Verin sat up from his place on the grass. He looked around his surroundings, and could only see grass, the occasional tree, and snow capped mountains in the distance. There were strange birds in the sky, unlike anything he had ever seen before, and a large forest in the opposite direction of the mountains. The sun was high in the sky meaning it was around midday. As a breeze blew by, he realized he was not wearing anything besides his necklace. He looked around near his feet trying to find his clothes, or any of his belongings. He found nothing besides some strange bugs and a two headed squirrel.

“What is this place?” he asked himself and suddenly, a very thin book with no noticeable paper appeared floating in front of him.

Startled and confused by the sudden appearance, and how it was floating, he hesitated before grabbing it.

“Expanding Field Guide Basic” He said reading the title of the book. He opened the book to the first and only page of the book which was blank. He was in the middle of thinking how useless, when Ink started to appear on the page.

Expanding Field Guide

Inventory Page 1

Stats Page 2

Map Page 4

Help Page 6

Upgrade Required to Have Additional Information

(1 Skill point)

“What is this book?” he asked, staring at the forming words on the page. “What is a skill point?

“Well, let's see what inventory means.” He said to himself as he turned the page. There he saw a grid of 1 inch squares 4 wide and 2 down. There was also a drawing of a Person on the top half of the other page with 10 Squares and lines pointing to different areas. A single box had a strange drawing in it which looked similar to his necklace with a line pointed around his neck. Tapping on the drawing out of confusion, a larger box appeared below the drawing of the person and words started to fill It.

Item: Fathers Necklace

Description:???

Effects:???

“Strange.” He muttered, “This was a gift from my dad, he gave it to me as a good luck charm when he died. He said hopefully it will keep me safe. Well, let's see what the next page says.”

Stats

Verin Aldem

Race: Outworlder Thirdling

Primary Speciality: Undecided

Secondary Speciality: Undecided

Level: One

Health: 1

Mana Regeneration: 0

Stamina Regeneration: 1

Stamina: 1

Mana Capacity: 100

Racial Ability: Field Guide. This ability grants a book capable of storing information and items pertaining to the user. Others cannot read this book, but can be seen if allowed to. Will follow the user, not needing to be held, and can be controlled with the owner's mind.

Racial Ability: Language Adaptation. This ability grants the user with the capability to understand different languages without the need to learn them first

Known Languages: English level 4,

Racial Ability: Quick learner. This ability grants the bearer the ability to quickly study surroundings, subjects, and techniques for variable needs

Racial Ability: Inventory: Gives the ability to store objects in a space which others cannot see or access.

This is strange, I don't understand what is happening. Why is more still appearing on the page? He thought before continuing to read.

Primary Speciality needs to be chosen. Please choose from the options below.

Novice: Mage

Novice: Brawler

Novice: Ranger

Novice: Assassin

Novice: Swordsman

Novice: Healer

Only one may be chosen from the available list.

For descriptions of specialties, visit the Help Section of Field Guide.

Probably should not just pick one. Verin thought. I know what three of these are, but not sure what the rest of them are.

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Help

Select which help is required

Map

Inventory

Language

Specialties

“I guess we will start with specialties since those seem important.” He said aloud. “And I really should stop talking to myself.”

Specialties

A speciality is an ability set which will allow for skills to be learned in a given area faster and with better proficiency. Some skills can only be learned if certain specialities are chosen. With each rank up including from Undecided to Novice, will grant 5 skill points. Some Races will not be able to accept certain specialities. For example only magical creatures such as Elves can use magic.

What is an Elf? Verin thought before continuing.

Novice Mage: A mage is someone who will have the ability to use magic. Different spells must be learned before being able to advance to a higher rank. The user will be required to use mana to perform spells. Spell Proficiency will increase with each rank. When this speciality is first learned, Basic spells will be instantly available to be selected.

Most Skills are Active and will slowly increase with use.

“This sounds interesting. I have heard of magic, but just in stories. It might be versatile and helpful with different things.”

Novice Brawler: A Brawler is someone who gets faster and more resilient the longer a fight continues. Gives the user more resilience to unarmed attacks, and enhances one's own. Most skills are passive and will slowly increase over time.

This could be good for me now. I have nothing with me. Might give me some protection until I find a town or city. He thought as he decided to sit down since there was still a lot more to read.

Novice Ranger: A Ranger Is someone who is very proficient with ranged weapons such as bows and crossbows. Great at ranged attacks as the name suggests, but learns close combat techniques slowly, and becomes less proficient with already known techniques.

Most skills are passive and will slowly increase over time.

“I already know how to shoot a bow, I have been in a few archery contests. I never won, but I know the basics already. This could be easy to learn.”

Novice Assassin: An Assassin is someone who can easily learn different spells to give them enhanced stealth capabilities, and very minor capabilities in making poisons. Their abilities will allow them to move silently to ambush and blitz attack from the shadows.

Most skills are passive and will slowly increase over time.

“I’ve heard of assassins and how they can easily kill a target without being caught easily. Could be helpful in not being tracked or hunted by whatever those strange flying creatures are,” He said to himself. “Not much help otherwise. The explanation does give a hint that there are other people somewhere. As does a second language I have never heard of.

As for swordsmen I know what that is. But let's see if there is anything special mentioned in this.. Book.”

Novice Swordsman: A Swordsman is a skilled fighter with adept skills with swords, and other tools having to deal with close combat. Weapons other than swords take longer to learn, but can still be done faster than other specialities.

Even Distribution on active and passive skills will increase with use.

About what I expected to say. Strangely, everything has different skills. He thought to himself. Having some range will be useful so I can hunt for some food, like those strange birds.

Novice Healer: A healer is capable of healing most ailments and injuries at the cost of high mana. Has a hard time learning different defense techniques and weapon skills.

Might be useful in keeping myself alive. Verin thought.

Much less effective on self.

Most skills are active and will increase with use.

“Maybe it is not as useful,” He said aloud.

As Verin was weighing out the possibilities and rereading the descriptions of the different specialities, he heard the sound of footsteps in the distance. Lowering the book, he turned to look in the direction of the noise. In the distance over one of the small hills, he could see a group of people on strange creatures which he could not make out. Quickly he started to run towards the forest to hopefully hide from whomever was coming towards him. As he was getting close to the edge of the forest, he could hear the people calling out to him. The moment he passed into the forest, the pursuers caught up to him and threw a bola which wrapped around his legs sending him tumbling over. Before he could turn over and get a look at his captures, he felt something hit him in the back of his head and then everything went dark.

Some time later Verin woke up with his hands bound behind his back with a thick rope. His chest was also wrapped in a rope and tied off behind a tree. Still in a daze he began looking around trying to make out what was around him. He saw a group of people sitting around a fire. He could hear them talking, but was too far to make out what they were saying. In an attempt to get away, he made too much noise and got the attention of a few of the people. He tried to pretend he was still unconscious, but It was too late. They had already seen him moving, and walked over to him.

At first when they started to talk he could not make out what they were saying, they were speaking in a language he had never heard before. Starting to get angry one of the men punched him in the gut. After about a minute of getting punched and making him want to heave out what food he had eaten, who knows how long ago, he began to understand more and more of what they were saying.

“Who are you boy?” asked one of the people next to him with a strange accent. He was an older pale man, bulky and was wearing leather clothing. There was a broadsword strapped to his back and a dagger on his belt. When speaking, his mouth did not match the words he spoke. Next he spoke, he put emphasis on each word. “I'm not going to repeat myself a third time. Now who are you?”

“My name is Verin,” He said, slightly shaking out of the pain. “Where am I, and what is this place?”

“We are in the king's forest. Why are you here,” The strange man started to ask,” and with no clothes?”

“I don't know. I just woke up in the middle of a field,” Verin said.

The man just grunted, clearly not believing the story Verin had said. “Tell the truth boy.”

“I am,” he responded. “As I sai-”

He was interrupted by the man, “Where did you get that necklace?” The man was clearly angry now and tried to pull the necklace off. It did not move. The man grabbed his dagger about to cut it off, and Verin tried to scuttle away, but was halted by the other two guards. When the first man tried to cut the necklace, the string did not give. It did not even fray in the slightest, appearing to be made of the finest steel when they tried.

Before he could try to cut it again, the fourth man walked, “Stop.” He commanded. “We have to bring him to the city.”

He was clearly the leader of the group. He was taller than the rest, and had eyes as dark as the night. He wore different clothes than he had seen on the other people. He too had a large sword on his back, along with a dagger, and a second smaller sword on the opposite side of the knife.

“Two patrols for the night.” The leader said to the other men. “We leave here at first light. Calin and Zeth you two have first watch. Set up the wards. Beck and I will take the second watch and we will leave when the sun comes up.”

The moment the leader was done speaking to the others, did a strange bow with both hands and moved. The two, now known as Calin and Zeth, moved and grabbed some strange stone tablets from a bag. Calin was a shorter man, also with a large board sword on his back with a knife on his belt. Zeth was about the same height as Verin, but with a long bow on his back and quiver on the right side of his belt. He had two knives on his right and just behind the quiver.

They both moved and placed them in a circle around the camp. As they did the leader and the other man now known as Beck walked over to their own bags and grabbed some blankets and set them up around the fire they had made. After the first two had finished placing the tablets, a strange clear dome appeared around them, with a slight bluish taint. Exhausted, Verin fell asleep just a few minutes after that dome was up. The two who had made the dome were sitting on logs talking and watching the surroundings. The other two were already asleep next to the fire.