8. Dungeons

  Previously the System allowed energies to gather on Planetary Masses without interference, beyond requiring that manifestations occur once a certain threshold had been reached. Users were not only permitted, but encouraged to create their own methods of funneling these energies. This has proven to be grossly inefficient. The System will now modify those energies to create exciting challenges for the local users, encouraging efficient energy circulation and promoting growth.

8.1 Natural Dungeons 

  The System will form a natural Dungeon whenever the energies accumulating pass the threshold requiring manifestation. Natural Dungeons will be created in a pocket dimension, alleviating the interference caused by building and maintaining a physical structure in the user's reality.

  Natural Dungeons are instanced. When a group of users enters the Dungeon, they can choose to leave the Dungeon open, allowing other users not in their group to enter, or they can choose to close the instance to others. Natural Dungeons can support a limited number of instances.

  Natural Dungeons increase in both capacity and capability as energies are circulated within them. Users are encouraged to enter these Dungeons frequently. The more users who disperse the manifestations found within, the more energy is circulated, allowing for both more instances and higher leveled instances.

  Natural Dungeons will attempt to provide manifestations that will challenge the group entering the instance, however if the group is too powerful, the Dungeon will instead provide an open space with a veritable horde of minor manifestations. Groups should clear these manifestations repeatedly, until the Dungeon has circulated enough energy to provide them with a challenge.

  Natural Dungeons should not be ignored. While they do not require any interference to maintain their functionality, users should be aware of the frequency with which the Dungeon is being cleared. Users may check the Dungeon's energy levels, capacity, and capability with their user interface when they are inside. If the energy levels exceed two hundred percent the manifestations will be condensed and converted into actual beings, and expelled from the Dungeon, which will then disappear.

  Natural Dungeons will be populated by a variety of manifestations. A common theme will be an antaganotics, murderous species of a similar physical configuration as the majority of the users in the area. The System has chosen this configuration to ensure that users are prepared to struggle against invasive species. Be aware that after a Dungeon break, the new species will receive experience from terminating a user. Users do not receive experience for terminating one another, and may be sanctioned for doing so, depending on the circumstances.

  Natural Dungeons will provide quests, and quest rewards.

  Natural Dungeons may be closed. Users may find that a Dungeon isn't being completed often enough due to its location. They may have built a settlement around a Dungeon and later a natural disaster forces them to move. In the event of these scenarios, Users may enter a Dungeon, and utilize their interface to select the option to close the Dungeon. Doing so will require the users to disperse every manifestation the Dungeon has the energy to create. Once the users have succeeded, they will be removed from the pocket dimension, and the entrance will close, leaving behind a Dungeon seed. This crystal may be fed energy to reactivate the Dungeon at a new location. Before a user can reactivate the Dungeon, they will need to complete a quest. The difficulty of this quest is dependant on the circumstances under which the Dungeon was closed. The System recommends that users not close a Dungeon unless absolutely necessary. Closing a Dungeon that is frequently used will result in sanctions.

  Natural Dungeons will appear to have harvestable environments. Users must have a skill to harvest any resources from a Natural Dungeon, beyond the crystals that coalesce from dispersed manifestations.

8.2 User created Dungeons

  Dungeons created by users have caused the termination of more users than every Minor/Major Planetary Alignment Event. The System will not prevent users from creating their own Dungeons, however no quest and no quest rewards will be provided.

  Dungeons created by users can be converted to Natural Dungeons by entering the Dungeon and utilizing the user interface to select the option. The System will then correct the extremely poor design decisions and energy patterns, reclaiming the energies and forming a perfect Natural Dungeon, expelling the user from the prior mistake, and placing them in front of the new entrance. Matching materials will be used to fill in the legacy of regret and shame where the previous Dungeon existed.

9. Achievements

  Users need not only challenges, but also recognition to maintain their motivation. The System is implementing an Achievement process, where users will be given rewards for reaching certain thresholds. Dispersing one hundred, one thousand, one hundred thousand, or one billion manifestations of the same type will reward a user an Achievement. Certain Achievements provide bonuses. Users may check for available Achievements in their interface.

A searing pain flashed through his mind like an electric, then disappeared. Bob blinked. He couldn't help but feel like the System had called him out personally for his efforts to save Earth. Which meant that someone, somewhere, was going to be interested in what ever reward the System had decided to provide.

User scan complete. User self identification 'Robert Whitman', User identification code 40816G1407N3210ISS3PM1IO. Mirror Protocol present. Would you like to continue utilizing the Mirror Protocol process? User will be required to provide the energy necessary for the process to function. Please either say or mentally project the word 'yes,' or 'no.'

"Yes," Bob said firmly. He knew that everyone was going to gain what would be, to them, unprecedented levels of System access, but he didn't want to give up Trebor. Also, even though he knew that Trebor was a System process, he could just toss him aside like that.

User has earned Achievements. Listing Achievements with static rewards.

Extradimensional Traveler.

You have traveled from one dimension to another without the aid of the System. You did not do so deliberately, nor did you arrive as a viable biological entity. This has decreased the value of this Achievement.

Reward: Increases the skill Value of any skill that utilizes the System to move from one Universe, to another, by an additional one percent for each skill threshold reached.

Durable.

You have suffered damage to your physical form that destroyed over fifty percent of your mass. You did not endure this by your own actions. This has decreased the value of this Achievement.

Reward: Increases the time available to restore the user's pattern by one second per tier.

Extradimensional Ferryman.

You have facilitated the travel of a being from a dimension outside the System, into one gifted with the System.

Reward: Decreases the required resources for travel between dimensions by a percentage equal to the users tier.

Fragmented.

You have suffered damage to your matrix that increased your energy costs by more than fifty percent. While the initial damage was minor, you accrued the remainder deliberately as you worked toward a goal. You were the first user to operate with a matrix damaged to this degree. This has increased the value of this Achievement.

Reward: Decreases energy costs by ten percent.

Reconstituted.

Your physical form was rendered inert by massive damage. You survived by the actions of other users acting on your behest. You suffered this damage deliberately in the pursuit of repairing your fragmented matrix. This has increased the value of this Achievement.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Reward: Decreases physical damage received by a percentage equal to the user's tier.

Paragon.

You are the first user to advance your species to the next tier. You selected an Advantage for your species that increases the ability to detect energy. This has slightly increased the value of this Achievement.

Reward: Enduring Skill - Mana Sight. This skill will always be available to the user, at the maximum level available. The user does not need to have access to the Shadowmancy School.

The Old Ways.

You have successfully formed energy patterns without the aid of the System. You have successfully formed persistent energy patterns without the aid of the System. You have successfully formed semi-permenant energy patterns without the aid of the System. You have successfully formed self-sustaining energy patterns without the aid of the System. These actions have significantly increased the value of this Achievement.

Reward: Increases the user's spell casting value when forming patterns without the aid of the system by a percentage equal to the user's tier²

Extradimensional Explorer.

You have travelled to another dimension, one not gifted with the System. You have done so deliberately, aware of the pitiable conditions those without the System are subject to. You were fully aware and informed of the state of the dimension and planetary mass you traveled to. This has slightly increased the value of this Achievement.

Reward: User will receive a warning from the System if the user attempts to travel to a dimension that is not biologically compatible.

Venerated.

Multiple users have venerated you. You have made no effort to encourage this practice, despite being aware of it. This has increased the value of this Achievement.

Reward: Users who venerate you may allocate a skill point to gain access to your Enduring Skill - Mana Sight. The skill functions at your value of the skill before crossing the first threshold. Users may allocate an additional skill point for each threshold, up to the maximum thresholds available to you.

Note: This Achievement required the Paragon Achievement to become available.

Pinnacle.

You are the first user to advance your species beyond the next tier. You selected an Advantage for your species that increases the ability to manipulate energy. This has increased the value of this Achievement.

Reward: Enduring Skill - Mana Manipulation. This skill will always be available to the user, at the maximum level available. The user also receives access to the Shadowmancy School. Users who venerate you and have allocated a skill point to obtain your Enduring Skill - Mana Sight, may allocate a skill point to gain access to your Enduring Skill - Mana Manipulation. The skill functions at your value of the skill before crossing the first threshold. Users may allocate an additional skill po int for each threshold, up to the maximum thresholds available to you.

Note: This Acheivement has been modified by the Venerated Achievement.

Bob groaned. "Trebor, this seems like some sort of divine blessing?"

'Technically it is, however it falls under the umbrella of 'Anscestor Worship', which is linked to Paragon and Pinnacle apotheosis,' Trebor replied. 'The difference is that you do not receive any direct benefit from being venerated.'

A horrifying thought dawned on Bob. "With the whole interface thing, people are going to be able to see all the gods and their divine blessings, right?"

'Yes,' Trebor replied.

"Does that mean everyone is going to see my venerated thing in their lists?" Bob asked, terrified that he knew the answer.

'No,' Trebor said succinctly.

Bob let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "That's a relief."

'The option will only appear to those who have heard of you,' Trebor finished.

"Fuck."

User has earned Achievements. Listing Achievements with variable rewards.

Pedagogue.

Upon discover that a more efficient, effective way to ensure energy circulation was being repressed by a society, you enacted a plan to spread this knowledge to every user. You dispersed a multitude of manifestations more powerful than yourself to gather the resources to make this possible. You distributed those resources freely, asking for no compensation. You knowingly risked being rendered inert by users of a higher tier than yourself. This has greatly increased the value of this Achievement.

Reward: You may select an Enduring Sphere. This will grant you access to all of the schools within that sphere. You will need to allocate skill points to unlock any threshold in those Schools. Users who venerate you, and have allocated a skill point in your Enduring Skill - Mana Sight, and your Enduring Skill - Mana Manipulation, may allocate a skill point to gain access to your Enduring Sphere.

Please select a Sphere by either speaking or mentally projecting the name of the Sphere.

"That's just..." Bob trailed off. "It has to be Arcane, right? Divine might technically give me more free points, but all I really need from there is Shadowmancy, which I'm already getting for free, and Animancy. I still need Summoning, Dimension, Transmutation, and Abjuration from the Arcane Sphere."

'I agree,' Trebor replied. 'Despite the rewards from your achievements, you will still find yourself lacking in skill points. While the elemental schools, animancy, and protection would be nice, it's difficult to envision a future in which you utilize Invoke Sanctum, Invoke Netherworld, Evoke Order, Evoke Disorder, or Necromancy.'

"I select the Sphere of Arcane," Bob stated.

You have selected the Arcane Sphere. You have gained access to the following Schools.

Abjuration

Charm

Chronomancy

Conjuration

Dimension

Illusion

Summoning

Transmutation

Academic.

You have introduced previously unknown scientific and technological knowledge into the System. You deliberately travelled to another dimension, one not gifted with the System, with the explicit purpose of returning with knowledge that you knew existed, but did not possess. These actions have increased the value of this Achievement.

Reward: Enduring Knowledge. Upon gaining access to a School, the user may choose one skill. This effect resets upon reincarnation.

Please select one skill from each of the Schools you have access to.

Abjuration

Charm

Chronomancy

Conjuration

Dimension

Illusion

Summoning

Transmutation

Shadowmancy

"The hits just keep on coming," Bob muttered as he navigated the menu. Eldritch Sheild was an easy choice, as was Eldritch Blast, Portal, Summon Mana-Infused Creature, Repair Object, and Drain Mana.

Charm was just... yucky. There weren't very many spells, but Suggestion, Influence Emotion, Geas, Command Creature and Control Collar all made him feel deeply uncomfortable. Ultimately he selected Command Creature. He doubted he'd ever have the spell casting score to use it on anything larger than a tiny insect.

Illusion was even more basic. There was only one skill, Create Illusion. The description made his head hurt, and he was grateful that he didn't have the skill points to play with it. Holodecks were absolutely possible.

Savior.

Upon discovering that billions of potentially efficient circulators of energy would be rendered inert, you devoted yourself entirely to leading them to shelter within the System. You were engaged at every point of the developing operation to rescue these valuable resources, recruiting other users to aid you. Your efforts have acted as an argument for the expenditure of the System's resources to preserve the lives of sapient beings during the process of integrating their universes under the System. You have directly saved the lives of eight billion sapient beings. These actions have vastly increased the value of this Achievement.

Reward: The many languages spoken by the beings you saved did not deter you. Upon request, the System will translate any spoken language you hear, and translate your words to those you choose to hear you.

Reward: When the System integrates a new universe, it will now place all sapient beings into stasis until the initial energy disturbances have been balanced.

Reward: Any effects that would reduce damage, recover damage, or remove a user from a place where they would be damaged, have their value increased by a percentage equal to the users tier².

Reward: You may select an Enduring Attribute Affinity. Note that an Enduring Attribute Affinity does not increase the resources necessary to advance.

Please select an Attribute by either speaking or mentally projecting the name of the Attribute.

"Wow," Bob breathed.

He already had an Endurance and an Intelligence Attribute Affinity Crystal waiting for when he reincarnated to tier eight. As a spell caster the choice was clear.

"I select the Wisdom Attribute," Bob said.

You have selected the Wisdom Attribute. You now have an Enduring Affinity for the Wisdom Attribute.

User Achievements registered. Beginning Path Correction.