image [https://i.imgur.com/ZiszAlI.jpeg]
Since he was on a Space located two steps from the next merchant Space, Will was expecting an offer to stop at it.
Instead, he found himself moving immediately after rolling his dice, and ended up finding himself in the merchant Space anyway. The room was small, with a ceiling that would be painfully low for most humans. Fortunately for Will, he was neither human nor had an issue with tight spaces. It was also filled to the brim with strange machinery that Will couldn’t even begin to understand the purpose of. The only things he actually recognized in the room were glass display cases containing aspect shards.
Huh. Must have rolled snake eyes. What are the odds?
“One in thirty-six.” The speaker would have been short, if Will was still human. He was only a meter tall, and looked to be about the same in circumference. A tall, conical red hat added another half a meter to his height, and matched the red coat and pants he was wearing. And the large, bulbous nose that was the only part of his face Will could see under a white, bushy beard that put the dwarven brothers’ facial hair to shame.
All in all, he was looking like a garden gnome that was brought to life and enlarged. Will decided that until he was told otherwise, gnome it was going to be.
Excuse me?
“One in thirty-six. The odds of rolling a pair of ones, colloquially referred to as ‘snake eyes’, when using two standard six-sided dice.”
Thanks. I’m Will, by the way.
“Pleasure to meet you, Will. I’m Bob the Enchanter, and welcome to Sarlisa and Bob’s Elixir and Enchantment Emporium! We sell the finest potions and aspects on this entire world!”
Aren’t you the only ones selling potions and aspects here?
“Hence why we sell the finest!”
Can’t argue with that, I guess.
“You can’t and you shouldn’t! Finest in the world! Now, how can this humble gnomish enchanter help a distinguished looking wombat like you?”
I’m fairly sure I need a new aspect.
“We can certainly find something like that. Can you tell me more about your requirements, please? What kind of skill or gear are you planning on using it with, and what you hope to achieve?”
Well, I’ve got Electrical on a Mana Ball skill, and I’m running into far too many things that seem resistant to lightning damage. I need something that will let me deal with them.
“I see. Mana Ball is advanced, so it can hold up to one advanced or two basic aspects. You’ll probably want an advanced aspect, which limits the possibilities a bit.”
Wouldn’t two basic aspects be better? So that I can choose which one to use based on the target? I mean, if I just upgrade to an advanced aspect, I’m going to be in the same boat when I run into something that can resist it, aren’t I?
“Not really, no. Assuming we chose an advanced aspect that was merged from two damage dealing aspects, it will deal the favored type of damage against whatever you use it on. Your target will need to have both resistances in order to negate it. And there’s just as much chance of it resisting those two types as there is of it resisting whatever two separate aspects you have. And an advanced aspect will both extra effects. So if you get it to level two, Electrical will give a chance to stun, and whatever other aspect will have its own effect. If you use two separate aspects, you have to choose which to use with every cast, so you only get one effect. In addition, an advanced aspect will have added effects on the basics used to make it, so it will be generally more powerful.”
I see. That does make sense. And if we use one aspect that deals damage and one that doesn’t?
“The resulting aspect will only have on type of damage, which doesn’t solve your problem. On the other hand, the other effects might make it worth it. Your choice, really.”
So let’s start with damage types. What do you have that will work with Electrical?
“The options I have available for you are Heat, which will give you the Plasma advanced aspect, or Sonic, which will give you Thunder. Another option is Dark, for Dark Lightning, but that tends to be frowned upon. Anything else I’d have to craft first, which will take a cycle to finish.”
What about non damaging aspects?
“You can use just about anything, really. Slow, paralyze, drain… too many options to list right now. But you should be aware that it would limit your options for future merges. Drain Electrical will need to be merged with Drain Sonic, if you want to go for Thunder on expert. And it won’t solve your current problem of monsters resisting your skills.”
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Yeah, I think another damage aspect would be the way to go here. And unless waiting for a custom aspect will give me some significant benefit, I’d prefer to get it as soon as possible. But since you’ve mentioned upgrading to expert, what would be my upgrade options for the three you’ve mentioned?
“Well, for Thunder you’ll probably want Air and Water, to get Storm at Expert. For Plasma, Light and Sonic will get you Ball Lightning. Which you can also get from Thunder, actually. Dark Lightning will combo better with status effect types of aspects, but you can also go for Shadow and Sonic, which get you Thundershade.”
Let me guess, I can get to Thundershade from Thunder, as well as from Dark Lightning.
“Yeah. Thunder is really the most versatile option for further upgrades.”
And you’ve also said that Dark is frowned upon.
“Yeah.”
And I’ve already seen creatures that would be resistant or immune to Heat. I think I’d like to go for Sonic.
“Excellent choice! I can sell you one Sonic aspect for five silver marks.”
Yeah, I expected that, Will sighed. That just about cleans me out. But it’ll be worth it if it helps with all of the lightning resistant monsters out there.
The wombat handed Bob every single copper bit he’d been able to save up, and received a small piece of crystal in return.
Aspect shard: Sonic
Tier: Basic
Adds the Sonic aspect to a skill or piece of equipment. Effects vary according to the target.
Warning: aspect may have adverse effects on some targets.
No hedgehogs were hurt in the preparation of this shard.
OK, I definitely wouldn’t have even thought about that if it didn’t mention hedgehogs, but now I’m not sure I trust that statement.
“I’ve made that one myself, and I can assure you that no hedgehog drops were used in the process. I don’t even know what hedgehogs have to do with this type of aspect, but the description always adds that statement for some weird system related reasons.
Thanks, I guess. Will pointedly didn’t ask what drops did get used in making his new aspect. He very much did not want to know.
He also didn’t bother checking the aspect on every one of his skills and items. He’d bought it to boost Electrical on his Shock Ball, and that’s what he used it on.
Compatible aspects discovered!
Your new Sonic aspect is compatible with your existing Electrical aspect.
Would you like to merge the aspects?
Yes/No
Without hesitating, Will chose to merge the two aspects, and immediately inspected his new skill.
Skill shard: Thunder (Mana) Ball
Tier: Advanced
Type: Mage
Cost: 10 mana
Level 2
XP 0/400
Fires 2 bolts of pure mana for up to fifty meters distance, each bolt dealing lesser magic damage
Or
Releases a burst of mana in a half meter radius around you, dealing slight magic damage to everything caught in the blast.
Or
Fires a ball of pure mana for up to fifty meters distance. When the bolt hits something or reaches the maximum distance, it explodes into a ball with a radius of half a meter, dealing magic damage to anything caught in the blast, and knocking them away from the caster
Level 2: Increase number of bolts by 1. Increase damage of ball by 1 category. Add knockback to burst.
Pew! Pew! Pew! BOOM!
Aspect: Thunder
Tier: Advanced
Level 1
XP 100/200
Change skill to Thunder Ball, dealing Thunder (Lightning/Sonic) magical damage.
Bolt, Blast or Ball damage is raised by one category
Lost a level, and with it the stun chance. I’m going to have to make that a priority when I get more XP. Still, it should be worth it when it’s back to level two, since I’ll be getting whatever effect Sonic would have gotten. And maybe whatever extra effect Bob was talking about too.
“Before you go, you should go and introduce yourself to my partner,” Bob pointed to a door in the wall. The door was sized for humans, which made it comically unproportional in the low-ceilinged room. “Even if you don’t buy anything from her.”
Thank you for the advice and the aspect shard, Bob.
“Come back any time, Will. You, at least, are actually a customer. Unlike some people I could name…”
Will ignored the grumbling gnome, and went through the indicated door. The room beyond was built for more human-sized proportions, and was as filled with cauldrons, glassware, bundles of herbs, and potion cabinets as Bob’s room was with incomprehensible machinery.
The best way Will could find to describe the sole occupant of the room was “human shaped lizard”. She, and the only way Will had to know that “she” was the proper pronoun was that Bob referred to her that way, was wearing a bright purple robe over her green scales, and had yellow, slitted eyes over a reptilian snout.
“Greetingsss cussstomer! My name isss Sssarlisssa the alchemissst. Welcome to my humble ssstore.”
Hi. I’m Will. I’m afraid I’m out of money, after buying from Bob, but I thought I should at least introduce myself.
“That’sss perfectly all right. Bob and I are partnersss, ssso half of the money you gave him will end up in my pocketsss anyway. And if you ever find yourssself in need of potttionsss, I’ll be happy to take sssome more of it and ssshare with Bob.”
Will chatted with the lizard woman some more, and looked at some of the potions she had for sale, before excusing himself to go somewhere private and roll his dice to move on.