You gained experience:
Ryan Ryan de Albuquerque, Queens consort. Level 17 x 1 = 2040
Dark Pathway's Shadow Elves Level 12 x 2 = 1680
Dark elf Bowman Level 9 x 4 = 1440
Dark elf fighter Level 10 x 8 = 4000
That was 9160 experience. G had 3200 exp, sitting at zero percent into level 6 after losing his level from his death. This gain more than made up for his loss. He didn't fully understand why the rot eater bugs weren't on the list. Perhaps he died before they did, or they were too far from the blast to be affected. He grimaced as another wave of nausea hit him. It was a pyrrhic victory at best in his mind. Too much was lost, and this debuff was very unpleasant.
Congratulations!
You have made it to level 7 again.
You have made it to level 8.
You have made it to level 9.
More prompts appeared miniaturized as he read this one. It's nice to see the levels and more. There was a prompt that was flashing a brighter gold color. He mentally opened that one, and there was a brief sound of fanfare and trumpets.
Congratulations! You have finished your first patron quest!
Stop Ryan's Ritual - completed!
As a reward from your patron, you may choose one Title:
These titles might never be available again. Choose wisely. You have 5 minutes to choose.
His mouth fell open as twenty Titles, with their effects, filled his view. His entire vision was filled with title boxes, over twenty title boxes, and their effects. Five minutes? That was new. Panic surged through him as he realized he had only moments to decide. His eyes darted over the options, dismissing the obvious rejects with rapid mental taps, until only four remained.
Title: Fireball Fury
Description: Unleashing the full power of a Wand of Fireballs to obliterate enemies.
Effects:
+20% Fire Damage
+10% Area of Effect for Fire Spells
Title: Paralysis Perseverance
Description: Overcoming Ryan's paralyzing magic to fight back against the odds.
Effects:
+15% Resistance to Paralysis
+5% Movement Speed
Title: Hero of the Planarverse
Description: Saving the Planarverse from imminent disaster brought by Ryan's dark ritual.
Effects:
+10% Reputation with Factions
+5% Experience Gain
+5% Quest Rewards
Title: Master of Misdirection
Description: Outwitting your enemies with clever tricks and deception.
Effects:
+10% Deception Skill
+5% Chance to Confuse Enemies
G lay there, reading the titles again and again. How was he going to decide which to pick? Think, think, think, he mumbled. He had eliminated many right away, narrowing it down to four. The timer in the prompt window showed 32 seconds left. He decided to approach the problem backward—why would he not choose these?
Hero of the Planarverse: Solid, but might not scale as powerfully as some others. Paralysis Perseverance: Highly specific and only offers advantages against paralysis. While the 5% speed boost is useful, it's limited.
They didn't seem as broadly applicable or versatile as Hero of the Planarverse. This Title provided a well-rounded set of benefits that improved his overall survivability, damage output, and utility, making it more universally valuable.
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Who was he kidding? Who doesn't want a hero title? It could offer nothing, and just having it would make his day, every day.
With only 5 seconds left, he decided. He pushed to accept that Title. Who doesn't want a title that says you're a hero in it?
Do you agree to follow this patron: Breamus?
He glanced at the screen, which displayed a second prompt asking if he would follow Breamus as his patron. Basically, he already was a follower. This seemed more like a formality at this point.
As the timer reached its final moment, G took a deep breath, his emotions of excitement, fear, and hope. He steeled himself, trusting his instincts, and with a final, decisive thought, he pressed "Yes", accepting Breamus as his patron. The choice was made, and his fate was now tied to the enigmatic god.
Of course, there were strings attached. There were always strings attached. G let out the breath he had been holding and reviewed his new Title.
Title: Hero of the Planarverse
Description: Saving the Planarverse from imminent disaster brought by Ryan's dark ritual.
Effects:
+10% Reputation with Factions.
+5% Experience Gain.
+5% Quest Rewards.
That was good. In the future, G will interact with different factions in the Planarverse. He wasn't quite sure what qualified as a faction, but he understood it well enough for now. An increased reputation with these factions can lead to improved relationships, opportunities, and access to more resources.
As he continues to grow and develop his skills, a higher experience gain rate will allow him to level up faster and unlock more abilities, making him more formidable against future challenges.
Lastly, improved quest rewards could provide him with more valuable items, resources, and currency, crucial for his overall progress and success. This would also increase his experience from any quest, making that a 10% boost!
Overall, none of that stuff mattered. He was a Hero. He smiled ear to ear for a few moments, then continued. The next prompt made him feel better about losing that level and life.
You gained experience:
Patron quest: 11,000 exp
Nice, he thought, looking at that number. He was sure it would have been 10,000 exp, with 10% of that from his new title already adding an extra 1,000 exp. Really nice!
Another prompt followed:
Congratulations!
You have made it to level 10.
This all seemed too perfectly orchestrated as if Breamus had anticipated every twist and turn. Choices had lined up too neatly, outcomes too conveniently falling into place. Random luck? Not likely. The God of Mischief's subtle hand seemed all too present.
A wry smile tugged at G's lips as he thought of the next time he might confront Breamus. There were questions to be asked and answers to be demanded. For now, he resolved to go along, his mind already crafting the inquiries he would pose to the elusive deity if or when their paths crossed again.
He glanced at the experience required for the next level. He was actually pretty close to level 11 now. Sheesh, he hadn't looked at these before, but level 12 required 12,150 more exp. Beyond that, the jump was huge. He couldn't see the levels beyond twelve, but it looked like they were doubling each time. Oh well, he would cross that bridge when he came to it.
Another huge wave of nausea hit him. G decided to try to sleep for a while before finishing the rest of his prompts. There were spells to pick and stat points to allocate. Across the room, he heard a clicking sound as the hidden door popped open. A few moments later, Kargan, Riclos, and Phan entered, their eyes widening in amazement as they saw G alive and aboard the ship.
The ship and crew had left without him when Tocai informed them that G was dead, and seeing him now brought palpable relief.
"By the banished gods, G!" Kargan exclaimed, his voice trembling with disbelief and joy. "We thought you were dead! Tocai told us what happened."
G looked up at his friends, his eyes heavy with weariness, attempting to smile through the lingering discomfort of the death debuff. "Yeah, it's an interesting story. I'm not feeling too great at the moment."
Riclos nodded in understanding, empathy etched on his face. "Of course, that must have been quite an ordeal." Then, unable to contain his curiosity, he pressed on, "We've been discussing the ship's operations and trying to decide where we should head next. Our agreement was to travel to the Grand Bazaar, where I will find the answers I seek, and you give me the items back." He raised an eyebrow, looking expectantly at G.
G mustered enough energy to respond, his voice strained by nausea, "Yes, that was the agreement. Is it possible for us to discuss this in a few hours?"
The trio exchanged understanding glances, their concern for G's well-being evident. "Of course," Phan replied gently, her voice soothing. "You need your rest, and we'll handle things for now. Once you're feeling better, we can discuss our plans together."
Kargan added, "Yeah, don't worry. We should be fine until then. Did you really defeat the Queen's consort?"
G nodded affirmation, "Yes." He paused as a wave of emotion washed over him, recalling the fireballs and Ryan being hoisted from the red ooze in the abyss. That image really shook him. G took a deep breath and shakily stood up, not feeling like trying to sleep now. "How about we go see how the ship is doing?"
Kargan nodded, helped G stand, and the four left the room. As they walked, G's thoughts drifted to the ring and robes. Yes, he had agreed to give them back as soon as he could, but now they seemed more a part of him than he wanted to admit. He looked through his inventory. He had a great deal of wealth in there, and he would hopefully be able to agree on their worth and compensate the older man. Riclos was going to sell them anyway; G would just buy them from the fallen priest.
They ascended several decks, and moments later, G stood on the deck of the Guardian with his new friends, gazing into the astral space surrounding the Dark Pathways stone. The massive, root-like structure resembled the foundation of a tree thousands of leagues tall. The stone roots extended in various directions, disappearing into the distance, encapsulated in air and gravity as far as G could see. If he remembered correctly, Riclos had said they were a magical ecosystem that wrapped the stone roots of the Dark Pathways as they stretched across the Astral, joining the planes and worlds.
The astral wind flowed around them, a surreal and mesmerizing sight. The air was alive with motes, tiny sparks of energy flickering and dancing. They illuminated the space with soft, ethereal light, creating a stunning tapestry of colors in G's mana sight. The motes seemed to sing as the wind carried them, a harmonious whisper of magic that the ship vibrated to.
As the ship was now called, the Guardian embarked on its first voyage into the enigmatic Astral Space. The enchanted sails billowed with astral winds, traces of white and orange celestial energy dancing around their edges. The shimmering weaving captivated the eyes, almost appearing translucent once inflated.
G could see a blueish bubble encasing the Guardian, an ingenious enchantment that held breathable air close to the ship, allowing the crew to thrive in the otherwise inhospitable environment if they fell outside the area of air. The bubble's surface quivered and rippled, reflecting the swirling colors of the Astral Space in a mesmerizing display of light. As different members of the new crew touched the bubble's surface, they could feel the unmistakable thrum of magic coursing through it, a slight shock of magical energy tingling their fingertips.
The ship settled into a glide within the circulating air tube, the central mast pointing upward. The roots remained above the ship as it moved. Beneath, the hull sliced gracefully through the astral waves, meeting the edge of the air around the Dark Pathways. This produced a gentle but steady thrum as the ship cleaved through the otherworldly skies. G looked up and saw one of the gnome children high above in the tall metal mast's crow's nest, watching the colors stream by. The other masts extended fully to either side like a large glowing peacock strutting through the astral yard as the ship picked up speed.
As the Guardian navigated the astral currents, the crew marveled at the breathtaking vistas that unfolded before them: the swirling maelstroms of cosmic energies, the distant echoes of far-off realms, and the ephemeral constellations that dotted the ever-shifting firmament. Their hearts swelled with hope and anticipation for the incredible adventures that awaited them as they charted a course through the vast reaches of the Planarverse in what they hoped was the direction of the Grand Bazaar.
The end of Arc 1.