Standing in the adventurer's guild, I notice that everyone is looking at us. Scanning the crowd, I briefly think they might be after my items. However, upon closer inspection, I realize they are looking at us with respect, not greed. I wonder why they are showing such interest in our team. Soon enough, I get the answer when a stocky man in full heavy plate armor marches up to me, stopping right in my path, and scanning us with a scrutinizing gaze. The feeling of being hunted washes over me, but I try not to show any emotion to avoid giving away my feelings toward him.
With a condescending tone, he asks, "So, this is the team that beat a silver-ranked dungeon as a bunch of bronze-ranked whelps?" I let the insult roll off my back and reply, "Yes, we are that team. What's it to you, tin can?"
The man's face turns red, and he takes a step forward, growling, "Who are you calling a tin can?" I laugh and glance at his party, asking, "Does he often have trouble following conversations? Has he been hit on the head recently?"
Catching me off guard, his party responds, "Earlier today, he was hit pretty hard and collided with a wall. He's been snappy all day. We thought he was just in minor pain." I'm stunned by this revelation, and upon closer examination of the adventurer's eyes, I see that they are dilated.
Before I can say anything, he spins on his party, shouting, "I am fine!" While his back is turned, I decided to help and cast healing hands while touching the top of his head. His head lights up as he tenses, and then the healing magic takes effect, making him relax as the spell finishes. He turns back to me, looking sheepish, and apologizes for his behavior, explaining that he was upset that our party showed his party up, as they had failed to finish a silver-ranked dungeon.
I tell him it's alright, attributing his behavior to the head injury. I warn him about the dangers of brain injuries, even with increased stats, and someone in the background confirms my statement. To make amends, I offer to teach anyone in the room the healing spell I know for a fee of 3 gold per person. Many people jump at the offer, and after sorting out those who can learn the spell from those who just want it for future use, I have around 75 people interested in learning the basic healing spell.
Later, the final group of people from the party that started this whole ordeal, called The Raging Torrent, is waiting to thank me and show their gratitude. After an hour of teaching, I am 225 gold richer. At the front counter, we ask to see Branch Manager Azazel. As the attendant leaves to check her availability, Xantcha leans in and raises a concern about teaching so many people the healing spell.
"I am just saying that teaching so many people that skill might cause problems down the road for you. It might delay your goals," Xantcha says.
"I agree that there may be potential problems, but I believe that if my spell can save even one life, it will be worth it. I don't care if some overblown healers get upset with me since I won't be staying here for long," I say.
Once Azazel sees us, her scowl turns into a smile, and she congratulates us on beating the dungeon and offers condolences for the loss of Leopold Crimsonclaw. She asks what else she can do for us, apart from upgrading our rank.
I explain that I have an item that might get me into the city of Urza and that Xantcha has important information to share. Azazel agrees to discuss this in her office.She leads us to a room that is larger than some of the studios I have lived in.
The room is filled with shelves, half of which are lined with books, while the other half holds items of personal value, some of which emit a magical aura. We all take our seats on the large couch with plenty of room to spare. Azazel takes out a wand made of pure silver and instructs us to place our badges on the table. As she taps each badge with the wand, they ripple and change color from bronze to silver.
Xantcha begins explaining what happened since we left on the quest, giving a full account to the branch manager. Azazel then asks to see the body and the Black Onyx Heart Crystal. I hand her the crystal, and as she touches it, it ripples and disappears. Before I can react with frustration, she softly explains that, in exchange for killing the herald of destruction and returning with his core and body, she will give each of us a token that will grant access to Urza.
However, she warns us that the road to Urza is not easy, especially at this time of year. As a bonus, she offers us the open hunt contract for killing a herald of the soulless legion, with a reward of 5,000 gold if we bring back the body. She informs us that there is a caravan heading to Urza in three days, which will arrive there within 12 days. Otherwise, it is a three-week journey on foot.
I glance at the rest of the group, wondering what they might decide. Eventually, Xantcha speaks up and says, "We will think it over. Thank you for your help. If you don't mind, could we have some time alone to go through our spoils?" We bid her farewell. “There is a room four doors down where you can divide up the loot and get anything identified.”
As we divide the loot, Amurak chooses the epic axe, while the other items are mostly low quality and not worth mentioning. After deciding to sell most of the uncommon items, we move on to the chest. Breaking it open, we find six items inside: a ring, two amulets, a scroll, a book, and a pouch.
The items are as follows:
Pouch containing miscellaneous gems
Ring of the Banished Sun: +10 to stealth and +20% bonus damage while undetected.
Amulet of Dome of Reflection: +25 strength, with the ability to create a dome with 2,000 HP every 48 hours, which reflects spells and missiles.
Scroll of Pan's Flute: A mage spell that acts as a Mass charm, affecting every enemy within 50 feet of the target.
Skill Book For a Blade Dancer. It is class-locked and won't give more information.
The final item I pull out of the chest is an Amulet wrapped in a note. The note reads:
"This amulet belonged to my dearest friend, Zallon the Oaken Savior. He was a mountain of a man with the kindest heart. He will always live in my heart. He strode across the land like lightning, saving those that could not defend themselves. Miria the unspoken oracle."
Amulet of the Oaken Sage. Epic set item 1 of 3.
Effects: +20 INT, +20 WIS, 10% growth to druid spells, -10% to the cost of druid spells.
Slots Available: 2 AGS
Restrictions: Level 25, druid class
"That is odd. I have never seen a restriction on who can use an item. Is this common?" I ask, handing the item over to the rest of the group.
"It is not uncommon for an item that gives bonuses to a class archetype to be locked to that class,” Trila says.
Looking at the loot, we divide it up. The ring goes to Xantcha, the amulet to Amurak, the spell to Trila, and the druid amulet to me. We decide to sell the book as no one can use it.
With that done, we head out to sell off the goods. After everything is sold, we split the total profit between the 5 of us, with a fifth of the pile going to support Leopold's family. The total gold comes out to 7,412 Gp. Everyone looks around, and Amurak asks, "So who is going to count it out?"
I tilt my head at him. "What do you mean count it out?"
"I mean, like who is going to count out the pile until we are even?" My eyes bug out. "You mean to tell me that you all just count out until everyone's piles are even? How long does that even take? Never mind, don't answer. Why don't you just do the math? I will do it really quickly on my phone." I pull it out of storage and use the calculator app. It spits out 1482.4. The whole time I am doing this, my friends grow silent and look at my phone with apprehension. I look at them for a couple of seconds and proclaim the total coins each will be getting. This snaps them out of their stupor.
"Ok, Techno genius, how do you plan to sort all of the coins into their piles?" Xantcha says, taunting.
Still confused about why my friends would look at a phone like that, I reply, "Like this." As I scoop the coins into my storage, then I hold out my hand in front of each of them, thinking about the number of coins I want to appear. Neat stacks of bars, each equaling 100 gold coins, appear in front of each of them in turn. They look at me like I am an alien. Well, I am, but it still stings.
"Ok, out with it. First, you freeze like a deer in headlights, and then you look like I just turned air into water. What is it that I am missing?" I finish with a small shout.
This breaks the hold on Trila, and she informs me that, "Most interactions between people and tech are negative. The technology-advanced races are, hmmm... aggressive and paranoid. Often, the tech they make is trapped, most often killing everyone that touches it. I think your interface might be different than ours. My inventory is more nebulous. It is like having something in your pocket; you can feel it but not see it."
"That is so interesting, mine is nothing like that, see," I say, willing my inventory over to them while keeping the appearance unchanged. "This is the way I see it and everything. My equipment, stats, the friend list, and all the other menus." I continue, flicking a screen over to them. After the fourth screen, I get a prompt I was not expecting.
"Would you like to share your H.U.D and interface with all members in your party, yes or no? The options they can access will be limited by their understanding of technology but will unlock over time."
I click yes without even thinking. Each of their eyes goes wide as they accept the changes. I walk them through the different menus. That reminds me that I can add them as friends and it might help to show them what a smartphone is.
"I see. Let me show you what a smartphone is." So we spend the next 3 hours relaxing and playing with my smartphone, and I show them the videos that I have saved from Earth. They are all fascinated for different reasons. Xantcha is very interested in the camera and recording aspects, while Trila is intrigued by the 5000 books I have stored on the phone. What came as a surprise was that Amurak loves cat memes and videos. After that, we all go to our rooms with the promise to have a conversation about where we go from here.
The next day comes, and we meet in the same room we rented last night for a private conversation. We come to an agreement that we should all go to Urza. Trila states that once we reach Urza, she will be departing from us as she has to return to her college to share the discoveries she made and use the glasses to their full potential. While we are sad to hear the news, we all understand her reasoning and support her decision to return to her college and people. We decide to spend the day preparing for the trip and spend the gold on upgrades or, in my case, just basic armor.
Walking around town to find some deals has never been my jam, so I turn around and ask the person at the front desk of the adventure guild if there is anyone in town that sells druid class-based items or spells. They direct me to a Grove of trees that is secluded on the north side of town. It is a lovely little grove surrounding a building that is grown from a myriad of trees that look to have been woven together.
The name above the door reads The Woodland Wanderer. Once inside, the shop is filled to the brim with herbs, plants in pots, seeds, rocks, sticks, and more items that I do not have a name for. It does not leave a ton of space for movement. The shop owner is a tall and thin man with a Wizard beard, an honest-to-goodness wizard beard. The length of which is impressive, the man attached to the beard stands a solid 7 feet, and the beard itself is 5 feet in length. Across this beard is a tapestry of beads, knots, charms, and branches, all artfully arranged to tell a story of a young man who was walking down a path of corruption but was turned away when he found nature.
The way the story flows is truly beautiful. "One day I would love to know your story."
"Of course, young Druid. One day we shall trade stories. Today will not be that day. My name is Olmeg the Wanderer, and what might yours be?" He rumbles out.
"I am Havoc Deamhan. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am new to being a Druid and new to the system in general. I was hoping to find advice, spells, and equipment."
He nods his head and says, "If I were to offer advice to the best of my abilities, I would need to see your character sheet so I know what you're missing. I would swear an oath that falls under my druidic oath. The oath would be to never reveal the information to anyone that you have not given permission. This will also cost 100gp. If all this is to your liking, then we can start now." Olmeg says, leaning on the counter.
Not giving it a second thought, I pull out 100gp while sending the screen to him. He makes the oath and starts to read. As I poke around the shop, I see some things that pique my attention but nothing that stands out as a must-have. I collect one of every herb he has, though. It would be nice to finally train for the job and skill, and with this stock, I could try and find some new recipes for health and mana potions. After about an hour, the old man speaks up as he returns with a stack of books. It catches me off guard as I never saw him leave.
I put the stuff I collected off to the side and move to sit with the druid. I notice that he has collected more than just some books.
"I have some questions about you and what you have been up to. Some of the titles and skills don't line up, and to be honest, it looks like a mess. I need to know what your profession is. Most of all, I need to know what you want out of this," Olmeg says, finishing with a sip of tea.
So I start at the top with the integration of my planet. At this, he chokes on his tea, deep wracking coughs to expel the half a cup of tea he must have inhaled. Once he composes himself, I go on to tell him everything, including the magical tree. It is at this point he comes to life again. His eyes burst into green light, and with a booming voice, he says, "Did you create a tree that is bound to a god?" I nod more in awe than fear. "If it is so, show me. Think about that memory, and we shall see what you have brought down upon your world."
There is a flash of green light, and the memory floats before us. He watches it with a mix of growing fear and excitement. Once the memory is over, Olmeg looks deflated. "Sorry, my boy, that was the voice of the Druidic Oath. I am bound to rules that are very important; one of which is not to ever bind a God to a tree. What you made skirts that line as it is a vessel of communication and not bound to the god itself. Sorry again, continue." Olmeg says.
Glad to not have been attacked by an oath-bound druid, I continue on with the story. By the end, he just looks sad. "So what do you want out of the system? What is your end goal?"
"I want to be strong enough that I can protect what I care for. I want to care for my land and my people," I say.
"So what I can see from your sheet is you lack knowledge and experience. I don't mean just killing things or reading books. Being able to know what you have and how to use it. Having the time to hone your craft. From what you were saying, it is that you have been going, since the integration, which is understandable given that you have a quest. So what I am going to do is instruct you on what to study and equip you with what you are missing so you have the best chance to complete your mission. You should not waste time or money on items that will only help in the future when you need to survive now. That is why I have prepared these for you." He says, gesturing to the stack of items. "Also, you should use this moment to buy from the stream while you have someone with more experience to guide you. Also, I see that you have a pending class evolution. We should take that on first. As it might shape how you spend your SP." So I open the 2 pending notifications that I set aside.
Congratulations you have reached 25 and unlocked your Capstone Class ability Quest.
Capstone Quest
Difficulty: Grand
Quests Description: Plant, cultivate, or create a legendary tree.
Type: Class
Rewards: Capstone ability : Cosmic wisteria
Congratulations you've reached level 25 and you've unlocked your first class evolution. Taken into account your titles, profession, skills, and spells. You have been given a choice of three classes. Arboreal Essence Weaver. epic Support class, Arboreal Juggernaut. Epic defensive class, and Elemental storm druid. Rare offensive class.
All of these sound so good. So i send the prompt over to Olmeg. His eyes bug out as he reads over the prompt. “ these are really good. Most people only get uncommon class on there frist evolution. it is really rare to see epics before the third evolution. See the epic rating on these 2 classes that means your class gets 60 Attribute points that are spent on your primary attributes.” Olmeg says as he brings out a small chart that has all of the rarity tiers and there Attribute values.
Divide between 2 or 3 Attributes.
Common: 20
Uncommon:30
Rare:40
Epic:60
Legendary:100
Mythic:120
"Oh wow. This is going to be a huge power spike. If I am going to be getting 60 Attribute points per level, then just how powerful are the other people in this city with levels in the hundreds? Wait, why have I not been getting points from my class up until now?" I ask.
"That is because you were not born to the system. Your body could not handle the power; instead, it was used to give you that new mana body. Don't worry too much about the missing Attributes; they are only one aspect of power. The system balances all," Olmeg says. The way he said that sounded reverent.
"Often times, the system balances these matters with a better starting point, assuming you survive. Look at the options that you have now and the fact that you have 2 epic spells and all of those titles. Let's read over the classes, and we can talk about what you want from them."Olmeg says.
"Arboreal Essence Weaver. Epic Support class: gives 20 to intelligence and 40 to wisdom per level. Upgrades 2 spells to support spells. Arboreal Essence Weaver combines aspects of the profession of Essence Alchemist with the potent aspects of nature magic. This support class gains bonuses when used in tandem with the Essence Alchemist profession. Using the power of nature to heal and strengthen through the roots of the world tree.
Arboreal Juggernaut. Epic Defensive class: gives 30 to constitution, 15 wisdom, and 15 to strength per level. Upgrades 2 spells to defensive spells. The Arboreal Juggernaut moves with the force of a landslide; however, while stationary, they are as immovable as a world tree. This momentum-based defensive class takes space and holds it with barriers and controlling effects. Increasing momentum adds attack power while decreasing momentum increases defense.
Elemental Storm Druid. Rare Offensive class: gives 30 to intelligence and 10 to wisdom per level. Upgrades 2 spells to offensive spells. The Elemental Storm Druid focuses on calling down a storm of elemental spells. As the caster chains spells, the power of the storm increases. Harnessing each element adds damage to the next."
"Let's see," Olmeg says, comparing the classes to my character sheet. "Alright, I think I have a grasp on why you might have gotten each of these classes. But first, we have to talk about the upgrading of spells. These spells can be from the class spells or generic spells. When choosing a generic spell, the rarity will not be upgraded, but it will be turned into a stronger class version. If a class spell is chosen, then the rarity will be upgraded by one tier. The upgraded class spell cannot be of a higher rarity than the selected class. With all that being said, I think you should take whatever spell you want to improve. In the end, you use them the most and will know what might work best for you."
"I have a couple in mind that might be good candidates for an upgrade. It sucks that I can't turn my epic spells into legendaries. So you mentioned that you had an idea for why I got the options that I did." I says trying to keep us on trace and not ask the thousand question burning in my mind.
"Oh yeah. Teaching this stuff brought back old memories of when I used to teach at the ancient grove, and it brought out the lecturer in me. The support class is from creating a new profession and skill. The defense has to do with the way you are using earth strider in combat, and the offensive class is related to the different elements you have used in combat," Olmeg says.
"That all makes sense. Out of all of them, I think I'm leaning towards the support class. It synergizes with my profession and sounds like the path that I want to walk. I can't help but think if I had this class, I might have saved Leopold," I say, choking up.
"That would be my suggestion anyway. The Arboreal Juggernaut sounds like a great class, but it is hard to ignore synergy with your profession," Olmeg says.
So I select the Arboreal Essence Weaver. After taking a good look at my spells and weighing them, I decide to upgrade two of my most used spells: Earth Strider and Healing Hands. Once I select them and hit confirm, I get 3 notifications.
Congratulations you have selected the class Arboreal Essence Weaver. For having reached level 28 before selecting a class you have been retroactively rewarded 60 to intelligence and 120 to wisdom.
Congratulations you've upgraded your class spell Earth Strider uncommon to Weave Walker epic. All levels and rank bonuses have been transferred.
Weave Walker: level 16 mp: 100 dash, long range1,000 mana teleport.
Cast speed: 1-second dash/15-second teleport
Active: In short range can be used to create a burst of speed 5 times your movement speed. At long ranges, the caster walks into a ethereal tree and steps out anywhere within line of sight using the roots of the world tree to traverse. Both the entrance and exit must be connected to the earth.
Passive: Allows caster to cast spells while moving you must be connected to the earth somehow. If you are in the air, on or in the water You have to be stationary to cast spells.
level bonus: Reduce costs by 1%
Novice rank bonus: Weave Walker can extend to five party members or animals moving them with caster. In short range they get dragged with the caster. Long range allows them to teleport with the caster.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Congratulations you've upgraded your generic spell Healing hands to the class spell Healing Essence Roots. All levels and rank bonuses have been transferred.
Healing Essence Roots: level 16 MP: 200 -500 CT: 5 sec. CD: 30 sec.
Active: Attach a root up to 1 person per 15 levels of this spell. The root heals the target for 2 times your wisdom attribute per second for as long as the spell is channeled. Pumping 500 mana causes a burst of healing and destorys the roots. This burst heals for 4 times wisdom attribute. The root are intangible and can be dispeled.
Passive: Essence Amplification: All Essences used in this spell are 25% more effective.
Level bonus: increase healing by 1% per. lvl
Novice Rank bonus: Focused Healing. Allows caster to focus healing on one area or injury.
Rarity: uncommon.
After reading all the notifications, I send them to Olmeg, who nods and then reaches over to the pile and removes 3 books and a weapon. "Okay, so I have seen this world tree mentioned a couple of times now. Do you have any information on that?" I ask.
"The world tree is the spirit of nature that permeates every world, as every world has nature. It can be seen when traveling between the Physical and Spiritual realms. It is of both worlds and never fully in one or the other," Olmeg says. "I think both of these are wins; the burst healing will come in handy, and a teleport at such a low level, you really lucked out. With that all wrapped up, how about we use your SP to try and get you some gear?"
Seeing the wisdom of letting him advise me on what to buy with the massive points I have accumulated, I open the interface of the stream and see that I have 536 stream points. I inform him of how many points I have and what level I can access. He advises me to go for rank 5, as the odds of getting a legendary item are higher. So I spend 32 points to see the options. As they spawn in, I read them out to him.
The Spear of the Heavens - Epic, 80 points.
Flail of Chaos - Epic, 80 points.
Lionseye Eye of Chaos - Legendary, 160 points.
Book of Vile Darkness- Epic, 80 points.
"I would advise that you skip all the options, even though you got a legendary item. It is chaotic, and you don't want to contend with objects like that at your level. It is an ill omen that you have found 2 objects of chaos," he warns.
After a long moment, I move on without reading it. I have never been one to window shop. I decide to pay for a new round of offerings, repeating what I did before:
Spell Book: Meteor Rain (Mage only) - Epic, 80 points.
Spell Book: Rippling Mountain (Druid) - Epic, 80 points.
Amulet of the Crescent Moon - Epic, 80 points.
Libram of Greater Shadows- Epic, 80 points.
We both agree that I should pick the Rippling Mountain spell book. Once I have confirmed, a basin of cosmic purple light appears in front of me. I reach into it to obtain my prize. I reroll into rank 5 because I am at 392.
Orb of Capture - Epic, 80 points.
Beanstalk of the Kami - 80 points.
Ring of Lightning's Speed - Epic, 80 points.
Scroll of Greater demonic rift - Epic, 80 points
"The orb is for beast tamers, and the beanstalk could be good as an investment in the future. I think you should go with the ring. It looks like it could be an item that saves you over the long run. The demon rift scroll is troubling; it means there are large movements in the other realms and worlds," he advises. After weighing the choices, I pick the ring as it makes sense. I don't want to stop everything to grow a plant when I won't be in the area for long enough. So I pay 80 points and retrieve the item from the basin. Seeing that I have 280 points left, I figure one more roll can't hurt. So I drop 32 points on a rank 5 basin.
Potion of Understanding - Epic, 80 points.
Fate of the Faradhi book- Epic, 80 points.
Kunningman's Encyclopedia of Gem, Stone and Metal Magic - Epic, 80 points.
Egg of the ancestral polymorph. - legendary, 160 points.
As the fourth option appears, I see a little green 4-leaf clover in the top left corner. "Oh wow, that sounds interesting. I think you should take the egg. I don't have any information for you on it, but all of the other stuff pales under the weight of a pet or battle pet. The Faradhi book is a class change, and the potion will permanently raise your wisdom by a fixed amount," Olmeg says.
"That sounds awesome, but I have a question about the green 4-leaf clover on option 4. What does that mean? I am going to buy the egg, but I have to know."
"It means that your luck attribute triggered. It is very rare; it just means that it was an upgrade from epic to legendary. The lucky part of this whole thing is that it was a good item. Not all luck is good luck," Olmeg says.
With that answer, I click on the egg and hold out my hands. The basin deposits a bright blue egg with swirls of dark purple. It is about 6 inches tall and half that in width. I inspect the properties of the egg spell and ring.
Egg of the ancestral polymorph
Item Rarity: legendary
Effects: This egg will hatch when the owner has reconnected with their ancestors.
Rippling Mountain MP: 200 Sp: 150 CT: 0 CD: 10sec
Active: Striking with a weapon or bare hand imparts large amounts of earth damage based on the momentum of the user. while creating a mini earthquake center on the user. This knocks enemies to the ground. Damage = Movement + weapon damage.
Passive: Increase resistance to knockdown but 50%.
Description: Strike with the force of a landslide
Level bonus: 1% damage per level.
Ring of Lightning's Speed
Item Rarity: Epic
Effects: +20 DEX, +20% movement speed, 10 lightning damage added to attacks.Lightning Speed: Increase your speed by 300% for 10 seconds slowed by 50% for 10 seconds . Recharges every hour.
Slots Available: 2 AGS
"Now the items I wanted to show you. I am going to remove 2 of the books since you just got a better spell than what I have in stock. Looking at your character sheet tells me that you are also in need of a better area healing spell, a better set of armor, and a stronger weapon to match the strength of the abilities that you will use," Olmeg says.
"What did you have in mind? Also, while I am talking about spells, do you know how to complete these quests?" I say as I send him the quest. He mulls it over for a minute and responds with a shrug.
"I kinda know what to do with the storm quest. Have you ever experienced a storm that came out of a bright blue sky? Those are often caused by a creature, a sentient being, or a mana manifestation. The last one seldom happens. As areas of natural untethered void dont appear on this world very often. You will have to find a void dungeon. As for the items that i have set aside. The healing spell is good for when you need to heal the whole party or a large number of people all at once. Take a look for yourself." Olmeg says.
Revitalizing Restoration - MP: 600, Stam: 100, CT: 10 sec, CD: 5 min.
Active: Centered on the cast. Create a wave of healing magic that heals allies within 30 feet of the caster. Healing is 5 times the wisdom stat.
Passive: Healing spells cast after are 25% more effective for 30 seconds.
Level bonus: Increase the healing by 1% per level.
Rarity: Epic
Oaken Leather Armor - Item Rarity: Rare
Effects: +20 CON, +20 WIS, +10% damage to druid spells
Slots Available: 1 AGS
Maul of Oaken Vengeance - Quality: Adept
Damage: 55-75 blunt crushing
Effects: +25 STR, +25 earth damage, +25% to stun, Oaken vengeance
Oaken vengeance: When an attack is blocked with the shaft, you can trigger a counter-attack that deals 1.5 times damage if the counter is landed. Can only be activated once every 24 hours.
Slots Available: 1 AGS, 1 ES
"Wow, these are really good items. What is it going to cost me?" I ask.
"All three will be 1700 gold," he replies.
My eyes bulge at the price, and it takes me a second to look at each item. There are two epic items and a rare item. Both the healing spell and the hammer are very good. After taking a peek into my funds and inventory, I see that I have about 2,022 gold. So I start bargaining with, "I can do 1200 for the lot." He counters with 1600. We dance back and forth until I reveal some items and say, "These are worth around 100 each so all four and 1300 gp, and you have a deal." The items I am offering are four of the five throwable poisons of Blister Flesh. I explain that, as far as I know, these are one-ingredient Blister Flesh poisons.
"Alright, you have a deal," I said, holding out my hand. With the bargain struck, I now have to stop by the training field to learn how to use a hammer this size. Now that the business is done, he grills me on what I know about my world's magic and tech level. I give him the answers he wants, leaving out some details such as our level of war and weapon types outside of guns. Once the conversation dies down, I promise to return with interesting items to sell to him. I head over to the adventuring training field and ask for the trainer on duty. A large Scaly drake walks up to me, and as he gets close, I notice the large scars that cross his chest. He asks what I need.
"I need to learn how to swing this monster crusher around without braining my teammates," I say, pulling out the hulking maul. "I also have a spell that I want to try out."
"Alright, the skill book will be 100gp, and the lessons will be 100gp. You can test any spells on the testing stone," the instructor informs me. I hand over the money and provide him with my name. He responds with a grunt and then leads me to the stone. "My name is Zurgo. You can test the spells while you wait for the book."
"Okay, so I was hoping to use the maul. Can I swing it without knowing the skill?" He nods and gestures towards the rock. "Have at it. Your weapon will not degrade while testing."
First, I want to try the new Magma Bomb spell with all my equipment, new class stats, and mana body. After a 10-second cast, I unleash a ball of lava that hurtles across the 100 feet in one second. The explosion is not massive, but the wave of lava washing over the 15-foot area makes me excited to try this spell out. Checking my combat logs, it shows that it dealt 567 points of fire damage.
Next, I want to try out Magic Missile and Earth Spike. I cast both of the spells in their base forms, and they both hit for 235 damage. Then I decide to charge up the Arcane Missiles and notice that the missiles themselves remain the same, but the impact causes a burst of mana that travels about ten feet in an area around the target. Not too bad for a cost of almost 150 mana.
I pull out the maul, walk up, and activate Rippling Mountain, striking the stone. As I make contact, the stone ripples and waves travel down to the earth, cascading out from the target. I can tell I dealt solid damage to the stone. I check the combat log to get a baseline. "You have dealt 267 damage of various elements." Alright, that is quite the improvement in close-range damage. It says it's based on momentum. Let's see what happens when I trigger Weave Walker. I rocket off in a dash faster than I have ever gone. It was at the limit of what I could handle. I smash into the rock, and the ripple that starts on impact is larger and thicker than the last strike. "You have dealt 509 damage to various elements." Ok, much stronger.
Time to try the final item. I cast Weave Walker for 5 times the base speed, and I activate Lightning Speed. I rocket off way faster than I can handle. Before I can activate the spell, I smash into the rock at 504 miles per hour. If it were not for the protection of the training ground, I would have been pasted. Instead, I just stop, feeling like every bone was hit with a hammer, and I am left with 1 HP. I hear a sonic boom, and then I pass out.
I wake up to a person dressed in all white, save for a red cross on the chest. We have been moved to a clean white room. They have a powerful presence, standing above me, looking down with a smirk. "You, my friend, have stumbled into something that might be very powerful and dangerous. If you are not careful, you will die very quickly. If it were not for a Greater Restoration spell, you would have been crippled. But because you paid for lessons and your instructor should have asked you what you are going to be testing, we healed you free of charge."
"What was that boom that I heard right before I passed out?" I ask.
"That was the Mayor of the City. Apparently, she got an alert that we were under attack. You triggered a magical sensor for objects traveling very fast. She was also the one who healed you," she says.
"Wow. Oops. Yeah, sorry about that. I was testing a new item with a spell. If the mayor is still around, I would love to thank her. Oh no, how rude of me, I am Havoc," I say, extending my hand.
"Oh no, it is no problem. People test skills out all the time. Sometimes they fail. My name is Hekit. It is a pleasure," she shakes my hand.
"Do you know of a way to increase control at a higher speed? I could barely perceive what was happening at that speed. But if I increase my control, I can activate my spells and items at that speed. The combination of the spell and the ring worked too well. One second, I was 100 feet away from the stone; the next, I was smashing into the stone," I say.
"Ah, I see. I think I know what you did wrong. There is a general rule that you don't push past 3 times your DEX stat. So your DEX is 95, which means you should only increase your speed to a maximum of 285 for a short time. What speed did you reach?"
"504. The combination gave it an 8-time speed modifier. I was able to control it at 315 speed."
"Intelligence plays a very small part in control when thinking at that speed. Forget what I said earlier. It is now just dangerous. Did no one ever teach you this?"
I shake my head. "I am learning all of this on the go, but I will take that lesson in stride. Thank you so much for helping me out. Am I all good to leave? I have to head back to the training ground to master the hammer," I say.
"Yes, you should be all good to go. However, the mayor has requested that you stop by her offices. She says that it is important that you speak with her about your trip to Urza," she says as she is getting up to leave the room.
"I will go have a conversation with her the second I'm done with the training yard," I say.
As I arrive back at the training ground, I notice that there is a different person than the one who initially helped me. They make eye contact with me and wave me over, so I approach them.
"Hey, you're Havoc, right?" I nod my head in assent. "I was told to give you this book to help train you in the knowledge of how to use your weapon. My name is Zephyr, and I will be your instructor."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Zephyr. If you don't mind me asking, what happened to the other guy?" I ask.
"Oh, he was taken to receive more specialized training, mostly centered around acquiring information about the kinds of powers that would be used and to not make assumptions based on appearances," Zephyr says.
"I see. I hope I didn't get him into much trouble," I say.
"No, he's only in a small amount of trouble, and it was mostly brought up by himself. Well, you could have been more forward with the skills you were going to be using; it was up to him to ask for the information from you. Given the scan I just completed, there is no way you should have been able to control the speed you were traveling at," Zephyr says.
"Yeah, I am getting used to the powers that I got after I broke the mortal limit,"i says.
"I see, that would make sense why you were traveling at such a great speed. You should have known better. I'm going to assume then that you are from one of the integrated planets. I will leave it at that and will not pry any further. I'm just here to help you train and incorporate the knowledge from this book," Zephyr says.
We spent the next three hours training in different combat styles and how to effectively use all sides of the weapon. It turns out you can strike with more than just the head; the butt of the handle also works really well for quick strikes at opponents. Incorporating the knowledge from the skill book gave me the skill at a Beginner rank 0. Once I had a good grip on the skills and how to wield weapons effectively, I bid Zephyr adieu and went to find the mayor.
Knocking on the mayor's door led me into an antechamber where there was a secretary from a species that I had never seen before. It looked like a humanized jellyfish with humanoid features, its hair as tentacles, and its arms and legs were willowy and thin. When she saw me approaching her desk, she said, "The mayor is waiting for you inside, so go on through."
The office was decorated in a minimalist fashion, though the items lying out were very pricey. Outside of bookcases and display cases, the room had no other ornamentation except for a chair, a big desk, and two chairs on the other side. Filling the singular chair was a stout-looking woman. I could tell right away that she was a warrior of some kind. The scars on her face and crossed arms were a dead giveaway, along with her build. When she saw me, she cracked a big smile.
"If it isn't the fourth fastest man in the city. Thank you for coming at your earliest convenience. This meeting will be quick, and it should not take up that much of your time. You've probably heard this multiple times today, but you really cannot be going at that speed, especially not in the city. Of course, you can go as fast as you want given prior authorization, but we have lanes and walkways specifically designed for someone moving at that speed," she stated with a chuckle. "You had a quarter of the Legion mobilized against you and marching towards the training grounds before it was called off. The general was very pissed because he got all ready to kill something and couldn't kill anything, so he'll be leading a hunt later tonight."
"I am truly sorry that my actions caused so much chaos. I really did not know it was against the rules or how fast I would be going. But I figured if there was a safe place to do it, it would be on the training field. You said the fourth fastest in the city?" I asked.
"Yes, I did. There are three other people who are significantly faster than you in the city. One is an inner-city Runner, the second is a long-range Courier, and finally, there is me. I am the fastest while wearing armor. The other two are faster because that is their profession and class," she said.
I can't help it. I scan her. Margaret Temperton: the Mayor of the city. LvL 178 Divine blade zealot. That is all the information I get; the rest is just question marks.
"Did you know it is considered rude to scan somebody without their permission? I understand why you did it. Yes, I am a woman, and yes, I am mayor. No, you cannot challenge me for the title." She says.
I start to turn red from being chastised. Then the second part of what she said clicks in my head. "Nope. I scanned you because I heard a boom right before I passed out, and I wanted to see what level you were. I was hoping that it would give me some insight into how I can travel as fast as I want safely. You being 150 levels over me does not fill me with the greatest confidence that I will be able to obtain that speed anytime soon. All that aside, you wanted to talk to me regarding the trip to Urza." i say in a rush.
"I need you to deliver this package to the head of the adventuring guild there. It should be pretty familiar to you as you were the one who turned it in. The reason that I am sending it with you is that I want to keep a lid on the implications of what this means. I'll assign you an appropriate quest for the contract of taking the package to the guild leader." She says
"Why me though? Why not a more experienced adventuring group?"I ask.
"Because you guys are the only ones going right now. This needs to be handed over safely and quietly. If that is all the questions you have, you can leave," she says, handing the package over to me. “Yes that is all the questions i have” I say wanting to get out of this room.
The package looks like a solid stone chest. There are no visible seams, and the only thing that stands out from the gray stone is a sigil on the top. So i slip it into my inventory.
After leaving the mayor’s office, I stand on the sidewalk looking at the city. Very soon I will leave this place to find my Wife. Looking at it for what might be the last time, I can't help but think of how far I have come to get here. With that thought, I open my character for the first time in what feels like ages. I am shocked at the changes.
NAME: Havoc Deamhan
LEVEL:28 XP:686/26,100
CLASS:
Arboreal Essence Weaver
Race: Human
HP: 1,062 / 1,062 real 1180
MP: 3,320 regen 332/ 1min.
Stamina: 590 R 71/1min.
Titles bonus consolidation
+2 basin + first 3 ranks free
+10% to all stats
+ 25 Physical attacks.
+25 damage spells
+15% to Int and Wis
TITLES:
Bold quartz hunter: Gives a +10% to all stats
Silver Aventure: +15% to Int and Wis
Arcane Earthshaker: + 25 spell damage.
Spare the Young: +10 luck
Savior of Cities: +2 Basin rank + first 3 ranks free
Unseen Butcherer: +25 damage Physical attacks
Profession: Essence Alchemist LVL:2.
Available points: 15
STATSbase+eqp+title=
Unspent points: 0
STR: 65 (+10%) = 71
DEX: 67 +20 (+10%) = 95
CON: 88 +20 (+10%) = 118
INT: 158 +30 (+25%) = 235
WIS: 226 + 40 (+25%) = 332
CHR: 69 (+10%) = 74
LUCK: 43 + (+10%) = 39
Stream Points
Generated per lvl: 13
Available: 88
Basin Rank: 1-5
Bonuses : +1 selection
Mana Affinity Percent: 75%
Active Quests:
One with nature. Class
Glimpse into the void
Capstone Quest
Passive bonuses
+3 to Perception
+1 selection from basin, -10% helath plants
Trauma from the mall murder.
soul storage
Opalescent Baby Blue Eye
Bloodroot daisy
Gold 552
SPELLS
Class: 9/10
Class. 20 lvl Contour Nature Seismic Perception
Class. Summon Plant elemental lvl 6
Class. Arcane Blooming lvl 5
Class Magma bomb
Class. Weave Walker novice: lvl 15
Class. Nature's Bounty lvl 5
Class Essence Roots lvl 16
Class Revitalizing Restoration
Class Rippling Mountain
Generic. 6/10
Gen. Magic Missile lvl 18 Arcane missiles.
Gen.Earth spike lvl 12
Gen. Gift of Focus lvl 4
Gen.mage armor lvl 11
Gen. Minor Cleanse: lvl 2
Gen. Ice Blast lvl 5
CRAFTING SKILLS aka SKILLS
Arcane sight lvl 10
Arborist lvl 1: 10%
Blacksmithing lvl 4:
Carpentry lvl 5 20%:
Channeling lvl 5 10 %:
Combat Casting lvl 2
Commune with Nature lvl 16: Novice Rank: Essence Link
disarm trap lvl 13
find traps lvl 13
Harvesting level 7
Herbalism lvl 3:
Gunslinger lvl 1 30%
Language Translation
Perception lvl 3 40% lvl 4
Polearm Mastery. lvl 15 i
short sword mastery
Inverse Ingredients Lvl 30:
Novice Rank: Increase uses found by 1
Student Rank: chance to learn ingredients from ingesting finished products. Potions, poison, and everything between.