It was decided that Zeff would be next.
“Can we see what the Technology Sigil Stone does?” Nate asked, and a pop up appeared in his vision. “Oh, right.”
Technology Sigil Stone. Once activated, you can spend a minute analyzing a piece of technology of your rank to gain knowledge on how it functions, what is needed to craft it, and how to craft it. Additionally, you gain the Magitech Turret power.
Magitech Turret. Cooldown: 5 hours. You may reduce your maximum Magic and Fatigue by half to create a mountable turret that lasts for ten minutes or until destroyed. This turret does not require bullets, but drains the Magic of the one using it to create them. Additional magic may be used per bullet to increase damage. The turret counts as a Heavy Ranged weapon for purposes of skill advancement.
“That's why you have a team that cycles when their magic runs out,” Nate said. Zeff nodded solemnly.
The Fire Sigil Stone had little fanfare as it was his second, though he did spend a moment to create dancing flames in his palms. The Armor Sigil Stone activated next, and the party chat all got to see his new aura details.
Pyrotechnic Shield. Aura. Effect: Allies within your aura gain resistance to fire and lightning damage, as well as a minor defense boost. Enemies within your aura take additional damage from fire and lightning damage sources. While your Magitech Turret is within your aura it deals additional magical damage of your choice between fire and lightning. Your Stalwart ability costs less depending on how much fire and lightning is present within your aura.
“Nice!” Nate and Zeff said at the same time.
“That’s going to be awesome in battles!” Nate said. Zeff was already making notes on how to best utilize his new abilities. “I feel like Harry Potter on his first Christmas at Hogwarts! You know, when he gets the cloak and the warm jumper with the ‘H’ on it?”
Krypdyr raised his eye-ridges in confusion, but Fuzzball shook his head and deviated back to task, “Who’s next?”
“You, my fuzzy friend!” Nate said, patting him on the shoulder. “And like with Zeff, I’ll check your current ones first. I haven’t had a sec to look them up yet. Now’s as good a time as any.”
Alchemy Sigil Stone. Once activated, you can study a potion or poison vial for a minute and learn its components, crafting potions and poisons at alchemy tables take half the time and cost half the materials, and you unlock the Potion Bolster power. As an Apprentice Rank, you gain the Poisoner power.
Potion Bolster. Novice Power. At the cost of personal energy, you can improve the effectiveness of potions and poisons. The cost increases depending on the applied improvement.
Poisoner. Apprentice Power. Bolstered poisons last twice as long or deal double the poison damage. Increasing duration costs Magic, and increasing damage costs Fatigue. Your Potion Bolster cost is reduced.
“Personal energy?” Nate asked.
“When I use it, I get hungry, thirsty, and tired,” a pained expression crossed his face.
“Zolis made you push that ability often.” Fuzzball nodded despite it not being a question. “Well, my friend, I promise I’ll never do that to you.”
“Good. I’ll poison your potion if you try it,” an amused smile grew on Fuzzball’s face, and Nate laughed as they read the next stone’s description.
Garden Sigil Stone. Once activated, any fruit bearing or alchemical plant you touch grows as though it had a full day of sunlight and plenty of water in nutrient rich soil, even in areas where one or all three are not viable. This effect must be reapplied every 24 hours. Additionally, you gain the Deep Roots power. As an Apprentice Rank, you gain the Control Shell power.
Deep Roots. Novice Power. At the cost of Magic and Fatigue per second, thick vines erupt from your hands and feet, allowing you to make powerful ranged melee strikes.
Control Shell. Apprentice Power. At an additional cost of Magic and Fatigue per second, you can create more customized forms of plants to aid you in battle. If you strike plant based creatures, you can gain control over the sections you have struck for a brief amount of time. Your Deep Roots cost is reduced.
“Like the acorn shelled gloves that helped you command the plants within the shamblers,” Ellisandra said. Fuzzball nodded.
Zeff had his slate ready for updating the database. “Healing stone first, then water.”
Healing Sigil Stone. Once activated, your healing magic effectiveness is doubled, your total health increases by half, and you unlock the Greater Restore power. As an Apprentice Rank, you gain the Self Sacrifice power.
Greater Restore. Novice Power. At the cost of Magic and Fatigue per second, you can amplify a person's rate of healing and remove any diseases and poisons afflicting them. The cost depends on the degree of healing required.
Self Sacrifice. Apprentice Power. You can directly heal a living thing within your aura by 2 Health per 1 Health you sacrifice. Your Greater Restore cost is reduced.
Revitalizing Purification. Aura. Effect: Allies within the aura receive a constant, gentle healing effect, mending minor wounds, gradually recovering from more severe injuries over time, and detoxifying poisons and disease. Potions and elixirs crafted or consumed within the aura are more potent and effective, amplifying their beneficial effects.
At Apprentice rank, your aura gains increased healing effect and range. Additionally, allies within your aura gain increased resistance to poisons and diseases.
Nate cut his hand, watching it knit back together. He did until they found the range of his aura to be around 15 feet.
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“This aura is incredible, but its range is low, so we'd need to stay close to maintain the effects.”
Before anyone could say anything else, Fuzzball took up the Water Sigil Stone and accepted it. Runes coalesced into a blue, green, and white sphere that sunk into his chest.
Water Sigil Stone. Once activated, you gain minor control over water, including the ability to breathe underwater, and unlock the Aquakinesis power. As an Apprentice Rank, you gain the
Aquakinesis. Novice Power. At the cost of Magic and Fatigue per second, you can control nearby water. The cost depends on how much water you are attempting to control.
Frost Touch. Apprentice Power. Spending Magic, you can cause controlled water to freeze onto weapons, adding cold damage to the next several attacks made with said weapon. Your Aquakinesis costs are reduced.
Verdant Aegis Correlation Stone. Once activated, your plant and water based abilities cost less Magic and Fatigue. Additionally, you unlock the Verdant Aegis power.
Verdant Aegis. At the cost of Magic and Fatigue per second, you can summon and wear armor made from a living combination of robust plants and flowing water. It provides resistance to environmental hazards such as extreme heat, cold, and toxins. The water element can cool or warm as needed, while the plant component filters and purifies air and water. The armor can adapt to different types of attacks. For example, it can harden against physical strikes, become more fluid to absorb impacts, or grow thorny protrusions to deter close combat attackers.
At Apprentice rank, while Verdant Aegis is active, you can expend Magic to fire spikes of ice or jets of boiling water from any point of your armor.
Seemingly from all over Fuzzball’s body, green vines sprang out and wrapped around his body. Droplets of water from the air around him formed and flowed to fill in the gaps between the vines. The final vines wrapped in a pattern around his head, leaving his nose and mouth visible, the water forming a protective visor over his eyes.
“I think if Batman was a Druid he’d have that armor,” Nate said, impressed. “Wanna try it out?”
Before he could answer Terry bounded over a nearby table and bit at Fuzzball. The water froze where Terry’s mouth bit down. A scraping sound preceded Terry stumbling back as the vines whipped out at him, pushing him away. A spike of ice stuck deep into the ground at Terry's feet.
“Impressive,” Krypdyr said, nodding approvingly.
“You’re up next,” Nate motioned for Krypdyr to take his new sigil stone. Nate pulled Krypdyr's Sigil Stone description, surprised to find additional information.
Strength Sigil Stone. Once activated, your carrying capacity doubles, strength related skills improve twice as fast, and you unlock the Adrenaline power. As an Apprentice rank, you gain the Charge power.
Adrenaline. Novice Power. At the cost of Magic and Fatigue per second, your strength and awareness increase. The cost depends on the strength or awareness required to complete the task at hand.
Charge. Apprentice Power. When you rush toward an enemy, you can spend Fatigue to deal additional damage on a 1 to 1 basis. Your Adrenaline power's cost is reduced.
Venom Sigil Stone. Once activated, you gain immunity to most poisons and venoms, and you unlock the Venomous Spray power. As an Apprentice rank, you unlock the Venom Strike power.
Venomous Spray. Novice Power. At the cost of Magic and Fatigue per second, you can spray venom at targets with sufficient force to break the skin and enter the bloodstream. You deal poison damage determined by the rate of Magic and Fatigue usage.
Venom Strike. Apprentice Power. At the cost of Magic on a 1 to 1 basis, you can imbue your next weapon strike to deal poison damage. Your Venomous Spray power's cost is reduced.
“I appreciate that the system differentiates between poison and venom, but why is it all lumped into one damage type?” Nate asked, looking at Zeff because he assumed Zeff would be the one to know offhand. Zeff shrugged, and Nate looked back at Krypdyr, who picked up the grey runed Shadow stone and channeled a little of his magic into it, accepting it into himself.
Shadow Sigil Stone. Once activated, you gain minor control over shadows, become nearly undetectable while in shadow, and unlock the Shadowstep power. As an Apprentice rank, you gain the Dark Strike power.
Shadowstep. Novice Power. At the cost of Magic and Fatigue per foot of distance, you can step into a shadow and out of another that you can see. The cost depends on the range.
Dark Strike. Apprentice Power. When you Shadowstep, you can spend personal energy to make the weapon you are holding become encased in shadow, dealing necrotic damage on your next strike. Your Shadowstep power’s cost is reduced.
Night’s Wrath. Aura. Effect: Allies within the aura receive a temporary boost to their physical strength, allowing them to hit harder and perform feats of strength more easily. The aura shrouds you and your allies in shadows, making you harder to detect and target. The aura can infuse your allies' and your attacks with a venomous effect, causing your strikes to apply a minor poison that damages them over time.
At Apprentice rank, the shadow that shrouds you and your allies lasts a brief time outside of the aura. While it persists, the strength and venomous damage effects also persist.
“I have some ideas of how to use that aura for some training,” Nate said, “if you can bring yourself to consider me your enemy.”
“I’m not sure that will be a problem,” Krypdyr said without a flicker of expression.
Nate’s jaw dropped and he placed a hand to his chest in mock offense, “How dare you. I’m adorable. Just like Terry.”
Zeff laughed, “Terry is the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen.”
“You take that back or Terry will bite you!” Terry, who had scampered out the front doors, was nowhere to be seen.
“No, he won’t,” Ellisandra said, walking over to the table that held the stones and slapping Nate hard on the back. “Because then you’d have to deal with me.” Her predatory smile made Nate shift in his chair. “Me next.”
Steel Sigil Stone. Once activated, you can mentally alter the shape of non-magical steel so long as you are in contact with said steel, and you unlock the Metallurgy power.
Metallurgy. At a cost of Magic and Fatigue per second, you can mentally alter the shape of any metal so long as you are in contact with said metal. If you shape the metal into weaponry, its base damage is increased based on how much Magic and Fatigue was spent in its creation. This increased damage fades over time unless you continually empower it.
Blood Sigil Stone. Once activated, you gain immunity to bleeding effects and minor control over your own blood, slightly increasing your natural health recovery. You also gain the Blood Mutation power.
Blood Mutation. At a cost of Magic and Fatigue per second, you can extract blood from yourself and change it into another material. You can use blood other than your own, but at a greater cost.
“Reading these makes me understand your powers a lot better, “ Nate said. “So, you change your blood into steel, which you then shape with your Metallurgy power. That is so badass!”
“Thank you,” she smiled as she picked up the Dragon sigil stone and soon it disappeared into her. Metallic scales spread from her back to coat her arms, down to her legs and around her torso, slowing as they spread across her neck and up around her elven face, leaving her flowing hair and most of her face free of scales. Her teeth shifted to be slightly more pointed and her eyes took on a faint glow.
Draconic Ward. Aura. Effect: Allies within your aura are immune to fear effects. Enemies within your aura have a small chance per hit to be affected by Fear, causing them to flee. The blood of your enemies, while within your aura, can be controlled for half the cost of controlling your own using Blood Mutation.
She picked up the last stone and it drifted into her chest. Crimson, pearlescent, and steel grey runes formed her Correlation Stone.
Draconic Titan Correlation Stone. Once activated, you gain the Draconic Titan power.
Draconic Titan. Duration: 1 hour. Cooldown: 24 hours. Effect: You transform into a Draconic Titan. You double in size and your physical strength is immensely amplified. Your scales thicken, further increasing your defense. Once every 10 minutes, you can exhale a cone of swirling steel to eviscerate your foes. Absorbing blood within your aura restores your health and recharges your breath weapon.
“Zeff, what’s the rarity of a Correlation Stone with both a Duration and Cooldown with no attribute cost?” Nate asked.
“Duration and cooldowns are fairly common, though 24 hours means the effect is incredibly powerful.”
“Thank you, Nate,” Ellisandra said in a grateful whisper. “Hopefully now we won’t lose anyone else.”
Nate nodded with determination, “I hope so, too. You ready to train?”