Who knew standing in one place, stood to attention for hours would be so tiring? My limbs ached, I was bored and hot and grumpy. I could tell most of the rest of my squad were as well, but finally the appointed time was drawing near. I could see the welcoming party was starting to assemble outside city hall, a group of about ten council members, distinguished by the blue sashes they wore over their clothes, which were as varied as the council members; some obviously nobles by their dress and bearing and others much more modestly dressed, looking nervous at the prospect of meeting royalty, there was even a dwarf council member amongst them. Standing at their head was the man I assumed must be the council speaker, he had a long blue silk robe, decorated in gold embroidery in the motif of the city walls, and was wearing a tricorn hat. He was a tall man, blonde with bronzed skin, I couldn’t really make out his features from here though. He was deep in conversation with a senior militia officer, probably the Captain-General from the amount of braiding on his uniform and the plumes on his helmet. There were another half dozen militia officers, similarly attired standing with him, who I guessed were all members of the eleventh company or Company Captains. Sir Shi wasn’t amongst them though.

Suddenly, horns rang out across the square and the crowd behind me fell silent, and then I saw my sister ride in. She rode at the head of her escort, twelve Triestian knights, bedecked in full plate armour, red capes shrouding them, whereas my sister rode proudly on her favourite bay mare wearing a dress of a dazzling blue, with little by way of ornamentation other than a pair of diamond earrings I knew were her favourites, a simple gold necklace and a circlet with a sapphire that matched her dress on her head. She looked a vision of a princess, with her golden hair tumbling neatly down her back. It was at times like these I couldn’t believe we were related. She carried herself so gracefully, never phased by anything. I could see her eyes skim around the square and take in the sight of us, and the crowd behind us, she waved at them as she rode further into the square.

Suddenly a bad feeling washed over me, I’d never felt anything like it before but the sense that something terrible was about to happen took over my entire mind. I couldn’t think what it could possibly be though, the square was filled with literally hundreds of knights, surely nothing bad could happen. I couldn’t ignore the feeling though, if anything the compulsion to act on it was becoming more urgent. I started scanning the square for anything unusual, someone trying to break through the line of militia keeping back the crowd? I could see nothing out of the ordinary there though. So I turned my attention to the rooftops of the buildings I could see from where I stood, still nothing. No shapes or shadows that might indicate a marksman in hiding.

So finally, I studied the buildings themselves, the square’s east side was surrounded by apartment buildings used by the richer council members as convenient accommodation nearer to the centre of power than their familial homes which tended to have been built along the banks of the Ald in Spring Town and Maiden’s Reach, enjoying the fresher air the predominant nar-alderly wind brought to those parts of the city. It was hard to make anything out, the glazed windows looked opaque from where I was standing. Until suddenly I noticed one window which was slightly open, and a glint of metal just briefly catching the sun. I don’t know why I was so certain it was an assassin and that my sister was the target but I was. Without hesitating I dropped to one knee, pulled my crossbow over my shoulder, lined up a shot and fired.

System Notification!

Special Event Activated: Quest [Save your big sister]

Temporary Skills: [Dangersense], [Killing Shot] activated

Success Condition: Prevent the assassination of Princess Estelle Helenides

Rewards: Acquisition of Skills [Dangersense], [Killing Shot]

Penalty: Character Trait [Self Doubt], 25% chance all checks are failed.

Accuracy Check [Killing Shot]: Success Value = 25 Natural Value = [Dexterity] + [Strength]/3 = 16 + 5 = 21

Accuracy Check [Killing Shot]: Failed

Accuracy Check [Killing Shot]: Skill Modifier = True: Skill [Archery] = + 3 to Accuracy Checks

Accuracy Check [Killing Shot]: Modified Value = 21+ 3 = 24

Accuracy Check [Killing Shot]: Failed

Luck Check [Family Protector]: Success Value = 7 Natural Value = [Luck]/2 = 8.5

Luck Check [Family Protector]: Successful

Accuracy Check [Killing Shot]: Luck Modifier = True: Luck Check [Family Protector] = + 4 to Accuracy Checks

Accuracy Check [Killing Shot]: Modified Value 2 = 24 + 4 = 28

Accuracy Check [Killing Shot]: Successful

Damage Check: Target HP = 200 Damage Value = Strength x Weapon Modifier + Boosts + Skill Effects = 16 [Field Crossbow] x 3 + [Perfect Health] + 5 + Archery + 3 = 56

Damage Check: Base Damage 56 dealt.

Damage Check [Killing Shot]: [Special Effect Damage Multiplier] = Luck/[Random Number: Range 1-20] = 17/[4] = 4

Damage Check [Killing Shot]: 56 x [Special Effect Damage Multiplier] = 56x [4] = 224

Damage Check [Killing Shot]: Modified Damage 224 Dealt

XP has been awarded for defeating [Nightcrow Assassin, Lv 36]. Significant additional XP has been awarded for defeating an enemy more than 20 levels up you. + 7500 XP

You are ready to Level Up. Level up Y/N?

You have unlocked new hidden skills

Wow that was a lot of system messages all at once - a serious hit of XP and what were hidden skills? I guess there was only one way to find out.

System Information:

Congratulations you have reached Level 15.

HP + 30 (HP: 135/165)

Mana + 7 (Mana: 21/28)

Stamina + 50 (Stamina: 72/122)

Strength + 8, Dexterity + 12, Intelligence + 7, Wisdom + 13, Luck + 1.

HP and Stamina Regen Rates have increased.

+ 2 new skill slots

Some skills have levelled up

Name:

Age:

Gender:

Race

Class:

Neesh Wanderer

14

Ambiguous

(the enquirer will see what they expect)

Human

Scout

Title:

Attributes:

Condition:

Character:

Alignments:

n/a

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160cm

55kg

Shoe Size 5

Blood: Type O

[Good health] minor boosts

Dominant traits:

Fair minded

Stubborn

Survivor

Ethics: 67/100

Order: 40/100

Selflessness: 60/100

Level:

HP:

Mana:

Stamina:

Regen Rates

15

(5500 XP to LvUP)

135/165

21/28

72/122

HP: 3pt/hour

Mana: 1pt/hour

Stamina: 2.5pt/min

Strength:

Dexterity:

Intelligence:

Wisdom:

Luck:

24

28

23

29

18

A new road lies before you. Time to see where it might lead

Skills (12 max)

Skill LV

Rarity

Description

Requirements

Literacy

10

Uncommon

You can read and write, that’s not as common as we’d like

Reading checks: +10

Intelligence >10

Numeracy

15

Rare

You have been taught actual mathematics rather than adding plus you’re a bit of a whizz at it

Mathematics Checks: + 15

Intelligence >10

Archery

10 (max)

Common

You are gaining a reputation for being a bit of a marksman.

Equip: Short Bows, Composite Bows, Small Crossbows, Quiver

Accuracy Checks: + 6

Damage: + 6

Weapon Damage Multipliers: + 2

Strength > 5

Stamina 0.5/shot

Must have weapon and ammunition in inventory

Linguist

12

Rare

You can argue with even more people you meet

Language Checks: + 12

Intelligence > 9

Luck > 10

Melee Weapons [Basic]

4

Common

You know which end is the pointy end.

Equip: Knives, Short Swords, Clubs, Bastard Swords

Damage: +5

Strength > 10

Must have weapon in inventory

Wayfinding

1

Rare

You know where you are and where you’re going

Orientation Checks: + 4

Wisdom > 10

Intelligence >12

Hunting

1

Common

It’s eat or be eaten sometimes and you’re determined not to be lunch.

Damage: x2 damage vs animals

Stealth Checks: +2 vs animals

Ranged Weapon must be equipped.

Dexterity > 10

Sneak

1

Rare

You can move silently, like a shadow. Just try not to sneeze.

Stealth Checks: +3

Dexterity > 10

Tracking

1

Rare

You know how to follow your nose. Just try not to sniff out trouble.

Find Checks: +4

Intelligence > 12

Wisdom >10

Acrobatics

6

Common

You can jump and twirl with the grace of a cat.

Dodge Checks: + 7

Falls Damage: - 6

Dexterity > 11

Dangersense

1

Epic

You can sense imminent threats to your life and those of importance to you.

Can only be gained through a special event

Wisdom: > 15

Luck: > 16

Activates automatically up to maximum of 1 * skill level per day.

Killing Shot

1

Legendary

You are a master of ranged attacks. Your shots can find the weak points in an enemies armour and a route to their vitals.

Significant Damage Multiplier: Base Damage x Luck/[Random Number: Range 1-20].

Can only be gained through a special event.

Must hold skill: [Archery]

Archery: > Lv 7

Must hold skill: [Dangersense] or [Eagle Eyes] or [Echolocation] or [Gut Instincts]

Luck: > 12

Activates automatically in times of need.

Maximum use once per day.

Cooldown: 1 week.

Wow that was some serious boost to my attributes and the two hidden skills I had just gained were incredible (although the penalty had I failed would have been disastrous - not to mention Estelle would be dead). I didn’t have time to dwell on it though as I was quickly surrounded by other knights and found myself under arrest! I got it, I’d just fired without warning into a square with a foreign princess. I just had time to shout to Sir Steven about the assassin in the window before I was whisked out of the square and into custody.

I spent the next few hours languishing in a cell on the fifteenth. I wasn’t treated badly, a Knight who introduced me as Knight Inspector Sir Min explained that I wasn’t under criminal arrest at the moment but I was being detained under Militia laws until it was ascertained I had legally fired my weapon in public, and that I should expect to be stuck at least a few hours even if the story I had given had checked out. I also had to share with him my full character sheet so he could verify I had the dangersense and killing shot skills I said I had. In the meantime, I was given a meal and asked if I wanted anything to read, although I was too nervous to take up that offer.

It was evening, judging by the faint red tinged light now illuminating my cell’s small window when Sir Erik entered my cell, accompanied by Sir Min.

“I’ve got good news,” the Inspector said, “your story checks out, we found a body in the apartments opposite, clearly an assassin by how they were equipped. Poison laced arrows, if one had hit someone they would have died instantly, even if the arrow only grazed them. What we can’t ascertain was that the Princess was the actual target, although it seems likely. Can I ask you, why would you consider her important for you as that is a condition of your dangersense skill activating.”

“I don’t know,” I lied, I had to be really careful how I answered this, “I guess she’s royalty and that makes her important, and her dying in Malin in front of all those Knights would have damaged the City’s reputation and Malin has been so good to me in the short time I’ve been here that seems really important to me as well.”

“I guess that makes sense,” Sir Min agreed, “well in any case you saved someone’s life today Knight Apprentice Neesh and that is commendable.”

“Indeed,” Sir Erik said, finally speaking, “Sir Shi will be mentioning you in his dispatches to the Captain-General, for a Knight Apprentice to act so decisively and at great personal risk to your reputation and position is impressive. I’m impressed Neesh and it takes a lot to impress me and you’ve done it three times now in the space of months.”

“That’s good to know Sir,” I said, accepting the praise.

“Come on, we’re going to get you back to your squad and there will be a ration of rum for you at dinner. You've done the whole fourteenth company proud today and we want to celebrate that.”

“That sounds like fun,” I said.

What a day, but dinner and a drink sounded exactly like what I needed now.