This is not a chapter. If you read this in the future, skip ahead!

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Our hero prepares for the final journey of Book 1! He has only 1 day left to make any last minute preparations.

Barak Bloodbraid and his elite Wyldlings await the rag-tag group of crippled freedom fighters for the final clash over the control of the Wyld.

We know Barak to be a cunning [Shaman], who wields the forces of corrupted life and darkness to twist the spirits under his command, who can topple castle walls with his powers and who cheated his way to the top of the [Shaman] food chain, by circumventing having to master the song of the Wyld with an amulet that silences the song alltogether.

Our hero knows this, of course, and knows he is ill prepared.

He has one night to spend his hard earned Essence on something to help him in the struggle to come...

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A) Does he invest in the tried and true Core Skills? They are cheap and easy to weave. Quite possible the biggest advancement in power he can manage in a night. But will physical prowess be enough?

B) Does he invest in [Cutting Winds]? Being a victim of this power himself, he knows how devastating the winds of the Winter Aspect of the Mad King were. A solid attack option for situations that require range or the forces of the elements...

C) Barak is so far above him, he needs to make a desperate gamble. [Unchained Ancestors] will bring him the expertise of his Lineage in small doses. But what if no one had the strength or knowledge to handle a threat like the one in front of him?

D) We gamble again, but we trust in the competence of our favorite patron deity, the Wanderer. Will Hannibal purchase a large chunk of his Paradigm [Freeman]? He could get Gifts, Skills and many other benefits, as with any class advancement. A game of chance, for sure...

E) He trusts that the Mad King had the right idea. [Cleanse Corruption] is just the right tool to deal with the darkness and corrupted spirits of the [Shaman]. He has strong back-up and doesn't need to do the heavy lifting.

F) He is desperate. He learns [Hidden Sheath] to bring Kingsbane to the Storysmith and tells him everything he knows about the sword. It is not the whole story and he doesn't trust the smith, but maybe he can unlock some of the unpredictable powers of the famed sword? And not having to carry that monstrosity of a sword anymore is a bonus much welcomed.