It began with a feeling of extreme discomfort. An itching coming from inside his skin, which rapidly swelled into a fierce burning sensation. Not heat, but a caustic sting, like someone had poured acid into Nick’s veins.
He kept his breathing slow and steady as tears streamed down his face, certain that it would all be over soon. More than just the molten agony, he could feel his muscles soften and expand, as the bonds between the fibers were broken down before knitting themselves back together.
Their connections are becoming tougher and more resilient than before. He felt his clothing become a little tighter as his muscles grew bigger, before the pain started fading away.
Nick rose to his feet, relieved that the worst was over. He lifted his pack, then set it down and drew his sword, taking a few experimental slashes at the air. Both bag and blade felt lighter than before, and he had a sense that there was more power behind his attacks.
While raising his strength had been unpleasant, he knew that it was a wise investment, since it had been lagging behind his other attributes. Hopefully, he could raise it another few points through conditioning before long and spare himself the acidic sensation.
Ready to move on before he lost access to his profile for the day, he sat back down and said, “Now a point of creativity to top things off.” He tensed, praying that this increase would be more pleasant than the last. Nick sat back down and waited… then he waited some more.
Just as he was convinced that nothing was going to happen, that boosting his creativity would be the first sensationless free point he had spent so far, he felt something shift inside his head.
An idea came bubbling up to the surface. A strategy for how he could cross the marshlands faster than before, while avoiding the dangers of the blackmist in the process. No sooner had that thought ended, than another began.
It was only the start of a deluge of concepts and possibilities, each bleeding into the next like a tapestry of raw inspiration. There were far too many to focus on them all, so Nick took out his journal and began writing as fast as he could, outlining the best of them while detailing the parts he might not remember later.
He moved the nub of charcoal he was using as a pencil across the paper at blinding speed, like an all-night brainstorming session compressed into a couple of minutes. Strategies, tactics, an analysis of Taltos and the System, the nature and principles behind magic, all went into the journal.
When the effects wore off several frantic minutes later, Nick nodded to himself as he inspected his handiwork. With the distilled inspiration fading away, he could already tell that not all of these ideas were winners. Many had been based on wild speculation and weakly connected concepts. But a number of them could lead to promising developments, once he had taken some time to consider them at length.
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He was supremely satisfied with the results of raising his creativity and had gained a better idea for what the attribute did along the way. He might consider trying to use a free point on it when he was stuck on a tricky problem or a bottleneck in his development.
The experience had been mind-expanding and extremely pleasant, especially compared to the ordeal of raising his strength. In short, boosting his creativity was amazing and he would invest in the attribute again sometime later down the road.
Eager to check out his new and improved stats, Nick willed the display to show his full profile, minus his inventory.
Contestant Profile: Nicholas ‘Nick’ Henry.
Level: 11.
Tier: 1.
Species: Human of Earth (E).
Class: Kineticist (uncommon).
Base attribute points per level: +1 magic, +1 dexterity every other level.
Free points per level: 1. You have 0 unspent free points at this time.
Attributes
Strength: 6 (7) Dexterity: 8 (12) Toughness: 8 (11) Mind: 9 (11) Creativity: 8 (9) Charisma: 5 Magic: 3 (8) ??? ???
Abilities
Ability slots: 2 active, 1 passive, 1 free.
Active abilities: Mana dart (spell). Piercing ray (spell).
No passive abilities have been acquired.
Class Traits
None. (The trait for this class has been incorporated into your bloodline).
Geneline Traits
Gift of Tongues: you can understand and speak the languages of all intelligent creatures.
Awakened to Magic: +1 to magic.
Versatile: +1 to all attributes. +1 free ability slot.
Bloodline Traits
Filled bloodline slots: 2. Open bloodline slots: 1.
Survivor (enhanced): you require 50% less food, water, oxygen, and sleep.
Force Adept: you receive a bonus to mana efficiency and scaling from energetic attributes when casting spells that use force mana or pure mana. Force Adepts are unable to cast elemental spells and receive a substantial penalty when manipulating elemental-aspected mana in any way.
Skills
Active
Sword: 4
Evasion: 3
Throwing: 4
Light shield: 0
Wand: 6
Inactive (inactive skills may be used but not improved.)
Size up: 10
Foraging: 10
With a spring in his step, Nick left the ruined building behind him, ready to trade a night full of sanguine horror for a day filled with bright sunshine.