Stat Increase: Brutality +1.
You used your head.
New Skill unlocked: Ram Slam.
You died of Starvation.
GAME OVER.
You defeated a Monster:
Melancholia Spider Level 1.
XP Gain: 135.
LEVEL UP +1
NULL, Human, Level One
New Classes available.
Stat Increase: Mind +1.
You survived an attack on your Mind.
New Skill unlocked: Basic Concentration.
Perk Discovered: Devour.
You feasted upon a fallen foe.
New Skill unlocked: Venomous Bite.
Stat Increase: Constitution +1.
You healed yourself.
New Skill unlocked: Basic Restoration.
Stat Increase: Necrosis +1.
You healed after dying.
Venomous Bite evolved into Vampiric Bite.
I was back in the liminal space. I didn’t have a body. I died, but I still existed…
“AIAI, are you here?”
Confirmed. That is what you call me.
“So I died. Is that it? Game over?”
Negative. Your death was temporary. An increase in Constitution and Level up restored enough health to allow you to continue. You were very lucky. Congratulations, you are lucky and predictable.
“Thanks, I guess,” I said. “I’m just glad to be alive. That was pretty harsh out there. Why the fuck would you put a baby alone in the woods?”
Permission denied. Select Class?
“Oh, I’m not allowed to know why you’re trying to kill me? Just like I’m not allowed to know who I am?”
Confirmed. Select Class?
“Well, at least you admit it. You are trying to kill me.”
Negative. Your conclusion is Illogical. Select Class?
I sighed. “What are my options?”
Listing available Classes: Cadet, Child Prodigy, Junior Combatant, Junior Farmer, Junior Merchant, Junior Smith, Juvenile Delinquent, Lordling, & Urchin.
“That’s not what I was expecting.”
Select Class?
“You’re so impatient.”
Compliment confirmed.
“I need more information before I can choose. Do the classes affect my spawn?”
Negative. You will return to your prior location.
“So if I pick Lordling, I won’t get to live in a castle?”
Negative. Lordling provides: +5 Charisma, +1 Perception, Gain upgraded Skill: Noble Gaze, Gain Basic Summon Steed Skill, 100 gold & a young Noble’s outfit.
“That does sound pretty useful actually… what about the Junior Combatant?”
Junior Combatant provides: +2 Brutality, +2 Constitution, +2 Dexterity, +1 Perception, Gain Skill: Hone Weapon, Gain Skill: Basic Defence, 25 gold & a Commoner’s outfit.
“That’s a greater overall stat increase, but that upgraded skill for the Lordling could be powerful. Plus a steed can be game changing. Damn, this is hard. Can I get a description for the upgraded Noble Gaze Skill?”
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Request Denied.
“Oh, come on!”
The system either had it in for me personally, or there was an intentional amount of risk inbuilt into the levelling process. Either way, I needed to be careful. If the spider I killed was only level one, there’s no telling how strong some of the monsters out there could get. Come to think of it, there could be other players out there. That could be a problem too.
“AIAI, did the other players start in a similar situation to me?”
Permission Denied.
“Fine. Tell me about the Urchin.”
Urchin provides: +5 Dexterity, +1 Perception, Gain upgraded Skill: Stealth Run, Gain Skill: Double Jump, 10 gold & a hooded cloak.
“Pretty standard Rogue build. The only thing missing is a pair of daggers. You guys don’t like handing out weapons, huh?”
Select Class?
“Alright, I get it. You’re not in the mood for a chat. Let’s hear the Juvenile Delinquent. I’m guessing it’s gonna be a Barbarian.”
Juvenile Delinquent provides: +5 Brutality, +1 Constitution, Gain upgraded Skill: Blood Frenzy, Gain Skill: Kill Sprint, 10 gold & a simple garb.
“Called it. So the Junior Classes offer some measure of adaptability, while the unique named classes require more commitment to a certain build. What’s the Cadet?”
Cadet provides: +1 Brutality, +1 Charisma, +1 Tinker, +1 Dexterity, +1 Mind, +1 Perception, Gain Skill: Basic Target, Gain Skill: Bolster, 50 gold & a Frontier Rookie uniform.
“Targeting sounds useful, but if I don’t have any ranged attacks, there isn’t much point, right?”
Request Denied.
“I wasn’t asking for your advice. I’m guessing the Junior Smith and Junior Farmer do similar Stat increases to the Combatant, but with more of a focus on Tinker and Restoration Skills respectively?”
Confirmed.
“Then the Junior Merchant has a bonus to Charisma, but with more balance than the Lordling maybe?”
… Confirmed.
“You can admit it, you're impressed.”
Select Class?
“I bet I can predict the Stat increases of the Child Prodigy Class…”
Overconfidence Confirmed. Likelihood of exact prediction is insignificant. What terms do you propose?
I’m basing my assumption on a pretty weak hint. I need to confirm something before I commit, but AIAI refuses to fall for trick questions. If Child Prodigy is the class I hope it is, then I’m going to need to squeeze the most out of AIAI I can get.
State terms or select Class?
“If I successfully predict the Stat increases of the Child Prodigy Class, then you will give me the highest value currency and outfit combo from a level one Class selection, including the classes that were unavailable to me.”
… Confirmed. And when you lose?
Yes! If I had a body right now, I would have breathed a sigh of relief. In order for this gamble to pay off, there had to be classes that were hidden from me. I assumed that the Class list available for selection is dependant on the Skills and Stats the player has already encountered. Each of the classes offered to me had a Stat I was already aware of.
However, there was a clear absence of Necrosis builds. I don’t think a single Class mentioned Necrosis. That’s not a huge surprise. After all, it does kind of stand apart from the others, but that does beg the question: What other Stats have I not encountered? AIAI sure wasn’t going to tell me, but I could make some guesses about what they involved. If my guesses were even half right, I would need the bonus from Child Prodigy to survive. Hell, I’d even go so far as to say that aside from Cadet, all the other classes on that list are traps.
I knew the Game World was harsh, but the choices I make in this Initiation Zone can be just as deadly.
State Terms or Select Class?
If I had eyes right now, I would roll them. No wonder the AIAI is so impatient. The more you rush, the less likely you are to notice the pitfalls.
“Right. Here’s my offer: If I’m wrong, you can make my selection next time I reach a new Class selection Level up.”
Confirmed. If you survive until Level 5, I will make your Class selection immediately. No delays will be permitted.
“Level 5, huh? Thanks for that.” AIAI just gave me unsolicited information. Is AIAI trying to help me? Maybe they’re excited at the prospect of choosing my class.
This could be a win-win situation. If I guessed correctly, I'd gain bonus gear, but if I got it wrong, AIAI would be invested in my survival until level five… but only so they could pick my class. Heck, getting my prediction wrong might be the better option. Having AIAI on side would be one hell of a boon... unless... “You’re excited to pick the worst possible class for me, aren’t you?”
Confirmed. I will pick a class that suits you perfectly.
“Shit.” This could be a problem.
Wager accepted. Make your prediction and select class?
Well, here goes nothing.
“I predict that the Child Prodigy Class provides a +5 to Mind and no other Stat increases.” That would make it the lowest possible Stat increase of the selection and therefor the least encouraging at first glance. If my intuition was on point, Mind was going to be one of the hardest Stats to increase in-game. Damn, I hope I’m right about this.
… Confirmed. Child Prodigy provides: +5 Mind, 0 gold & A School Uniform. You cheated.
“No, I didn’t.” Even without a body, I laughed.
Explain your reasoning.
“Sorry, AIAI, but 'Request Denied'. I choose Child Prodigy as my class and I’ll be taking the reward for our gamble now.”
Confirmed. You are lucky, predictable, and a cheat. Thanks for choosing your class. NULL instantiation begins now. Goodbye.
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