. You can use your bite as a natural weapon.
[Cursed Durability] (Vigor) (U) Your skin has grown tougher. Your magically reinforced flesh provides you with Moderate Resistance against physical damage. You will also gain Major Vulnerability to Silver.
[Flesh of Were] (Vigor) (C) Your body will close wounds, not made by silver, at a highly accelerated rate. Any regrown flesh will form with a visibly darker hide and in most body locations a thick coating of hair.
[Furious Blows] (Vigor) (C) Damage inflicted on you will increase your melee damage for a short period. Health recovery after the attack does not decrease the damage bonus.
[Hunter’s Pursuit] (Dexterity) (U) This athletics-focused skill improves your ability to run, jump, climb, and swim by 5% plus 2% for each skill rank you have with this skill. You will be able to move through natural impediments, such as rocks, brambles, and underbrush, without being significantly slowed.
[Lunar Mind] (Spirit) (C) The phases of the moon alter your mental capacities. The closer it is to a new moon, you will gain increased abilities to reason and recall facts. The closer it is to a full moon, you will gain increased speed of thought, especially in survival situations. These states will affect your emotional disposition.
[Morphic Form] (Vigor) (U) You can transform your physical form to become more beastial. Temporarily alter your physical attributes and appearance appropriately. Cost: Moderate Stamina.
[Night Eyes] (Perception) (C) Your eyes are far more sensitive to light than normal. You can see in areas of dim light as if it were bright light. Night Eyes will not improve your ability to see in complete darkness.
[Pack Master] (Spirit) (U) You will be able to dominate lupine creatures. Your ability to command, intimidate and charm gains a 10% to overcome emotional resistances plus 2% for each skill rank you have with this skill. Wolfen creatures will be naturally drawn to follow you.
[Primal Terror] (Spirit) (C) You can sense and increase the dark emotions of dread, fear, horror, and terror in those around you. Members of your pack can be excluded. Cost: Moderate Mana.
[Savage Claws] (Strength) (U) Your hands and forearms will become bestial. You will grow talons that can be used as natural weapons. These areas will gain Major Physical Damage Resistance. Your claws will improve your ability to climb on surfaces where they can find purchase.
[Therianthropic Infection] (Vigor) (C) You can infect others with lycanthropy through your bite.
[Tireless Predator] (Vigor) (C) Your Stamina will rejuvenate 12% faster, plus 3% for each skill rank you have with this skill.
[Tracker] (Perception) (C) Your sense of smell is enhanced. You will be able to track, target, and locate objects and creatures by scent alone.
[Wendigo] (Spirit) (U) If you are slain, your spirit can consume the spirit of another feral or lycanthropically cursed creature in close range. If you can overcome that creature’s Spirit, you can take control of the body and devour the previous creature’s soul.
As Joe alternated between the fight and reading his mood darkened. Most of these options were really awful.
Joe had six open Spirit slots but as soon as he looked through the list he knew wanted none of them. [Lunar Mind] was passable but he did not want his mind and emotions ruled by the moon. [Primal Terror] and [Wendigo] were just abominable.
The only one he considered was [Pack Master]. Domination was not at all the same as having companions. The idea of making slaves out of the animals sickened Joe, but he could always choose not to use the skill. Maybe he could temper it to be something less coercive. Regardless, he needed more time and it was the only option he could stand to take.
You have taken the skill [Pack Master]. You have slowed the progression of Lycanthropy by 10 minutes.
‘Ten minutes?!’
Joe had expected to get the month that came with normal lycanthropy. Or at least a couple of days. Minutes? There was no way he was going to survive this. He either would have to take those terrible skills or somehow gain a whole lot more skill points.
He thought back over his time in Illuminaria and recalled his biggest single gain of skill points was his getting his first level of Healer. Since he had just reached level 10, that meant he could now select another class. Doing so would give him more attribute points and new skills to trade. There were skills he’d happily take but he needed more attribute slots to do so.
As he battered back Souagth’s horde of nightmares, he reached out to Hawking.
‘Can I pick a second class now?’
Classes can be acquired by experience, specialized training, purchase, or being shared. Your experience has qualified you for the following basic classes: Acolyte, Animal Trainer, Beggar, Groom, Hedge-mage, Hermit, Laborer, Merchant, Messenger, Monk, Nomad, Outlaw, Performer, Pilgrim, Scout, and Vagabond.
Additionally, you may take the following advanced class: Combat Medic.
Joe's hopes soared. He had a chance. There were a few options there that might work. The first one to check was obviously the one advanced class.
[Combat Medic] This type of healer keeps their allies alive and tends to the fallen on the front lines of battle. The class focuses on heavy armor skills paired with mobility and enemy debuffs. Their primary attributes are Spirit and Vigor.
It was about what Joe expected but he had a hard time trying to muster much enthusiasm for the class. This choice would just push him even further down the healer road. While Joe had come to appreciate being a healer in ways he had never imagined he would, his heart was still set on being an explorer someday. This would put that dream even further away.
Then he recalled something Hawking had just said.
‘What do you mean shared? Could I get classes from party members?’
Yes, though typically they must be actively shared. Your unique racial ability, [Anyone], will allow you to freely acquire one of your party members’ classes as long as you meet the requirements for that class.
‘Even better,’ Joe thought, as he drove the creatures back again. He had been alternating his weapon between axes and spears. The hammer had worked ok, but axes swept the ebon ghosts away more easily and spears had better reach. He sent a thought to the plinth and willed it to show the party again. Starting with Hah’roo, since he had the closest connection with her, Joe willed the plaque to show him her classes.
Hah’roo: Ranger (C)/Dancer (U)
Joe had always liked rangers, so he gave the class and fast glance.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
[Ranger]: This class is focused on movement, woodslore, and perception. Rangers are skilled in the ways of wilderness survival, woodcraft, stealth, herbalism, and tracking. Their primary attributes are Agility and Perception.
Do you wish to use your [Anyone] trait to make this your Secondary class?
He liked the sound of Ranger better than the class titles from his own list but it was still another base class. Hawking had said way back on that first day that the more advanced a class was, the more skills he would gain.
Hah’roo’s other class was [Dancer] which was a movement-based caster class. Unfortunately, Joe did not have the required Agility to qualify for it. He also did not think he had the temperament for it either. Dancing was something he never understood.
Azbekt was next.
Azbekt VanderAxe: Fighter (C)/Paladin (U)/Champion (R)
Fighter was a base class, and one he was less interested in than ranger or even a few from his own list of classes. Paladin had not only ability requirements he did not meet but a conditional one as well. The advanced class required one to be a devotee of a religious order, which Joe definitely was not. Champion was not religion based but it had a huge Strength requirement. None of these were options for him.
Joe was getting nervous. The only advanced class he had so far was Combat Medic. He’d take it if he had to, but he really hoped he’d find something in Count Radeau’s classes he could use.
Count Valloc Randeau: Duelist (U)/Fell Bane Hunter (E)/August Harrier (E)
He goggled at the sight of the monster-hunters classes. Obviously, Gurda Eldauk had been right about the advantages the nobility had class-wise. Not only did he have no basic class at all. He had two epic rarity classes. The Count must have found a way to upgrade his base class and then top that off with a pair of elite classes.
Joe opened the first one and immediately let out a sigh of relief. He qualified for Duelist.
[Duelist]: These warriors excel in one-on-one combats, with swift strikes, stances, and buffs. They excel at eliminating key targets. A Duelist only needs two things; a weapon of choice and an opponent.
Do you wish to use your [Anyone] trait to make this your Secondary class?
All three of the requirements were checked off. It only needed him to have three points in Agility and two points in Perception and Vigor. Joe had room to spare on the last two but his Agility just met the req. It also required him to engage in twenty-five one-on-one combats. It was checked off, so it must have counted his sparing session with Hah’roo and Valloc yesterday.
Joe was about to affirm the choice but he decided to quickly look at Fell Bane Hunter. Since it was an elite class, he did not have much hope. To his surprise, both of its requirements were checked off as well. It needed a Vigor of six, which Joe more than had. Its other conditional requirement was a player had to have slain a monster at least ten levels higher than their own level. Joe had never managed to assess the Night Skinner, but since it had given the Count such a hard time, it had to have been over level forty, many times higher than Joe’s measly level eight.
He checked and saw he did not qualify for August Harrier but that didn’t matter. Joe could take Fell Bane Hunter.
[Fell Bane Hunter]: This class is focused on eradicating monstrous threats. They are skilled in critical damage maneuvers, resistance to special attacks, evasion, and monster assessment. Their primary attributes are Vigor and Perception.
Do you wish to use your [Anyone] trait to make this your Secondary class?
“Oh, hell yeah!”
You have acquired Fell Bane Hunter as your Secondary Class. You have gained the following traits.
Before Joe could read any more he had to stop and clear the ramparts again. Shadow wolves were clawing at the edges, trying to pull themselves up onto the walkway. As he fought a wave a vertigo washed over him. He was definitely starting to feel ill. Even though the body he was imagining was not real, he could feel sweat making his shirt damp and clammy. His hands were shaking and there was a cold sickening feeling that was growing inside his chest.
He imagined the one metal tablet splitting into two bronze plaques; one with the list of traits from the curse and the other the gains from the Fell Bane Hunter class. The Hunter's listed started with Vigor but Joe immediately saw that his options for Perception were easy picks.
[Observant]: +2 to Perception. You have gained 2 common perception-based skills.
[Sight in Shadows]: You can see in areas of dim light as if it were bright light. Sight in Shadows will not improve your ability to see in complete darkness.
You may exchange this skill for one of the transformed Lycanthropic skills.
[Spot Weakness]: This ability will allow you to discern areas of vulnerability your enemies possess. Your chance of a bypassing resistance increases by 5% plus 2% for each skill rank you have with this skill.
You may exchange this skill for one of the transformed Lycanthropic skills.
There were only two perception base options on the curse traits and both had no drawbacks. [Night Eyes] was essentially the same skill as [Sight in Shadows], just a different name.
He picked them and the letters faded off the first list and replaced the text on the second set of descriptions.
You have taken skills [Night Eyes] and [Tracker]. You have slowed the progression of Lycanthropy by another 10 minutes.
As soon as the letters finished changing, Joe immediately felt better. Strength returned to his limbs and his heart and breathing were no longer feeling so labored. He must have burned through much of those first ten minutes already. The curse had been close to becoming permanent.
He extended the spear to become a long pike and ripped every shadow-beast off the iron fortifications before dashing back to the plaques. Moving on, there was only one item for Dexterity on each list and they were both uncommons.
[Spry]: +2 to Dexterity. You have gained 1 uncommon dexterity-based skill.
[Nimble Evasion]: Some creatures have areas of effect attacks that can be dodged, such as dragon breath. You gain 10% to your Dexterity to avoid these types of attacks, plus 2% for each skill rank you have with this skill.
You may exchange this skill for one of the transformed Lycanthropic skills.
You have taken skill [Hunter’s Pursuit]. You have slowed the progression of Lycanthropy by another 10 minutes.
He breathed a sigh of relief. He had worried that he would only get five more minutes if the exchange was based on just the number of skills and did not take their rarity of them into consideration. This left Joe with just Vigor and Strength to go through as Fell Bane Hunter did not have any Spirit skills. Neither of these were as straightforward a choice as the other two.
[Rugged] +2 to Vigor. You have gained 2 common vigor-based skills.
[Poison Resistance]: Many of the creatures you will hunt have toxic attacks. You gain Moderate Poison Resistance.
You may exchange this skill for one of the transformed Lycanthropic skills.
[Defused Damage]: When you are harmed by a creature, you can shunt a portion of the damage into a secondary health pool drawn from your Stamina. The Health pool is equal to 5% of your stamina plus 1% for each skill rank you have with this skill.
You may exchange this skill for one of the transformed Lycanthropic skills.
Joe had a lot of options but the best two choices were both uncommons. It was a toss up between Cursed Durability and Morphic Form. With his solid Vigor and healing abilities, the durability would allow him to take a serious amount of damage before something could actually take him out. On the other hand, Morphic Form presented him with some offense capabilities that he severely lacked. Being able to enhance his strength or agility might be just the ticket he needed to break grapples or overpower and enemy. What finally solid him was the vulnerability. Joe did not relish the thought of never being able to comfortably touch anything silver again.
You have taken skill [Morphic Form]. You have slowed the progression of Lycanthropy by another 10 minutes.
The last one was the hardest choice.
[Mighty] +2 to Strength. You have gained 2 common strength-based skills.
[Break Grapple]: Beasts will try to make sure you can not avoid their attacks by pinning you in place. You gain 10% to your Strength to break free of a grapple, plus 2% for each skill rank you have with this skill.
You may exchange this skill for one of the transformed Lycanthropic skills.
[Charge Breaker]: If a creature charges you, you can interrupt its attack with a blow of your own. This attack deals an additional 25% damage plus 2% for each skill rank you have with this skill and has a 5% plus 1% for each skill rank you have with this skill chance to stun your attacker.
You may exchange this skill for one of the transformed Lycanthropic skills.
Joe was finally up against a set of choices that he wanted none of. All three Strength options were bad. There was zero chance he was going to take some berserker rage option and the thought of biting monsters was just plain gross. The claws were the best of the three and uncommon. The downside was they were always on. He would be stuck with taloned werewolf hands from here on out.
He quickly did the math in his head. With what he had taken so far, he had gained forty minutes, minus probably ten minutes or so since he had to keep stopping and driving back the shadows. He would have to make it all the way back to Telemont Square, where all the temples were before the timer ran out and the lycanthropy destroyed his pattern. Joe was pretty sure he could run it but not if he had to carry Hah’roo and Count Valloc with him. That ten more minutes could mean the difference between his life and becoming a literal monster.
Joe vacillated for a minute until he realized he was just wasting what precious time he had. He couldn't chance it.
You have taken skill [Savage Claws]. You have slowed the progression of Lycanthropy by another 10 minutes.
There would probably be a lot of gloves in his future but for now, he had to face the specter of Sogath, once and for all.