He had plans, but first, he needed to clear up the last couple of leveling prompts. The blinking prompts were not annoying, but they were distracting.
It wasn't a difficult choice for him to make regarding his stats. His primary skills were spells, and he needed more mana and more spells. Yes, he was a glass cannon, but he had played many casters that way in version one of Planerverse Online and other games. He could offset his lower health and defense by enhancing them with sufficient mana and spells. Naturally, acquiring new spells or finding someone to teach him remained crucial.
His strategy was straightforward: bolster his spells with an expansive mana pool. Thus, he allocated his two new stat points, one to Wisdom and the other to Intelligence. Instantly, his mana regeneration rate surged to 7.6, and his total mana capacity solidified at 600, a satisfying improvement.
Next, G turned his attention to spells. By this point, it was clear that he could select two spells at each level category before advancing to the next rank. He also began to suspect that Dr. Reamus might have influenced the availability of spells for each level, echoing the hints about nudges from the God of Mischief. Frowning, he reviewed the options for his dual class. His subclass had not altered these choices, which focused more on enhancing skills than expanding spell options. For his Druid class, the choices were Lesser Conjure Animals and Plant Growth. Unsure he could use Plant Growth to enhance his brambles and find no guidance in the spell's description, he opted for the safer choice of Lesser Conjure Animals and studied its details again. He mentally added 'Understanding the interplay of magic' to his huge list of unknowns.
Spell Name: Lesser Conjure Animals
Mana Type: Life
Description: Allows the druid to conjure up to three beasts, bound to the druid's will. The level of each beast is the caster's level divided by the number of creatures, up to a maximum of level 10. The type of beasts and their effectiveness depends on the caster's skill and location.
Range: 5 meters
Mana Cost: 250 mana
Duration: 1 hour
Casting Time: 4 seconds
Next up were the spells. For his second level 3 wizard spell, he chose Daylight, which provided him with both offense and options. Its 1-second cast time and mana cost were also appealing.
Level: 3
Spell Name: Daylight
Mana Type: Law
Description:
This spell creates a bright sphere of light, illuminating a 20-meter radius around the caster. The sphere lasts one hour, allowing creatures without darkvision to see clearly in the area. Undead and other creatures that are sensitive to light are affected by this spell, taking damage from the brightness of the light. The spell can be used offensively against such creatures.
Range: 5 meters
Mana Cost: 75 mana
Duration: 5 minutes, +1 minute per skill level.
Casting Time: 1 secondTop of Form
With that task completed, G was eager to explore the new level 7 spells. He pulled up a prompt that displayed information for each of the three spells he could choose from. Knowing he could select two of them, one now and another at the next level, simplified the decision-making process. Excitement buzzed through him as he considered the possibilities each spell offered.
Level: 4
Spell Name: Cage of Compulsion
Mana Type: Law
Description:
This spell conjures glowing bars of magical force that coalesce into a cage around a designated point within range. Creatures within a 6-meter radius of the point are forced toward it, enclosed by the cage. Each trapped creature takes 5 to 30 force damage; those making a successful Strength saving throw take half damage. Larger or stronger creatures may find the saving throw easier to make. Chaotic creatures suffer an additional 5 damage due to the lawful nature of the spell.
Range: 100 meters
Mana Cost: 85 mana
Duration: 15 seconds, +1 second per skill level
Casting Time: 15 seconds
Wizard:
Level: 4
Spell Name: Noxious Fumes
Mana Type: Life
Description:
This spell conjures a dense, swirling cloud of toxic gases that spreads rapidly, filling a defined area. Any creature caught within the cloud must make a constitution saving throw or suffer debilitating effects. Those who fail the save experience severe coughing fits and blurred vision, significantly impairing their ability to see clearly and act effectively. The spell is particularly effective in confined spaces or against groups of enemies.
Range: 20 meters
Mana Cost: 80 mana
Duration: 60 seconds, +5 seconds per skill level
Casting Time: 6 seconds
Level: 4
Spell Name: Zephyr Shield
Mana Type: Law
Description:
You conjure a powerful gust of wind that surrounds you, deflecting physical and elemental ranged attacks. The wind forms a protective barrier, pushing projectiles away and dissipating ranged elemental attacks. Any creature not within 1 meter of you attempting to attack you with a ranged weapon or elemental ranged attack must overcome the force of the wind. This spell can be ended prematurely if you choose to dismiss it or move from your casting location.
Range: Self
Mana Cost: 4 mana
Duration: 60 seconds, +5 seconds per skill level
Casting Time: 6 seconds
Finally, a shield! The other spells were great, but magic shields are what he needed to really feel safe as a glass cannon character. One arrow or bolt, and he might be out of there. This would solve the ranged defense problem if he took it. The Cage of Compulsion spell was again another that could come in handy. Locking down those construct spiders would have simplified his last fight. If the range on the fumes spell had been farther, it would have been nice also, but with the range being limited, that put Noxious Fumes at the bottom of his list. He chose Zephyr Shield, leaving the Cage spell for his next level.
Last were the druid spells. He mentally thumbed through the prompts.
Level: 4
Spell Name: Nature's Resilience
Mana Type: Life
Description:
This spell buffs the target with the power of nature, granting them increased stamina and resilience. The target gains temporary hit points equal to their level plus your spellcasting ability modifier, and they have an advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, frightened, or diseased for the duration of the spell.
Range: Touch
Mana Cost: 90 mana
Duration: 1 hour, +5 minutes per skill level.
Casting Time: 6 second
Level: 4
Spell Name: Bramblestorm
Mana Type: Life
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Description:
This spell unleashes a storm of thorny brambles in a 6-meter radius centered on a point you choose within range. Creatures caught in the area take 36 to 48 piercing damage and must make a Strength saving throw or be restrained by the thorns for the duration of the spell. A creature can use its action to make a Strength check against your spell save DC to break free from the brambles.
Range: 90 meters
Mana Cost: 120 mana
Duration: 1 minute, +6 seconds per skill level.
Casting Time: 12 seconds
Level: 4
Spell Name: Thornburst Lance
Mana Type: Life
Description:
Thornburst Lance conjures a sharp, barbed thorn imbued with the essence of nature. When cast, the thorn shoots towards a target at high speed. Upon impact, the thorn deals initial piercing damage ranging from 6 to 40. Additionally, for the next 10 seconds, the thorn causes accumulative damage, adding 1 point of damage each second as it grows and expands within the target up to 10, + 1 for each caster skill level.
Range: 40 meters, +5 meters per skill level
Mana Cost: 90 mana
Casting Time: 2 seconds
G mentally reviewed the options before him, his thoughts lingering on Nature's Resilience. The spell promised increased stamina and resilience, beneficial traits indeed, but its touch range and the mana cost of 90 mana troubled him. It's powerful, and he pondered it. He'd have to be right next to someone to use it, and that mana cost.
His mind then shifted to Thornburst Lance. The image of a sharp, barbed thorn shooting towards a target appealed to him, direct, potent, with accumulative damage. This is more like it. Good range, significant initial impact, and the damage just keeps building, he thought, appreciating the spell's aggressive nature.
As he mentally selected Thornburst Lance, his attention briefly caught on Bramblestorm. The thought of unleashing a more powerful storm of thorny brambles to restrain his foes was enticing. Next time, that's going to be his first choice, he reflected, already strategizing for future encounters.
For now, direct damage will serve him best. Bramblestorm, you're on hold, he concluded, mentally confirming his choice of Thornburst Lance with a sense of resolve, readying himself for whatever challenges lay ahead.
He had been at this for almost eighteen hours and was exhausted, so he went to sleep in the secret cabinet room for the night. He yearned to return to the tavern to see Crewton, reconnect with Kragen, and check on his friends.
After he awoke, G sat down to eat his daily serving of mushrooms. He couldn't help but feel a bit tired of the monotony. It had been days since he last had a hot meal, and the thought of the delicious, savory flavors of the tavern's cuisine made his mouth water. Sure, it was probably rats or something worse, but it hadn't hurt him to eat it, and it tasted so much better than mushroom chunks that were cold every day.
However, he didn't let his hunger get the best of him. Instead, he reminded himself of the work he still had to do and how he was going to accomplish his quest, and he looked down at the Ring of Optimism on his finger. Well, at least it was being useful.
He thought about Crewton and looked at the last strap he had left from cutting the leather armor. Crewton loved to chew on leather. He sighed, there wasn't much he could do for his friend right now.
G took the pail over to the wall and refilled it again before returning it to the forge platform.
Turning his attention to enchanting, G pulled out the broom handle outfitted with an Arcane Focusing lens from his inventory. The description stated: Only those with a strong will and a deep understanding of the mysteries of magic and the dangers of the undead should attempt to use this powerful tool. He aimed to remove the necrotic part alone but was not yet prepared to handle its sinister essence.
He took out his mace and peered through the magical lens. He could see the faint outlines of intricate magical sigils etched onto the surface of the Office Worker's Revenge. The weapon was clearly imbued with a potent enchantment, but the sigils looked wild compared to the orb. They traced up and down and around like a cat chasing its own tail.
The five jagged and uneven flanges of the mace were fashioned haphazardly from the twisted metal of the chair. Despite its crude appearance, its design had a certain brutal elegance that could not be denied. G sensed a faint hum of energy emanating from the weapon, lending it an almost alive quality.
The mace handle was collapsible and could be extended and locked in place with a simple twist, although the entire assembly appeared worse for wear. G knew improvements were necessary. Approaching the magical forge, he felt the raw energy pulsing from it. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he recognized the potential in the crude weapon, having wielded it more than a few times and knowing it was time to enhance it.
"Tocai," G said. With a flicker, the forge activated, its runes glowing fiercely as the surface where he had heated other parts blazed. He placed the mace onto the metal table and reached for the tongs, their enchanted grip aiding him in holding the weapon steady as he worked. He was taking special care not to heat the handle, just the head of the mace.
Although G's knowledge of smithing was basic, he could identify the mace's flaws: uneven flanges, a wobbly handle, and tarnished, worn metal. However, G now felt a new confidence in his wild magic artificer skills coupled with his new smithing skill. With his recent awareness of the depth and potential of his wild magic, he felt empowered. Closing his eyes, he focused, feeling his empathy for the magical energy swirling within him, ready to channel it into the mace.
As he worked, G began to etch intricate fire runes into the metal of the mace using the Flame runes he had looted from the spider constructs. He went to work, bending out the metal and rounding as needed to make the flanges arch out like fins from the center. The forge and the anvil pulsed with power as Tocai watched and helped him work. The runes glowed with a fiery light as they absorbed the raw energy of the magical forge. The small round-shaped rune flowed into the metal to glow, and each flange enchantment had a slightly different design. G could feel the weapon growing stronger, imbued with new power and purpose.
He needed this weapon stronger. He wanted it stronger. His friends needed it to be stronger, he had a monumental task ahead of him, and everyone needed him to be stronger.
Hours passed as G worked tirelessly, sweating and grunting as he hammered, twisted, and shaped the mace's flanges, repairing the durability and damage from its constant use.
With the head of the mace now repaired and balanced, resembling a true weapon of war, G proceeded to pull out the tinkerer's table from his inventory. Placing it near the forge, he moved there for the final modifications. Taking the Salamander Leather strapping, he wrapped it tightly around the mace's handle, crafting a solid, unslipping grip.
G could see the magic in the tinkerer's table, and his wild artificer's magic responded to it, coaxing the table's latent magic to assist him in refining his creation. As he worked, G felt his wild magic flowing like a river, untamed and free. It was something he had to coax, not force, guiding it gently into the proper places. It filled the mace with smaller, tighter swirls and intricate designs that seemed to pulse with life.
At long last, he was finished. He stepped back, admiring his work with a critical eye. The Office Worker's Revenge was no longer a crude, unrefined weapon. It was a thing of beauty, its flanges evenly spaced, its handle sturdy and well-crafted. G was exhausted and exhilarated at the same time. This was what he was; this was his magic, and building this felt good.
G picked up the mace once again, feeling its weight and balance in his hand. He gave it a few practice swings, grinning as he felt the magic coursing through it. The fire runes etched into the metal blazed with a fierce intensity, their power unleashed by the wild magic artificer's touch. He smiled. The Office Worker's Revenge was no longer just a weapon.
Office Worker's Revenge - a flanged mace made from the metal remains of an office chair, five flanges.
Damage: 6-18, durability 45 of 45
As G's personal artifact, the Office Worker's Revenge is soulbound to him, representing his mastery as a wild magic artificer. He has improved upon his abilities and enchanting techniques, infusing the weapon with even more power.
The five jagged flanges of the mace have been further enhanced with the addition of fire runes, which now radiate a faint red glow, signifying the potency of the enchantment. The runes now burst into a shower of sparks upon striking an enemy, dealing additional fire damage to the target, making the weapon even more deadly.
The mace is especially effective against arachnids, with a bonus of +2 to both attack and damage. G's improved enchanting skills have also allowed him to imbue the weapon with an additional +5 fire damage.
The collapsible handle of the weapon has also been enchanted, providing a firmer grip to the wielder, improving their accuracy and control in battle. As G wields the Office Worker's Revenge, he feels the familiar weight and balance of the weapon, knowing that it is bound to him just as he is bound to it.
+2 to attack and damage to all arachnids.
+5 Fire damage.
+5 Fire resistance while wielding this weapon.
When struck, a target that takes fire damage has a small chance of bursting into fire, taking an additional 1 point of damage every 5 seconds for the next 30 seconds.
G smiled, this mace stood as G's magnum opus, a testament to his skill and worthiness as its crafter. Yeah, that made him feel good. It felt good in his hand.
"What do you think? " G asked Tocai.
"That is a nice weapon. You shouldn't be using weapons. Your primary skills are all spells. If you are using a weapon, then you are too close to your target. But, if you needed a weapon after you let that happen, that will serve you well," said Tocai.
G agreed with his familiarity with not getting close. "I'm going to get some sleep, then we can get out of here when I wake. " His food and water were low, and Bitsy will drain the remainder tomorrow if he doesn't go find more.
"Sure, can you help me with something first?" asked Tocai.
G raised an eyebrow as he reached for his familiar. "What is that? "
"I want to take the forge, " said Tocai.
"What? You know I can only inventory items I can lift, right? That anvil's huge," G said, eyeing the cumbersome setup. A hoist, some trollies, and a ramp might make it possible.
"You can do it, I'm going to help. I'm going to lift it, and you are going to take it," said Tocai.
"Yea? You can levitate things?" asked G.
"No, I can levitate myself. I'm part of this forge, and the anvil's merely resting here. I'll lift it, and then you grab it. And yes, I'll need all your mana; it's heavy," Tocai explained.
"All my mana? Is that going to work? Okay, we can try. I can't put you in my inventory. You will have to detach or something for me to move it to my inventory," said G, contemplating the feasibility of the plan.
"Place your hand on the anvil and will your mana into it like you do with the robe," instructed Tocai.
G looked at the orb, Tocai seemed confident. He placed his hand on the anvil and began to channel his mana into it, feeling the familiar sensation of magic flowing through his body. As he did so, Tocai, the Elemental Storm orb familiar, began to glow with intense energy.
Suddenly, the air crackled with electricity, filling the room with a blinding light. G shielded his eyes with one hand, feeling his hair rise with the electric charge in the air while the sound of metal scraping against stone echoed around him. When the light faded, he opened his eyes to see the forge hovering a few inches above the ground, enveloped by a swirling vortex of wind and lightning. Feeling mild shocks from the anvil, he pressed his hand more firmly against it to ensure it wasn't swept away.
Tocai was levitating it, his voice contorted with the effort of holding the massive weight of the forge. G could feel his mana draining rapidly, but he gritted his teeth and continued to channel it into the anvil. "Now, do it multiple times. Will it be in your inventory!" shouted Tocai in G's mind.
G willed it into his inventory. He got an angry prompt, but he kept doing it, over and over. On the fifth try, the forge disappeared, and Tocai dropped to the stone platform with a thud, not moving.
The vortex suddenly shot away from them and slammed into the wall, scattering stones and dust everywhere. G rushed to his friend, his heart pounding. Tocai was lying on the ground, with only faint magical flickers visible in the orb.
"We did it," G mentally gasped. "We got the forge."
G grinned, his hands trembling with adrenaline. "That was amazing. I didn't know you could do that."
"Neither did I," Tocai replied.
"What? You could have, oh, damn it, you used the ring on me again," G huffed, realizing the influence of the ring. He could see it pulsing on his finger with his magic sight. He knew he had to mentally conquer this thing.
"Maybe. It worked, though," Tocai murmured.
As the rush of victory faded, G's expression turned pensive. He murmured to himself, his voice tinged with uncertainty. But what now? The implications of their actions weighed on him. Were the dwarves ever coming back? With the door to the forge open, are we just leaving it vulnerable to the dark elves?
He paced slowly, his thoughts wrestling with the moral complexities of their adventure. Can we even reseal the door? Or have we taken something meant to be safeguarded in its sacred place? These questions gnawed at him, overshadowing their victory and turning his excitement into a tangled web of responsibility and doubt.
Exhausted, G picked up his familiar and reattached it to his belt. "I'm getting some sleep. I'm wiped," he declared, giving a tired wave to Bitsy, who had watched their struggle with the forge. Apparently, elves didn't need to sleep often, but enchanting exhausted him on a whole other level. Glancing back at the empty space where the forge had been, he noted that even part of the small metal platform was in his inventory. Checking it, he saw that the forge had taken up twenty slots, leaving him with just 24 open slots remaining. He needed to sort this out soon. Way too much stuff in there.
"I've been talking to the Guardian; he wants us to take him when we leave," Tocai added, introducing a new layer to their unfolding plans.