My morning routine is relatively short today. Dairy is off exploring. I grab a salted chunk of mystery meat and some fresh hard bread for a sandwich and wash it down with a fresh bottle of water. Very austere this morning. Very businesswoman-like.
I woke up this morning feeling incredibly well rested – Like I’ve been sleeping for a week. A weee bit too well rested if I'm allowed to complain for a moment. My phantom meditation was only one day! One day of laying in bed! And now, my body actually feels slightly stiff and weird and weak. I’m definitely going to work out a bit today – it’s no good to spend so much time in one spot. Can’t start doing that again in this new life.
Alright.
Once again I feel like I could go straight to work but I actually have a choice to make. Something to revisit every new day. I now have a new slot I could use.
Self status (click to expand)
Tier 25
Status: Healthy
Skills 4/5 ->
[Triboadhesion] Tier 14
[Mana Crystal Creation] Tier 4
[The wings of fell] Tier 3
[Phantom Breath] Tier 4
Do I use it as a goal? Continue to hold it as my reward for reaching a completed house? Or cave because my house is taking too long?
I think I’m going to reuse my last excuse – what if this new skill helps me build my house? I’d feel pretty dumb if I finished and then suddenly got something that would have helped. Even if it doesn’t help directly, there’s a chance It would have passively levelled while I worked. Really when you think about it it makes the most sense to get it as soon as possible.
Yep. It's very logical. Nice and sound logic. I’m choosing to give in not because I have a weak resistance to temptation but because I am a calm and rational being.
Yep.
It's decided. I’m glad we all came to the smart choice together.
Okay, I’m doing it! Just have to hit go and let Mr wizard get to work. I’m an old hat at this process now.
I feel like I haven't had the best of luck with influencing my skills. Sure sometimes there's definitely a link… but it's never the one I was going for. I need to do more experiments. And maybe leave off on phantom breath until time stops mattering as much? I said I would – I need to commit to that. My lost day made it even more clear.
If I do something I might get a skill related to the thing. If I don’t do anything I might get a skill related to nothing. Spending too much time trying to influence it doesn’t give me anything. Gotta just stay neutral. Not too neutral. The right amount of maybe nothing maybe something you decide stop being confusing and just let me exist kthanksbye.
This is all that's running through my mind as I let the wizard get to work. My body gains a nebulous pressure. I wait trying not to focus too much on anything in particular. I try not too feel too much without putting too much effort into suppressing emotions. Try not to jostle about without really focusing on staying still. A true neutral. That's me!
I'm in balance with the world around me. Flo-ITS DONE! I lied! Take that I’m so excited for this, you wouldn’t believe.
Dance! Dance and rush to the wizard. I lunge so fast I slide off the edge of the Ipad windmilling my arms in an attempt to read my reward for patience.
…skim past a warning…and oh no! There's…there’s choices this time. Tons of choices. What the heck?
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M* eye affinity.
Translator note M* = Truth/Mystical/Auburn/fae/false/friend/blasmephicdevinity/ascendantperspective/metasoul
Several relevant skills found. Cataloging and displaying options.
NOTE: As the details of each skill may influence or corrupt each other, detailed information about them is kept till you make a choice. Choice need not be final but reading multiple may result in a worse result as M* shatters.
Authentic Eyes of the truthseer:
See fact and fiction piercing illusion and trickery. See friend and foe discerning danger and malevolence. See truth and falsehood as lies fall apart before your eyes.
Soulseer:
Spy souls and spirits. See death and those close to it. To touch the soul one must first see it. To run from death one must first spot the reaper.
Eyes of mine:
Steal vision and perspective, sealing the sight of those you face and spreading your own. All eyes are yours.
Eyes of M:
Split your eyes into many, spreading your sight to all corners of the world. All you see is under your preview. Each eye may give a perspective that is different to your own.
Eyes are the window to the soul:
Use eyes to give bodies to those that need them.
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My excitement gave a little pop just there. I’m so excited I wrapped around to calm. I’m not even bouncing anymore.
Look at that last option guys. Look at it!
I stare at that last option reading the few words involved very carefully. Short but sweet. Tantalizingly limited in description and yet… Unlike the tutorial this time I agree with its placement. Keep the best for last. At least if it works the way I'm daring to believe it works. I hesitate a tiny bit longer before jumping directly into it. Spend a tiny bit longer reading the rest of the options just in case.
Don’t impulsively decide your whole build. Make a measured decision. You can wait a few more minutes. You got this Samantha.
The first option…if I wanted an adventure, it would definitely be the best option. If I had to interact with others, it has the best chance of steering me correctly. I wouldn't be surprised or betrayed. I could find nice people and stay away from villains. I could find new friends all over. If I was selling my wares in person it would be great as well! Would probably prevent me from getting scammed out of my monies right off the bat.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Soulseer sounds like something a necromancer might have….maybe maybe it’s closer to the sight the goddess has? I’m not discounting the use of proper sight skills but without big plans to mess about with souls, it's pretty low on my priorities.
Mine seems the best for fighting others. M the best for scouting.
The last has the most hope in it.
The most wonder.
You understand its potential don't you?
Let me spell it out in case you didn’t notice. I know it’s hard to focus on how things affect you, but here we go.
You can see our world with me. You can see our tiny garden bed yourself and watch it grow into fields.
Doesn't that sound fun?
I have made up my mind. Logically it's the best because it helps you. If I help you you can help me… I want the best for my friends. I'm pressing it. You can't stop me dummy. I have the fingers. I have the button pressing skill. Thems the rules.
Let's see what will the wizard give me…a simple scroll. Has some funny scratches on it like someone's really pushing those asylum vibes. Let me just read it to myself real quick – tell you anything important obviously. Skim Skim Skim…
…
Fake mad hiding real mad honestly.
Can you believe how rude that paper was? It insinuated you aren't real. You! Can you believe it? Do you believe you aren’t real as well? Of course not. Silly paper. I don’t trust the author at all.
You want to know what they said? Nothing important honestly – the paper just said I have to “believe you are real when I give you your eyes”.
The more ritual I put in, the better chance I have of it working, but all I really need is imagination. I just have to “trick” myself into getting it to work.
Well. Done. It's really easy to imagine real things after all. Moving on…no belief necessary, we can even skip the ritual right off the bat instead of waiting for our second or third awakening to reduce the requirements….
Unless you want a bit of ritual? A teensy bit just to show how important it is? Sure. We can make it a little ceremony if you want. Like a little party. A happy birthday song for your new eyes…before I toss this paper let me re-read it one more time.
Okay yep. Other than that junk the rest of the page seems pretty rudimentary. We need actual eyes – Eyes that can move are the best and have a much higher chance of working than just drawing something with charcoal or whatever…I wonder what I can find on the market.
Let me check. Be right back.
…
Hmmm…I couldn't find you guys eyes right away. Sorry! I checked both markets and even looked in the scary section of the fae market. For you! I did it for you guys so I hope it's appreciated.
That section did actually have eyes, but they belonged to other people. It wouldn't feel right to give them to you. You’d like your eyes to be ethically sourced wouldn’t you? Don’t worry I got this. I can figure something out.
…
I think this is important enough to ask the goddess. I'll see how much she charges to get me what I need.
…
I'm back. I did it. Praise me for I am great! I have…dun dun dun. The bag!
A bag of googlie eyes. Fresh from…somewhere ethical. They will work great. I promise. First thing I thought of when I heard we needed eyes to be honest so I’m glad I got them.
…probably spent too much to get the goddess to ship me some out of store but you are worth it.
If I didn’t put in this much effort you might leave right?
Anyways!
Who wants to go first? What body could you possibly want? Who wants to be helpful? We have a volunteer? Alright!
I pick…you!
Len923. Thanks for being here with me. I couldn't do this without you. Someone else will have to take calls. We can figure that out when I’m famous enough to need a secretary.
Today I'm giving you a body. Have any opinions? Thanks for answering! This water bucket it is. Isn’t it swanky? Sleek chrome design? Fashionable handle? Has some sweet magic wings. Looks nice right?
Now Now, quiet down in the back I’m going to perform the ceremony!
I’m thinking the ceremony can be a sort of DIY project. A body customization ceremony if you will. We can’t just shove you any which way after all we need to spruce this bad boy up.
Okay so first I'm going to give you a mouth. Obviously – you need a mouth. I already got some blue pocket sand. Give me a minute to give you a nice smile…next I'm going to snazz up your wings. They are looking a bit droopy…And because I want to make the modifications before you have to inhabit this body I’m going to poke some holes in this side for water to fall out of…While I’m here I’m going to give you a mana pearl. I honestly don’t know if it will help or hinder you…but hey! It can’t hurt. At the very least it will be proof I’m putting in the effort.
Can I influence the pearl itself? Maybe if I try making it while making your wings a bit stronger…my current guess is that the skill uses mana and trying to suck it out with mana crystal creation might let me make a feather-bent crystal.
I promise I’m not using your body as a chance to experiment. This is all very serious stuff.
You know… it’s hard to glue stuff and make a crystal at the same time. It’s one thing to say I’m going to try this and another to actually do it. It’s a good thing I figured out how to stay in glueing mode after I’m no longer touching the stuff…but how does that even transfer to wing creation? It doesn’t I tell you.
I’m flipping back and forth. Both hands can try and form a pearl. One hand tries to keep it together as strong as I can. Other hand cuts out a feather and glues it on the wing. Stabilize the nascent crystal with both hands. Cut out a second feather. Rinse and repeat. I’m doing great. Make another feather. Stabilize my blob real fast. Glue my blobby almost crystal onto the wing by mistake.
…Glue my blobby almost crystal onto the wing by mistake! Ahhhhaha I mean. Don’t worry – I meant to do that. Totally not an accident –
Look. Let’s not go pointing blame, Instead let’s look at this cool effect.
The blobby bit of mana that wasn’t even solid yet stuck on. It…its attached. That’s kind of cool – it looks like a wispy ethereal feather almost…if you look at it cross-eyed. Let’s do that again on the other wing!
…and how is it harder to replicate now that I’m paying attention? I need to rub the air while gathering the air and can’t actually be focusing on the air because the mana is beside it or something. It's times like these, I wish I could just sort of autopilot the whole process…
No! No phantom breath again! There see? We got it. Just had to relax a bit. Triboadhesion is putting in double duty.
And this wing again! I’m going to give each wing 4 special feathers. 8 mana feathers for the super wings!
Alright done. New wings new you Len923.
Heh. Hehehehe I’m funny. Look! I’m “winging” this ceremony by making wings. Don’t groan I’m hilarious!
Next, I just have to put your eyes in place. I'm not sure what till will feel like so bear with me Let me rub the back of them a whole bunch…try and hold off the permanent glue so I can make sure it’s the perfect spot…
Annnnnd there we go. It should be done. You there? Done! Do you feel anything? Wiggle your eyes a bit if this body is to your liking…okay I’m glad your eyes work. Now try and flap your wings a bit – I’m really hoping you’ll be able to move them because they are “your” wings…and I really hope I made them strong enough for you to fly with.
We have flight! We have lift! Please tell everyone how it feels – I want to know if the wings are a staple for everyone or if they have any problems.
You can set down now…I’m not jealous of you being able to fly at all. There we go.
Alright! Listen up. Today you will replace the addict in watering duty. Once a day your job is to fly to the lake and collect water. Simple enough task but someone has to do it and Mr Gnome flaked and bailed on us.
Flap to the lake. Scooup your body across it like one of those firefighting helicopters. Flap back to the garden and sprinkle water onto all the crops using those watering holes halfway up your side. Don’t worry if you get lost – it happens to the best of us. Still need to set up some walkways to help get around...
Ishner just reminded me. You should also water Maxie if you can. I've forgotten to! Please keep her alive.
You have all day to complete your two tasks.
Can you do that? Blink twice if you like your new job…perfect! I’m so so glad this is working out.
Other than that job, the rest of the time you can do whatever you want.
Continue to follow me around with the others if you want – I don't mind. Just let me know if you have an idea for our farm or want me to make a change to your body. I’m super easy!
That goes for the rest of you. If anyone wants a body speak up. There's plenty of eyes to go around! I got a whole bag look – Oh only Len can see me shaking it but I’m shaking it.
Phew. Let's head over and check my status.
How the heck am I already level 4 in “Eyes are the window into the soul???” This skill is easy. Easy grind. GG.
…
Okay then! I guess I’ve used enough of my morning. Back to wall making it is. If I really push I think I can finish all 4 walls today! Len you can help fly the cement up – with two of us its definitely going to go faster.