Joe was skeptical that he could in any way assist Gharak in hunting. He figured that anything Gharak would be hunting would probably kill Joe in a heartbeat, and he was mostly correct. Joe and Bixby spent the rest of the day hunting through the woods for deer as that seemed to be Gharaks preferred meat. The most shocking discovery as they went out to hunt was after the trio had made their way to the base of the mountain, Gharak suddenly shrank down to about eight feet tall. Even Bixby did a double take.
Gharak explained that one of his rings allowed him to be human sized for a short while. It even applied to his club and the spear Joe had just made. Although Gharak’s idea of human size was a bit suspect, Joe figured it wasn’t the craziest or even fifth craziest thing that he had encountered in the last few days.
The three of them spent the next two days hunting, cleaning their kills and salvaging the hides. Gharak was very happy to have Bixby along as he could find and track their prey far better than Gharak could. He was also exceptionally pleased that Joe could just toss the dead animals in his inventory which made it possible to stay out longer and bring back more meat than Gharak could on his own. At first Joe was sure that they were going overkill on the hunting, but then he saw just how much Gharak ate, and he thought, Maybe we’re not hunting enough. Maybe he’s so lanky because he can’t eat enough on a regular basis? Not knowing giant physiology, Joe could only shrug.
Joe also benefitted from the arrangement as Gharak allowed Joe to either do damage to their prey or outright kill it. As long as Joe or Bixby could do some damage, then they received experience rewards for the kills. Joe also looted all the bodies, but he only ever got small amounts of gold or an occasional gemstone. However, one particularly tough buck netted Joe a magic item.
Boots of the Deepwoods Elk
These magical boots allow the wearer to walk and run at three times their normal speed as well as jumping three times their normal height and distance.
When Joe first put them on, he ran full tilt into a tree, and it was the first time he had heard Gharak laugh. It was booming and slightly obnoxious and Joe beamed at the noise and even Bixby seemed to enjoy Joe’s misfortune. It did not take long for Joe to master their use and he immediately retired his old boots.
Joe also learned from Gharak, who was a master at skinning and curing hides. He taught Joe how to make a leather vest and pants to replace Joes torn and stained clothing. Over the course of those three days, the trio became more comfortable with one another and began to move around the camp much easier. Joe built a small hut out of hides outside of the cave even though Gharak invited him to stay inside. Unfortunately, Gharak’s snoring was far too loud in the cave. Besides, the ever-present bonfire-like central fire was always lit and so Joe was never cold at night, especially with Bixby curled up next to him.
Joe was actually very impressed with the inside of the cave. The entire thing was about thirty feet tall and almost as wide at the entrance and it narrowed down to just about twenty feet at its lowest point inside. It went back about a hundred feet and ended in a basic T-shaped intersection. To the left was Gharaks’ sleeping area covered in hides and furs with shelves carved by hand, holding various trinkets and animal fat candles. The other side had a table carved out of the rock and was Gharak’s workspace for grinding powders, bones and other sundry things for making the lye-like material he used for tanning. Joe was astonished to find that Gharak’s tanning method did not stink. Whatever combination of chemicals he concocted kept that process from making any significant odors.
A couple of days into their stay with Gharak, Joe was surprised by a notification scroll early in the morning.
Congratulations! You have survived an entire week in a Level 100+ Zone! Exp earned, 50,000 (Banked).
Achievement Unlocked! Time Tests All Men! You have survived an entire week in a Level 100+ Zone! Rewards Unlocked! You and your companion gain +3 Strength, +3 Constitution, +3 Willpower. Exp earned, 20,000 (Banked). Gold earned 15,000.
Title Unlocked! Woodland Warrior! Survive a single week in a Level 100+ Zone. Rewards Unlocked! You and your companion gain +3 Strength, +3 Constitution, +3 Intelligence and your Survival skill has earned another tier. Exp earned, 25,000 (Banked). Gold earned 15,000.
Joe felt power in every cell of his body as his statistics shot up. He felt healthier than ever and thought that he could probably run at top speed without ever getting tired. I’ll say one thing for the System, the rewards are extraordinary.
They were out on their fourth day of hunting when they ran across a real monster. The three of them were hunting through the forest on the far side of the river. Gharak was shrunken down to better move through the forest and Bixby had caught the scent of something and had ranged ahead. Joe now carried his own spear as well as his axe. He had eschewed the idea of using the goblin bow and arrows so as not to provoke an argument with Gharak. Joe was sure that anything to do with goblins would set Gharak off, and he did not relish pissing off the giant.
They had managed to hunt five overly large elk and Joe was feeling at ease moving through the woods with his new boots, when Bixby came tearing back towards he and Gharak at top speed. He slid in the forest loam and skidded to a stop. He immediately turned back towards the way he came from and lowered his head and growled. Joe asked, “Big monster?” to which Bixby nodded his head up and down.
Gharak saw the interplay and Bixby’s answer and moved off to the side with his spear ready, “I stop it, you kill it.” He said.
Joe nodded and stood with his spear ready just as they could hear something large moving through the trees. Joe saw a large bear come into view between the trees. Whoa, that’s a big boy. He thought as he realized it was almost the size of the forest guardian he and Bixby had encountered. As it got closer, he could hear odd clicks and a bird-like screech come from the thing. Once he could make out details, he saw that the thing had the enormous body of a bear, but the head of an owl. What is it with this place and animal-bird hybrids? Joe wondered.
Joe stood up to get the owlbear’s attention and when he had it, the beast screeched loudly and charged through the woods. Joe held his ground ready to blink step away at the last minute. The animal charged heedless of its surroundings and did not see Gharak fling his spear. Unfortunately, today, Gharak had crap for accuracy and his spear missed its mark by a foot or more. Joe’s eyes went wide, and he yelled, “Oh, crap!” before blink stepping behind the thing. As he appeared, he launched his own spear which bounced harmlessly off the monsters hide. This caused another outburst from Joe, “Double fuck!”
The Owlbear spun around and screeched its rage and Joe felt a pressure on his mind and he fell to his knees holding his head.
Congratulations! Your ability, Mental Fortress, has increased to 20%.
The pressure eased just as Joe looked up with the thing only feet away from him. He saw the two huge saucer sized eyes bore into him with deadly intent and then the monster was stopped cold with a loud crack and a gurgled scream. Gharak had dismissed his ring’s enchantment and simply stomped the monster into the ground. Joe could feel its breath on his face as he knelt two feet in front of the dying beast. Above him he heard, “Joe kill.”
Joe got his scrambled thoughts together and aimed his ring at the things face and fired. The void bolt hit it square in one of its oversized eyes and its entire body trembled. It let out a last sigh and died, blood oozing from the now empty socket and the tingling in Joe’s mind telling him that his foe was truly dead. He fell back onto his butt and took a deep breath in relief, “Thank you Gharak.”
Gharak knelt down and looked at Joe. “Is Joe hurt?” He asked with genuine concern in his voice.
“No, just dazed and glad you were here.” Bixby came and licked Joe’s face, “Thanks, Bix. I’m good.” Joe stood up and dusted off his rear. With a practiced hand, he looted the beast and then stored its carcass in his inventory. He and Gharak recovered their spears and without saying a word, they continued to hunt. After that encounter, the rest of the day was very anticlimactic. They only bagged another two elk before returning to camp. As Joe was cleaning himself up in the pool, he caught a brief glimpse of himself wearing the crude hide clothing with his hair and beard in general disarray. He decided that he looked kind of like a crazed mountain man, which was more accurate than he wanted to admit. What got him excited though was that the moss he had planted days ago looked like it had spread around the edge of the pool. Joe took his knife and with considerable effort he managed to cut his palm. He placed his hand in the pool and it came out healed.
“Awesome!” He exclaimed.
From the fire, he heard, “What is the awesome mean?”
Joe explained that the pool was now filled with healing water and that awesome was a word one used to express joy. Gharak mulled that over while Joe had an idea. He pulled his Never Empty Flask from his inventory and filled it with the water from the pool. He cut his hand again and poured the water from the flask over it. The cut again healed straight away. Hot damn! Joe held the flask upside down letting the water drain, but after a minute when a regular flask would be empty, it continued to pour. Healing on the go! This is great!
Just as he was drinking, Gharak asked, “What is double fuck?”
Water shot out of Joe’s nose as the question took him by surprise. Coughing and gagging, Joe wiped his face and looked over at the giant. “Um, it’s an expression of dismay. When something does not go right.”
Gharak seemed to accept the answer and went back to carving up an elk to add to the stew pot simmering by the fire.
Joe sat at his now customary spot and opened his inventory. He wanted to know what the owlbear had netted him. It looked like along with a substantial amount of gold, there was a single magic item.
Cloak of the Traveler
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
When either worn or covered by this beautifully crafted cloak the wearer is protected from the elements, staying warm and dry. If worn or covered by the cloak for at least one hour, the wearer receives the Well Rested status bonus (+15% experience for four hours). Additionally, any clothing worn under the cloak receives the benefits of a Cleanse spell.
Joe immediately pulled it out and put it on. Gharak watched with interest and commented, “Very nice.” The cloak itself was very obviously made from the owlbear. The main body of the cloak was bear fur on the inside including the ample hood. The outer hide was heavy but supple and dyed a rich black to match the fur. The collar was made of large black and gray owl feathers that felt soft like silk and flowed over his shoulders. Joe watched in fascination as the dirt and grime on the clothing he wore simply vanished. He marveled at that for a bit then became concerned.
“Gharak, can you loot monsters like I can?”
“No. Gharak does not have chosen magic.”
“That seems unfair. Maybe I’ll be able to loot something that you can use. At least, I hope so.” Inspired by his own question, Joe looked through his inventory and pulled out a few things. “Can you use any of these things?” He displayed the Black Fangs of the Spider Queen, the Burrowing Horror egg sacks and the various gemstones he had accumulated. He also pulled out the potion he had gotten from the Griffon.
Potion of the Errant Knight
This potion was created by the alchemist Dar Gorban to assist the Knights of Dawning as they travelled the lands seeking to aid others. Upon ingesting the potion, the user gains a temporary +20% to damage dealt and a +10% resistance to damage taken for ten minutes.
“Well, I should have identified that sooner.” Joe said, mentally smacking himself. He held up the bottle for Gharak to see. “Can you use this?”
Gharak peered at the bottle and shook his head. “No. Not for Jotun.” The same went for all the other loot. Gharak simply either could not use it or had no need of it. Joe put it all away, inwardly determined to do something for Gharak as Joe seemed to benefit the most from the friendship.
Over the course of the next few days, the threesome became very adept at hunting as a team and when back at camp, Joe asked Gharak to teach him his language. Besides English, Joe could speak Spanish fairly fluently and had a smattering of French that he remembered from an old girlfriend. The giant’s language proved to be difficult at first, mostly because Gharak was not a gifted teacher by any stretch, but on the third evening of lessons, Joe found himself instantly proficient with the basics of the spoken language as he received a notification.
Congratulations! You have earned the language skill, Jotun Tier 1.
Achievement Unlocked! Watch What You Say! You have learned a monster language. Most people cannot speak their own language very well, let alone a monsters’. Good job! Rewards Unlocked! You and your companion gain +2 Intelligence, +2 Willpower, +1 Luck. Exp earned, 10,000 (Banked). Gold earned 5,000.
Joe was surprised by the instant information that flooded his mind as words and concepts coalesced and became clear. In perfect Jotun, he said, “Hey Gharak, I think that you are a wonderful teacher and I thank you for your lessons and hospitality.”
Gharak gawked at Joe for a full minute then, in Jotun he asked, “How did you learn to speak so well in such a short time?”
Smiling, Joe answered, “I just received a new skill in your language. I think it added to my understanding and proficiency.” Joe glanced down at Bixby, “Can you understand Jotun now too?” Bixby raised his head from his paws where he was half asleep and nodded yes. “Awesome.” He looked back at Gharak, “Because Bixby and I are Soulbound, we can use one another’s skills, so Bixby can understand you as well.” Joe shook his head in amazement.
“Truly, humans are gifted among Phaedra’s children.” Gharak said in a reverential tone. Joe thought he detected a hint of jealousy as well, but let the thought be. “And Bigsbee as well.” Gharak added. This earned a tail wag from Bixby.
“Phaedra?” Joe queried.
Gharak seemed puzzled but said, “She who gives life. She is the Mother and the Maiden. She welcomes new life into the world, and she gives solace to those that pass. Do you not have a similar God?”
“Kind of. It’s a bit complicated where I come from as there are many different beliefs.” Joe sat, staring into the fire and the camp grew quiet for a long time.
Gharak finally broke the silence, “You are a good friend. I am wiser and happier for knowing you.”
Caught off-guard, Joe teared up a bit, “Thank you, Gharak. You too are a good friend and my life, and Bixby’s are all the richer for knowing you.” The cadence and formality of the Jotun language flowed easily from Joe and made him smile.
Achievement Unlocked! Friendship Above All! You have befriended a Level 100+ monster! Your ability to win friends and influence monsters is without peer. Either that or you are foolhardy but courageous. Rewards Unlocked! You and your companion gain +2 Intelligence, +2 Willpower, +2 Charisma. Exp earned, 20,000 (Banked). Gold earned 5,000.
Title Unlocked! Jotun Friend! Befriend a monster [Gharak]. Rewards Unlocked! You and your companion gain +2 Intelligence, +2 Willpower, +2 Charisma. and you have earned the ability, [Linguistics]. Exp earned, 30,000 (Banked). Gold earned 10,000.
Joe exclaimed out loud, “Wow.” Gharak looked over inquisitively and Joe added, “I just received a lot of bonuses from befriending you, including a new title called Jotun Friend.”
Gharak’s eyes seemed to slightly glaze over, and he smiled, “I can see. That is a good thing. If you ever encounter another Jotun, they will be more inclined not to kill you out of hand.”
“Wait, you can see my Title?”
“I can see your Status which includes your Titles, Health, Mana and Stamina, as well as your level. Or lack of one.” Gharak smiled.
“Oh.” Joe replied shocked. “I can see yours too, but everything has a question mark next to it.”
“Ah, your Inspect ability needs to grow stronger. I am far higher in levels than your ability to see. As we hunt, use it on everything that you can, that is the way to increase its proficiency.”
Joe smiled, “You know, it’s funny, I never even thought to ask you about how the System works.”
“It works differently for your kind than it does for mine. You would be best served by asking someone from one of the chosen races.” Gharak idly stirred the stew.
“Chosen races?” Joe tried to coax.
“Hmmm. Human, Halfkin, Elven, Dwarven, Orcish and Dragonkin. There are permutations among those that can crossbreed as well. You should seek out a town of chosen to learn more about how to utilize the System.”
“Yeah, but the System integration is not complete yet. I think there are at least another fifteen days before the rest of the humans return from the tutorial. I have no idea if they will return to towns or if they’ll have to build them from scratch. I am working with almost no knowledge.” Joe began carving on a piece of wood with his knife, mostly to have something to do with his hands.
Gharak stopped working on the stew and leaned down a bit towards Joe, “That is true, friend Joe, but the other races should have outposts if not entire towns by now. You could try finding one of those.” There seemed to be a hint in Gharaks voice, but Joe was not really getting the gist of it.
“What do you mean? Joe stopped his woodworking.
“During the world merge, the Great System not only brings monsters and beings such as myself from our homes, but it invites chosen races from other worlds to immigrate and settle. I suspect it brings them before the indigenous sapients are free of the tutorial to give them a chance to establish a foothold as they will be outnumbered and vying for resources as soon as the natural populace is returned.”
“So, there are probably Elves and Dwarves and such already here? Are they friendly?”
Gharak thought for a moment and sat up, casually scratching at his beard, “I think as friendly as any of differing race and origin will be towards one another. However, I truly do not know as I am sure it depends on their view of humans.” He moved on to scratching an armpit and added, “I would, of course, vouch for you as a credit to your species, but I am afraid my presence would incite fear and combat instead of helping you appeal to their kindness.”
“Yeah, I can see how a giant walking up to a town would probably scare the crap out of them.” Joe focused back on his whittling. “Besides, Bixby and I promised to stay here with you, and we don’t abandon friends.”
Gharak hummed the now familiar tune to himself then he smiled, “Friend Joe, you are under no geas to stay here with me. I value your truth and friendship, but I will not bar your way should you need to seek your own kind.”
Joe, mulled that over for a while, “Gharak, if the time comes that we need to part ways, I would consider it an honor to come back and visit as often as you allow.”
That seemed to move something in the staid giant and Joe saw tears form in Gharak’s eyes. He realized that he had never seen Gharak cry. “Your words speak absolute truth, and I am the one honored by your loyalty.” He choked back a few tears, “Before you arrived, I was alone. Phaedra saw fit to allow the System to pull me and one of my babies from our world and deposited us here. While I was disoriented, the goblins came and took my child. He was defenseless and I was unable to follow into their cave. I sat at the entrance and had to listen as they butchered my progeny.” Tears were steadily flowing from Gharak’s eyes, and he wiped at them but only managed to smear wetness across his face. “When you came and brought retribution upon those vile animals, I knew that Phaedra had not altogether abandoned me. I decided that in reparation, I would assist you as I could. I used my Seeing Stone to watch but was afraid that my introduction would frighten you away.” He shifted position on his log and wiped his face again. “Imagine my surprise when one kindness was returned with another.” He indicated the basket that Joe had originally filled with fish. “That was when I knew that I would need to bring you here to keep you safe from the beasts of this world.” He leaned as far down as he could to meet Joe as close to eye to eye as was possible, “If not for you and Bigsbee, I should think that I would have sought my end before now. So, I thank you, not only for your kindness, friendship and alleviating my loneliness, but for truly saving my life. I owe you a debt that I will never be able to repay.”
Joes’ eyes were waterfalls by this time. He reached out and wiped a tear away from Gharak’s cheek, feeling the rough skin and prickly hair. Choking on his words, he faltered and then said, “There are no debts between friends only kindnesses. I have no words to convey how honored I am that you shared your pain with me. Where I am from there is a saying, pain shared is pain lessened. You have given Bixby and I refuge from this insane world. That is a kindness beyond measure.” Gharak sat back up as Joe noticed Bixby curled up on top of Gharaks right foot. He sat looking at his friends and then said, “Gharak, Bixby and I have our own reasons for hating the goblins. Your loss only adds to that fire. I will tell you now, that any time I run across them, I will do everything in my power to eradicate them.”
Achievement Unlocked! Wrath of the Righteous! You have sworn an Oath! You have pledged an Oath to destroy a particular kind of enemy whenever and wherever you find it! You must be really angry! Rewards Unlocked! You and your companion gain +2 Strength, +2 Constitution and +2 Willpower. Exp earned, 20,000 (Banked). Gold earned 5,000.
Title Unlocked! Goblin Bane! Your hatred for goblins is legendary! Rewards Unlocked! You and your companion gain +4 Strength, +4 Constitution, +20% damage to goblins and +20% damage resistance from damage by goblins. Exp earned, 20,000 (Banked). Gold earned 10,000.
“Damn!” Joe sputtered.
“What has happened?” Gharak asks a bit alarmed.
“I just received an achievement and Title. Apparently, I just swore an oath.”
“Your words were worthy. Oaths are not achieved lightly.” Gharak seemed very pleased as he went back to tending the stew and singing.
“Gharak?”
“Yes?”
“What is the song you are singing?”
Gharak stopped and looked off into the distance and collected his thoughts. “It is my family’s song. It relates the tale of my meeting with my mate, Marlith, and the births of our children. Since I will never see them again, I have altered it to be a lament of love and loss.”
Joe nodded, “I can understand that. It is very beautiful.”
Gharak turned back to Joe with a sad look, “I can teach it to you if you would like.”
Joe’s eyes widened, “I would like that very much. Perhaps I can teach you a song in return?”