STAT CHANGES
* Species: Varanus komodoensis
* Stage: Hatchling Prodigy
* Level: 12 → 14
* Age: 2 Years
* Size: 6 feet from snout to tail
* Stat Adjustments:
* Strength: +3 (Total: 27 → 30)
* Agility: +2 (Total: 20 → 22)
* Endurance: +4 (Total: 25 → 29)
* Intelligence: +2 (Total: 30 → 32)
* Perception: +2 (Total: 28 → 30)
* Charisma: +1 (Total: 18 → 19)
OTHER CHANGES
* Venom potency increased naturally due to physical growth and experience.
* Enhanced stamina and faster regeneration rates from regular hunting and combat experience.
Jannet basked in the warmth of the sun on a boulder just outside the den, the rest of the group sprawled around him. He couldn't shake the satisfaction that came with knowing the hunters hadn’t returned—not that week, not even that year. Besides the occasional lone scout that wandered too close for comfort, the humans had left the jungle untouched.
“That’s right,” Jannet thought, his lizard lips curling slightly at the edges. “I scared them off. Smart little mammals.”
His instincts told him to revel in this victory, to focus on the peace and plentiful food. They were catching horned rabbits and blade chickens in such numbers that their stores of aging meat had never been higher. Even #1 and Rose had taken to the easy rhythm of the hunts, leaving Jannet to think about... other things.
As his sharp teeth tore into a strip of dry, stringy blade chicken meat, his mind wandered to thoughts of the fire he had seen during the humans’ first incursion. The way it had glowed, crackled, and licked at the meat on their sticks. A memory bubbled to the surface—humans on Earth talking about how fire “made everything better.” Jannet couldn't remember much from those conversations, but the desire to replicate the experience consumed him.
He squinted at a nearby patch of open ground, an idea taking root. “If they can make fire,” he muttered aloud, his raspy voice startling Rose from her nap, “then so can I.”
The next week was a chaotic experiment in frustration and discovery. Jannet scrounged through the jungle, gathering sticks, dry leaves, and anything else he could remember being associated with fire. His claws scraped furiously against stone as he tried to create sparks, his tongue flicking out to taste the air in mounting irritation.
“Come on,” he hissed, watching a tiny spark leap from the stones only to fizzle out.
On the fifth day, with #1 and Rose watching curiously from the side, the pile of dried leaves finally caught. A lick of flame sputtered to life, small and tenuous but undeniably real. Jannet froze, the primal part of his brain urging him to snuff it out before it grew dangerous. But his human memories held him still, reminding him that fire could be controlled.
“Careful,” he muttered, dragging more dry leaves toward the flame and gently blowing to encourage it. The fire grew, casting flickering shadows across the den’s entrance.
Once the fire was stable, Jannet skewered a strip of blade chicken meat onto a sharpened stick and held it above the flames. The meat hissed and popped, its smell changing from raw blood to something richer, deeper, and mouthwatering. When he finally bit into the cooked meat, he felt a rush of satisfaction unlike anything he had experienced in this life.
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ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: MASTER OF FLAME
Description:
"In a moment of ingenuity, you have harnessed fire—a transformative force that has reshaped civilizations and survival across worlds. By creating and using fire for the first time, you have taken the first step toward redefining your existence and that of your species."
Requirements:
Successfully create and utilize fire for cooking or survival purposes for the first time.
Achievement Rewards:
* Title Unlocked: Firestarter
* Grants a +5 boost to intelligence and perception.
* Fire-based tools and weapons created by Jannet gain 10% increased effectiveness.
* Skill Reward: Primal Cookery
* Type: Passive
* Effect: Improves the nutritional and restorative effects of cooked food by 25%. Grants the ability to identify the ideal cooking methods for different types of meat.
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Jannet shared the roasted blade chicken with #1 and Rose, watching their curious expressions shift to delighted surprise as they tasted the cooked meat. Achievement Unlocked: Culinary Pioneer
Description:
"For the first time, you have introduced the concept of cooked food to a species or race. This milestone marks a shift in their evolution, enhancing their nutrition, survival, and cultural potential. Through your guidance, they have tasted a world beyond raw sustenance."
Requirements:
Successfully cook and consume food for the first time, teaching or inspiring others to adopt this practice.
Achievement Rewards:
* Title Unlocked: Flame Chef
* Provides a +5 boost to intelligence and charisma.
* Grants a 20% increase in the restorative and stamina-boosting effects of cooked meals.
* Skill Reward: Gastronomic Flair
* Type: Passive
* Effect: Enhances the player’s ability to cook food for themselves and others.
* Taste Enhancement: Cooked meals are more satisfying, improving morale and loyalty among those who consume them.
* Specialized Preparation: Unlocks techniques for preparing food that optimally suits various species’ dietary needs.
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The achievement notification flashed in Jannet’s mind as he watched Rose and #1 tear into their portions of roasted blade chicken with visible relish. The idea that cooked food could so profoundly change their lives hadn’t been fully realized until now.
Where raw meat sustained them, cooked food invigorated them, restoring strength faster and reducing fatigue after a hunt.
“This... this changes everything,” Jannet thought, his reptilian heart thudding with excitement. Fire wasn’t just a tool; it was a weapon, a shield, a means of transformation. With fire at their disposal, the pack’s potential had just expanded exponentially.
As the flames crackled and danced into the night, Jannet couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of destiny. His claws flexed against the dirt as he gazed into the fire, visions of the future flickering within its glow.
"Let’s see what else I can teach you," he murmured, already planning his next experiment.
* Species: Varanus komodoensis
* Stage: Juvenile Prodigy
* Level: 22
* Age: 6 years
* Size: 10 feet from snout to tail
* Next Evolution: ~2 years
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BASE STATS (AGE 6)
* Strength: 30 (+18 since Year 1)
* Agility: 28 (+15 since Year 1)
* Endurance: 32 (+16 since Year 1)
* Intelligence: 24 (+12 since Year 1)
* Perception: 26 (+10 since Year 1)
* Charisma: 22 (+11 since Year 1)
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SKILL OVERVIEW
Below is the complete list of Jannet’s current skills, categorized by type:
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CORE SURVIVAL SKILLS
* Hunting Instinct: Enhanced tracking and prey recognition.
* Ambush Predator: Increased stealth and first-strike damage.
* Pack Dynamics: Passive bonus to coordination and teamwork efficiency.
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UTILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SKILLS
* Basic Shelter Construction: Ability to design and build functional shelters using natural materials.
* Primitive Engineering: Improved ability to create and maintain basic traps and defensive structures.
* Cartographer’s Insight: Active mapping of the environment, highlighting resources and hazards.
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COMBAT AND DEFENSE SKILLS
* Bleeding Bite: Inflicts severe bleeding, reducing enemy stamina over time.
* Venomous Strike: Enhances saliva venom potency, slowing and weakening enemies.
* Coordinated Strike: Allies gain a bonus when targeting the same foe.
* Focused Defense: Improves group resistance when defending key areas.
* Lacerating Claw: Enhanced muscle laceration and damage output during attacks.
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SOCIAL AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS
* Morphic Resonance: Mental influence over other creatures, enabling pacification or motivation.
* Memetic Teaching: Ability to impart abstract ideas and concepts to others via mental links.
* Tactical Vision: Highlights weak points and optimal positions for allies during coordinated actions.
* Culinary Inspiration: Boosts morale and restores stamina through cooked meals.
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EXPLORATION AND AWARENESS SKILLS
* Gastronomic Flair: Increases efficiency and satisfaction of prepared meals.
* Reveal the Unseen: Temporarily exposes hidden resources or threats in the vicinity.
* Taste for Discovery: Increases rewards from exploration and hunting efforts.
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ADVANCED PASSIVE SKILLS
* Trailblazer’s Path: 15% bonus to perception and movement speed in mapped areas.
* Ingenious Snare: Enhanced trap damage and durability, with elemental infusion options.
* Adaptive Evolution: Small, incremental stat boosts from consistent use of unique abilities.
* Survivalist’s Edge: General enhancement of stamina recovery and resistance to harsh environments.
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NEW SKILLS FROM AGE 1–6
* Firestarter’s Art: Ability to create and manage fires for cooking or defense.
* Pack Dominance: Subtle, passive authority over allies, increasing morale and cohesion.
* Cunning Predator: Improved ability to create diversions and mislead enemies.
* Cooking Mastery: Increases the restorative value and nutritional benefits of prepared meals.
* Environmental Manipulation: Subtle understanding of terrain, enabling better defensive strategies.
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OLDSCAR
The humid air of Oldscar buzzed with tension as merchants and hunters haggled in the town square, their voices bouncing off the crude wooden walls of the borderland outpost. Among the crowd, a cluster of grizzled hunters nursed drinks in the shadow of a weathered tavern, their conversation growing louder with each retelling.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
“You’re telling me it’s been six years and no one’s figured out where they’re holed up?” one burly man exclaimed, slamming his tankard on the table. “A tribe of goblins? This far into the Borderlands? If they’ve got a shaman controlling dragons, we’re in real trouble.”
The others murmured in agreement. Old Henry’s land had been an endless source of eerie stories—traps rigged with inhuman precision, strange markings carved into trees, and reports of hunters who dared venture into the area never returning. It was enough to make even the hardiest of men hesitate.
“The city ain’t gonna send a force unless we’ve got proof,” muttered another. “We need a raid—something that gets the council’s attention.”
“By the time that happens, we’ll be dead,” the burly man grumbled. “Mark my words: the goblins will come, and they’ll bring their pet lizards with ’em.”
The group fell into uneasy silence, their imaginations conjuring images of snarling dragons under the thrall of a cunning goblin shaman. The tavern door creaked open, letting in a burst of light before it slammed shut again, leaving the hunters to their dark musings.
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Jannet stood at the edge of the new den, admiring the culmination of years of ingenuity and labor. What had once been a simple hole in the ground, just enough to shield them from predators and the elements, had transformed into a sprawling subterranean mansion. It was a sanctuary unlike anything he could have imagined in his early days as a small, disoriented hatchling.
The old den, still functional, now served as a kind of front porch—a welcoming space for lounging and sunning. Deeper within, the new chambers sprawled out like the roots of a great tree. The central hub was a massive common area lit by beams of sunlight cleverly redirected using polished stones. Jannet had painstakingly arranged these "shiny rocks" to catch and bounce the light through the den’s winding tunnels, ensuring every corner had a warm, natural glow.
Unlike the cramped shared space of the early days, every member of the group now had their own room. Each was tailored to its occupant's preferences—larger nests for the bigger lizards like #1 and Rose, cozy nooks for the younger ones like Lil’Guy, and even a corner crammed with collected "interesting things" for Randel, whose curiosity led to a hoard of odd-shaped rocks, feathers, and other treasures.
Jannet's own room was tucked away in the deepest part of the den, surrounded by moss-covered walls that emitted a faint, earthy scent. It reminded him of the quiet comfort of a favorite blanket. His floor, like everyone else's, was lined with dried moss and leaves, creating a soft, insulating layer perfect for a lizard’s belly.
One of Jannet's proudest accomplishments was the fire kitchen, located in a chamber with a carefully crafted ventilation system. A narrow tunnel led smoke from the cooking fire up to a distant outlet near a riverbank. The location of the outlet was deliberate—far enough from the den to prevent predators or humans from sniffing out their home, yet close enough to be functional.
The kitchen was equipped with stone counters, a rudimentary spit for roasting meat, and flat rocks that Jannet used as pans for cooking smaller cuts. Cooking had become a nightly ritual, and the improvement in the group’s health and size was undeniable. Blade chickens roasted to a crispy perfection, horned rabbits seared with a sprinkle of foraged herbs—meals were no longer just sustenance; they were a source of joy.
The jewel of their home, however, was the hot spring bath, nestled in a chamber further down a gently sloping tunnel. Jannet had stumbled upon the spring years ago and realized its potential as both a relaxation spot and a tool for health. With the help of the others, he’d redirected its flow into a basin he had carved out of the stone floor.
The warm, mineral-rich water pooled in the center, sending up gentle wisps of steam that clung to the air. Smooth stones surrounded the spring, providing a place to bask after a soak. This bath had become a favorite retreat for everyone, their scales gleaming brighter and their movements livelier after every visit.
As Jannet observed their home, he couldn’t help but think back to a favorite animated movie from his past life. It was the one where robots lived like normal people in a city of their own, upgrading themselves and their surroundings in ways that pushed the boundaries of their world. Jannet had embraced that same philosophy: "Upgrades, people. Upgrades."
Every improvement to their home, every innovation, was a step toward something greater. The den was no longer just a shelter—it was a thriving, functional habitat that embodied the group's growth. They weren’t just surviving anymore; they were living, innovating, and thriving.
Jannet stretched out on the moss-covered floor of the main chamber, his eyes wandering over the carefully constructed tunnels and chambers. The firelight from the kitchen flickered in the distance, casting warm shadows that danced along the walls. His packmates moved about in quiet contentment, their bellies full and their bodies gleaming with vitality.
A sense of pride swelled in Jannet’s chest. He had done this. They had done this. Together, they had taken the raw, untamed jungle and shaped it into a home—a world of their own.
The den wasn’t just bigger—it was livelier, thanks to the arrival of three new members over the years. Each of them brought something unique to the pack, shaping their growing community in unexpected ways.
First was Randel, a curious and quirky young lizard who seemed to absorb every bit of knowledge Jannet shared like a sponge. Unlike the others, who had a more primal air, Randel always seemed to be thinking—his head tilting this way and that as if pondering the mysteries of the universe. Jannet often caught him poking around the den’s upgrades, observing how the light stones worked or how the fire kitchen vented its smoke. Randel quickly earned the affectionate nickname “the nerd” from Jannet, and though he didn’t fully grasp what it meant, Randel wore it with pride.
Then came Michelangelo and Raphael, a pair of lizards that arrived within weeks of each other, leading Jannet to humorously name them after the wacky turtles from Earth’s Saturday morning cartoons. Michelangelo was a laid-back jokester who had an uncanny knack for keeping the group’s mood light, while Raphael was fiery and competitive, often sparring playfully with #1 or Rose. Despite their differences, the two were inseparable, often working as a team during hunts or lounging side by side in the sunlit corners of the den. They had become the group’s morale boosters, each in their own way—Michelangelo with his easygoing nature and Raphael with his fierce determination.
With their arrival, the den shifted from being just a safe haven to feeling like a true home. Each lizard had their own place, their own role, and their own quirks. The dynamic had evolved, much like the group itself. Jannet, as the de facto leader, watched them grow with pride, feeling the warmth of a family forming around him.
Their shared bond became even more evident during mealtime. With the fire kitchen producing roasted blade chicken and horned rabbit regularly, the group’s steady diet of cooked food began to show its effects—shaping not only their bodies but their collective spirit.
The steady diet of cooked food had transformed the group over the years, and the changes were most striking in their physical growth. Rose, already the largest and most imposing of the group, had become a true juggernaut. Her size was awe-inspiring, her scales shimmering like polished stone and her muscles rippling with raw power. She moved with the grace of a creature completely at ease in her domain, her sheer presence commanding respect.
#1, always the stoic and dependable second, had grown broader and sturdier. Though not as large as Rose, his frame had filled out with a solid, muscular bulk, making him the tank of their little community. His movements carried a quiet confidence, and his strength was unmatched except by Rose herself.
Lil’Guy, once the runt of the group, had experienced the most dramatic transformation. No longer frail and underdeveloped, he was now a lean, agile lizard with a wiry strength that belied his still-smaller stature. His quick reflexes and speed had made him a vital part of the group’s hunting team, and his playful energy brought a spark of life to their home.
Jannet, too, had changed. His body was stronger, his tail thick and powerful, his claws sharper and more precise. He had grown in both size and presence, his frame lean and balanced, suited perfectly for his dual role as leader and strategist. His mind, sharpened by years of guiding the group, complemented his physical prowess.
Even the newer members of the pack—Randel, Michelangelo, and Raphael—had grown into their own. Though younger, their cooked-meat diet and access to the group's advanced lifestyle had given them a head start in development, and they thrived in their roles within the pack. The shared meals and the rich nutrients had unified the group, ensuring every member was strong and capable.
The changes weren’t just physical. With each passing year, Jannet noticed a greater intelligence in their eyes and a deeper understanding of the world around them. They were no longer just animals reacting to their environment; they were thinkers, planners, and creators. They were, in every sense, evolving.
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Marn’s younger brother, Joss, was no stranger to the dense woodlands of the borderlands jungle. Crawling through the thick underbrush, he moved like a shadow—silent and deliberate, his senses honed by years of survival. This wilderness was his home, the tangled vines and sprawling roots as familiar to him as the streets of Oldscar. But today, something was off. The usual stillness of the jungle felt alive with a strange energy, an unshakable feeling that something—or someone—was near.
Joss’s sharp eyes caught it first: a faint, curling wisp of smoke rising above the canopy. It wasn’t like the wildfires or cooking pits he was used to. This smoke was precise, controlled, almost… intentional. The faint aroma hit his nose next, carrying with it the unmistakable scent of cooked chicken. His brows furrowed. Goblins? It had to be.
He crept closer, his heart pounding as he stalked the source of the smoke. Through the thick brush, he finally found it: a cleverly hidden tunnel poking out from the ground. The opening was small and masked by thick foliage, but the smoky aroma was unmistakably drifting from its depths. Kneeling, Joss examined the ground around it, noting faint claw marks in the dirt.
"Got you," he whispered to himself, a smirk crossing his face. He was certain he’d stumbled upon the goblins’ lair at last. No beast he knew of could create something like this.
Still, Joss didn’t rush. He had grown up hearing stories of careless hunters meeting their ends at the hands of goblin ambushes. This wasn’t a discovery to act on alone. He needed proof and, more importantly, backup. Reaching into a small satchel at his side, he pulled out a strip of red cloth and tied it tightly around a nearby branch—his mark for the hunters of Oldscar.
As he rose to leave, Joss glanced back at the tunnel, an odd mixture of triumph and unease settling over him. He would return to the village and bring others. It would take time on foot, but he didn’t mind. This was his chance to prove himself—not just as Marn’s younger brother, but as a hunter of his own standing.
With that thought, Joss melted back into the jungle, leaving the marked area behind as he retraced his steps toward Oldscar. What he didn’t know was that his discovery would set into motion a chain of events far greater than he could imagine.