She could feel her heartbeat in her head. As the rhythmic thumping continued, her nausea got worse. Notifications hummed loudly in the periphery of her mind.
Your group has defeated [Lesser Rot Undead]!
Class: [Monster Slayer] Level 0 -> Level 1
You've slain a new enemy type! [Undead] Bonus experience is awarded!
...
Your group has defeated [Lesser Rot Undead]!
Class: [Monster Slayer] Level 1 -> Level 7
Class: [Mage] Level 0 -> Level 3
Trait Acquired: Remain Standing!
Remain Standing:
You've made it a habit to fall unconscious at inopportune times! This trait will burn excess Mana to keep you conscious during these times in the future so that you don't miss so much!
Finally! It was starting to wear on her nerves how easily her body gave up on staying conscious. She made a note to always keep a few thousand mana in reserve to make sure she didn't keep passing out.
[Monster Slayer]
Active Skills:
Bane Weaponry (Special)
Tool For The Job (Special)
Passive Skills:
Mental Bestiary
Undead
[Mage]
Active Skills:
Cantrip-[Arrow] (Universal Manipulation detected. Please choose an element!)
Trillia was happy to have made some progress, at least. Before Trillia dove into class level-ups and reading skills, she dared to open her eyes. Blessedly, she was laying in a dark room. Her right arm was sore and hurt to move. Glancing down, she saw it had been wrapped in bandages. She could feel some sort of poultice under the wrappings.
That surprised her a bit. Between her regeneration and the healing Kismet was said to have, Trillia didn't understand why they'd also double down with a poultice. She slowly sat up, having learned from previous blackouts about sitting up to quickly after passing out.
She had been laid to rest in her room back at the tower. Maybe curtains hung on the wall to block out the ever-present sun. Near her bed, a small rune was glowing faintly with magic and giving off a cool air to keep the room from sweltering. Knowing she was safe in the tower, Trillia dove back into her classes.
Bane Weaponry: (Special)
Bane Weaponry can be taken multiple times. Each time it is taken, you must choose what creature type Bane Weaponry is applied to. This is a list of creature types you have personally slain in battle. After taking this class. Bane Weaponry levels regardless of the bane type chosen, and all Bane Weaponry actives share a singular level. There is a 24-hour period between changing Bane Weaponry loadouts. -1 Hour Per Level of this skill. (Minimum 4 Hours)
Bane Weaponry is an infusion effect that ignores 5% of any resistance a creature has against your attacks per level of the skill (Minimum 5%). Attacking a creature that you have a bane against with a high level of Bane Weaponry against a low resistance causes your attacks to deal extra damage. Bane Weaponry uses 0.1% (Per Level of Bane Weaponry) of your current mana per attack infused with its effects and can be applied to any attack, skill, spell, or ability that originates from the user that is used to deal damage (Directly or Indirectly) to a target.
Example: If you are fighting a [Dragon] with Dragon Bane Weaponry Level 20, you will ignore 100% of the resistance that creature has. If the creature only has 50% resistance to the type of attack you are using, you deal a bonus 50% damage.
Tool For The Job: (Special)
Tool For The Job can be taken multiple times. Each time it is taken, you must choose what creature type Tool For The Job is applied to. This is a list of creature types you have personally slain in battle after taking this class. Tool For The Job levels, regardless of the creature type chosen, and all Tool For The Job actives share a singular level. There is a 24-hour period between changing Tool For The Job loadouts. -1 Hour Per Level of this skill. (Minimum 4 Hours)
Tool For The Job is an infusion effect that transforms any attack, skill, spell, or ability that originates from the user into a more effective duplicate of the same; at a rate of 5% per level (Minimum 5%). Tool For The Job uses 0.1% (Per level of Tool For The Job) of your current mana per attack infused with its effects.
Example: If you are fighting an [Undead] with Tool For The Undead Level 20, regardless of the origin of the skill - (Fire, for example) - 100% of its damage will become Radiant (Or whatever the undead is most vulnerable to.)
Mental Bestiary:
Mental Bestiary is a passive skill that allows you to keep a perfectly accurate and detailed report of every enemy you slay in battle. Any discoveries you knowingly or unknowingly learn will automatically be added to the Bestiary. It further provides a 1% (Per Level) damage bonus against any creature listed in your Bestiary to all allies that can see, hear, or otherwise sense you. Or you, them.
WARNING!!: Mental Bestiary loses all progress and must be started from scratch if you ever lose the skill or this class. (Unless added as a Mastery option. When added as a Mastery Option, it will be permanently kept for all classes.)
Undead:
You've slain a creature of the [Undead] typing! This Passive allows you to utilize activate skills.
That was a lot to take in, but Trillia was already excited by the prospects. She immediately added [Mental Bestiary] to a passive slot. She tried to add [Bane Weaponry] but realized she had to first add [Undead] as a passive. Which let her add [Bane Weaponry] and [Tool For The Job] as [Undead Bane Weaponry] and [Tool For The Undead], respectively, to her active skill lists.
For now, they wouldn't add a very large amount of damage to her output, but she could absolutely see the benefit of their scaling. She wondered why more people didn't utilize the class.
Cantrip-[Arrow]:
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Cantrip-[Arrow] can be taken multiple times. Each time it is taken, you must choose what element you wish it to be cast as. You may expand the available lists with passive skills later or substitute from other classes (Or General Skills). Cantrip-[Arrow], regardless of currently active iterations, all share a singular level.
Cantrip-[Arrow] launches an arrow of the chosen element towards a target. It cannot miss and will veer around cover to strike an opponent. It has a range of 10 ft Per Level (Minimum 10). The damage and accuracy are based on Wisdom.
Cantrip-Arrow Available Elements:
Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Pure.
Most of that was self-explanatory. She wasn't entirely sure what Pure was.
Pure Element:
Also known as Universal Mana. Pure Mana has very few skills or creatures that resist it. It deals 50% of the damage of other elements because of its versatile capabilities.
Trillia only had three active slots. She felt as though her artifact was considered Pure or close to it. So she added Fire, Water, and Earth. She had no real reason for those choices. She'd change them out as she needed to.
No Species or Subspecies levels. She was a bit sad to see that.
Trillia decided to bank the seven stat points from [Monster Slayer] for now and finally mustered the courage to stand. Slowly making her way to the door. Her headache had mostly subsided at this point, and she wanted to make sure Ialu and Maldoun were ok. She didn't see Ialu anywhere in the room.
She stopped with her hand on the door. Turning and moving back to her things, she pulled out the journal she had been given and jotted a bunch of information down concerning her classes. As well as some of her trials and tribulations so far in the city. The city named...
Trillia groaned and let her head drop into the soft pillow on her bed. She'd been here for at least two days and had never once asked what the city was called. So far, she felt as though she wasn't doing a very good job as an Avatar. She made a physical and mental note to ask what the city was called.
Tucking the journal back into her pouch and strapping all of her armor and things back on - instead of just wandering about in the robe she had been provided - she once more headed towards the door and finally left her room.
As soon as the door opened, Ialu was at her side, nuzzling her and overall feeling quite worried. Trillia hugged the giant wolf-like creature. "I'm ok. Just need to be more careful when fighting undead, apparently."
Ialu let out a low growl and nudged Trillia a little more, refusing to let her walk out of the room and demanding that she rest and ride around on her back. Trillia gave in and crawled up onto the canine's back. Ialu plodded up the stairs towards the library that Arlyss had first brought them to.
As they approached, the doors opened. It was nighttime out. In place of the burning sun to light everything, small multi-colored floating lights hovered around the room. As Ialu led them into the room, Trillia smiled at all of the pretty lights.
Arlyss' face didn't betray any emotions he might have held. He was the only one gathered, for which that was true. Stas seemed furious. Kismet was on her knees with her face to the ground. Maldoun was in the same position, but Trillia saw thin lines of blood on his back all over. Trillia's face darkened.
Once Ialu was standing next to the small group, Trillia crawled off her back. Looking at Maldoun once more. "Forgive me, Lord Maldoun. I was eager to earn experience and prove myself. I put us both in danger because of it. May I ask what happened to your back?"
Arlyss spoke in his stead. "Punishment." Immediately he raised a hand as she began to speak, but that didn't stop her this time.
"I hope it was not a punishment on my behalf! I don't need people to be punished because of my actions or their actions to me." First Kismet, now Arlyss had whipped him? That didn't seem right.
Arlyss rolled his upheld hand in the air and shrugged. "I didn't punish him. He demanded that he be punished for not keeping you safe outside of the city. I tried to inform him that your position as Avatar means you will be put in harm's way quite often. I proceeded to tell him if he really wanted to be punished, he could choose a fitting punishment for himself or ask you how to settle the issue."
Arlyss looked from her to the kneeling man, who remained silent. "He chose self-flagellation."
Trillia's face screwed up in confusion. Her eyes went from Arlyss to Maldoun to Stas. Back to Maldoun. "Why on Alirast would you do this to yourself? I'm alive. I'm fine!"
Maldoun spoke so softly that Trillia couldn't hear what he said. Arlyss nodded in his stead.
"[Mass Bestow Trait: Lexicon Of Alirast]"
You've been temporarily granted a trait! This trait will be available to you for the next three hours!
Lexicon Of Alirast:
You have an intimate knowledge of every written, spoken, or otherwise communicated language that originates from the realm of Alirast!
Maldoun somehow managed to bow his head lower before raising it and turning to Trillia, bowing once more. This time, when he spoke the human language, Trillia could understand him. "It is my duty to protect Lord Arlyss and those in his care when he is unable to do so. It was my failure to warn you of the dangers when facing such creatures to not get struck in any capacity. I made a further error when I treated you roughly in the field with weak healing magics. Instead of bringing you to Lord Arlyss and Lady Kismet. Both of whom could have healed you more easily with fewer drawbacks. I panicked."
Trillia walked over and sat on the ground in front of him. Still tired enough to not want to stand. "You people need to stop being so crazy. You're terrifying the people of this city! " Reaching out and gently grabbing his shoulder and trying to lift him. Maldoun glanced to Arlyss, who offered a slight nod. Maldoun rose to a kneeling position, and Trillia continued.
"I'm an orc. I may not be a very good orc, but I'm still an orc. Threats and violence aren't nearly as serious to me as they evidently are to all of you. Our people thrive on battle and rough-housing. We're thrown into battle as children so that we can learn to survive the harsh realities of life. I chose to help Lord Arlyss. I chose to stop you from doing your job and handling the undead alone. I chose to fight recklessly because I'm used to being able to heal readily. These are all things I chose to do, and despite my age, I am free to make these choices."
Trillia turned her gaze from Maldoun to Arlyss. "The freedom of choice. I don't want people punished because of my choices. Especially when they don't deserve it." Once more, she turned to look at Maldoun. "As far as I'm concerned, you made sure I wasn't in grave danger in the field after my mistake cost me a life-threatening injury. I'm alive, a little tired, and will be for a few days. But I'm alive. If I have a scar, I can add it to the list and will happily use it to tell a story around a campfire when I am home on the plains."
Maldoun and Kismet looked at the ground, unsure of what to say. Stas seemed to have calmed down considerably. Arlyss looked at each in turn and nodded. "Now that she's said what I have, maybe you'll actually listen. Please understand as my avatar, I am keenly aware of the type of person she is. I know her limits as well as she does. I accepted her as my avatar precisely because she is young, reckless, and isn't associated with D'Jamu's past."
Arlyss walked over and gently lifted Maldoun and Kismet to stand before offering Trillia a hand to help her stand up again. "The people respect me, but I am an immortal and a deity. In their eyes, I can never know their struggles or plights, and as such, they only see me as a ruler. Not as a friend." Next, he motioned to Stas. "You're class is literally abomination. Your level and the Butcher of Mortals trait are going to cause every human in this city to be absolutely terrified of you regardless of your actions."
Glancing at Trillia before looking to the others. "Ask your questions, Lady Trillia. Here and now, while we can all clearly understand each other. I will fill you in on as much as I can." Now staring at Maldoun and Kismet, he added. "I order you both to be completely honest during this meeting. With her, myself, and most importantly, yourselves. Lord Stas, you're free to stay or go." With that, he turned from all of them and walked over and took a seat at a table, motioning to the empty chairs.
Trillia was honestly relieved. Arlyss understood the point she was trying to make. He seemed to actually understand her intent as well as she did. She was also relieved that he wasn't some tyrant but truly seemed intent on helping people heal. She walked over and sat in the chair next to him. Pulling out her journal and getting ready to ask questions and write answers down. She looked up at Stas. "I'd request that you join us, Uncle. I have some questions for you as well."
The other three glanced at each other before joining them at the table. Ialu crawled under the table and lay at the feet of Trillia and Arlyss.
"Ok. First question!"