"VOID!"
Utter disrespectful silence...
"VOID!!!"
The voice in my head that doesn't belong inside my head seems to either be ignoring me or has something better to do. Granted, maybe that should be small comfort, seeing how he only shows up to remind me how fucked I'm about to be or that, if I expect fantasy world bullshit to save me, I'm going to die painfully, slowly, and very confused.
Yes, I should be happy that I can't talk to a voice in my head. I should be happy... but I'm not fucking happy. I have no idea what I'm doing, where I'm going, or if there is a point in this grand adventure where I accidentally might die of dysentery! I'm a fan of running toilets and free wifi. I don't even go to renaissance fairs, let alone camping in the woods for hours. I need to find civilization or any variation of a sentient being that doesn't want to eat me because I'm barely five feet tall.
But for now, I'm safe, for as long as that's going to last anyway. First was the prison, then the sewer, then... I don't know what this is. Honestly, I'm confused because I don't remember any ancient civilization building elaborate sewers followed by a maze-like maintenance facility to house and deploy workers for said sewers or prison, or a very important aqueduct that just so happens to be below a prison. There were pipes everywhere, running along the floor and the ceiling, various gauges that punctuated junctures where I could choose to get lost going left or right. I passed storage closets filled with neatly racked tools, which consisted of oversized wrenches, hammers, and shovels.
"Wait, I can use one of those..." So I double back, and I decide to steal one of the giant wrenches made of solid iron, relatively lightweight for its meter-long length and didn't hurt my wrist to swing.
You have acquired Workman's Iron Wrench.
Seriously? Well damn. Ok, feeling a little safer, I keep walking, making random turns checking various doors. Which is also confusing because some doors lead to empty rooms lined with bunk beds, while others are kitchen areas with fire pits flanked by pots and pans. Others are meeting rooms with wooden chairs, tables, and chalkboards detailing sections of the prison. But what's truly creepy is small signs of life; the extra tunics, the half-eaten rations, the trinkets left behind...all these things could mean this place was abandoned yesterday or months ago. And it's always just enough evidence that people used to be here but never more than that.
But the building paranoia gets worse because there is a lack of evidence of violence, despite this place being so close to the prison. The appetite of those Fiend-Spiders should have led them here. Hell, the door to this place was left open, so not even a stray spiderweb to be found feels wrong. There is also the ever oppressive feeling of being underground, and no matter where I go or how many turns I make, I always seem to be going further down. And maybe a dwarf shouldn't find this unnerving, but there is a distinct feeling that this inability to escape this place seems to be by design.
"VOID!!!"
I have 20 unused stat points and 4 class points. There is still a chance to minimax, but this isn't a video game. Or at least not one I would play. Early in my gaming career, I tended to shy away from permanent decisions in gaming. I always favored games where choices can be made and unmade at any given time so I can experiment without repeating earlier content because the only way to try a new build is to basically reroll a new character. Games are an expression of how much time you have versus how much time you're willing to spend, so any game that demands a lot of time better make the most of it.
Whereas in this fucking ass clown of a situation, any and all decisions are permanent and the consequence for making a bad decision early isn't simply a "less optimal play through." I can die here, and I'm pretty sure death is not a quicker way to get to the character select screen... So with that in mind, a little bit of an explanation, any explanation would be nice besides, "Hmm, try not to die? Ok? Thanks!"
After seeming to go nowhere for a while, I decide to double back and start using the wrench to scratch some marks on the wall to keep track of my journey. I eventually settle on one of the bunk bed rooms and firmly shut the door behind me. With the door shut, I realize that the light source for this facility is these green rocks that seem to intensify their weird LED light glow when there's no other light around. Being short, looking up seems to be a habit I need to start relearning since the green rocks at the corner of this room and in the hallways were definitely noticeable. I just assumed my dark vision was doing its thing. I also notice vents for air, dead center in the room, only slightly out of reach but not entirely if I move one of the bunk beds in place. Now I know there is a path to the outside considering the air vents' noticeable size. Granted, I may be too round to fit, but if desperate...
And while I'm here, I might as well explore. I did some basic checks of the first few rooms, but that was mostly looking for any signs of life or un-life I have to worry about. This time I'm rifling through other people's stuff. Which isn't as exciting as RPGs usually make that little tidbit out to be. For one, there isn't much here, the closets have spare clothes, and the cabinets have personal items; some I recognize like simple bronze rings and bracelets, while others have more foreign appeal. Like children's toys made for adults, figurines depicting men and monsters, often in action poses. Why guys in this world keep that kind of stuff is beyond me, but some items looked handcrafted and could be a product of boredom.
Ok, so nothing of value to loot. Oh, I see a pack of playing cards. That's off, but worth pocketing. I settle on the bottom bunk and start considering my options. I can stay here and hope this fantasy world invented refrigeration. If I'm lucky, whoever built this place might return... or I could get woken up by a giant spider breaking down the door one night. I can try to strike out for civilization, meet another human or elf, or lizard person and hope I don't get stabbed or shot on sight. Aww fuck I'm a dwarf? That's a race selection that must mean there are other dwarves here or...other humans dumb enough to be turned into dwarves...
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
I grip the wrench extra tight, thinking about that one. Even now, in the relative safety of a closed door in the middle of an underground maintenance facility, I don't feel safe. I don't feel like I'm in control of anything.
20 stat points, 4 class points. The fact that I have class points means that I... fuck I don't know what that really means! That maybe I can choose to level a different class? Would that be beneficial? Would I end up with a subclass that I'll have to keep leveling to make useful or maybe a new class, a combination of the best of both worlds? The way I see it, I can either end up with a weaker version of two classes or take the safe route and make wizard work.
You can only level up your Class during a rest.
Well, considering I'm at half HP, I should probably consider resting anyway. But before that—
"Frost Armor." My brain clicks the Multicast option, and the door gets two stacks of Frost Armor for a grand total of 115 Elemental Armor. Which should provide a decent warning in case something wants to pay me a visit. But now that I think about it...
Why doesn't Frost Armor wear off? Is it because inanimate objects don't have stamina? The same way the Cold Extremities limit is the amount of health I have.
"Hmmm."
I wait ten seconds, cast Frost Armor with Multicast on my Workmen's Iron Wrench, and then see the status menu for equipment pop up.
Equipment
Workmen's Iron Wrench :: An improvised weapon that deals moderate bludgeoning damage. Scales with strength and dexterity. Now carries the effects of Frost Armor, deals bonus Cold damage equal to ten percent of granted Elemental Armor.
Oh, that's nice, and no drain on Stamina. I'm starting to wonder if taking off my clothes and casting Frost Armor on it would be a way to get around the Stamina drain? With Mana to spare, I strip off my armor, gather the cloak, the gloves, and the boots into one big bundle, and cast Frost Armor with Multicast. I smile, seeing the pile of clothes humming with Elemental Armor before putting it back on.
Character Status
Health : 28/63
Stamina : 20/39
Mana : 17/85
Conditions :
Character Status
Health : 28/63
Stamina : 17/39
Mana : 17/85
Conditions :
"OH, COME ON!"
***********
Character Sheet
Name: Mike Sammons
Race: Dwarf
Origin : Hills
Stats : Level 7
Strength : 7
Dexterity : 6
Intelligence : 7
Wisdom : 10
Constitution : 7
Charisma: 1
Bonus Stat Luck: 12
UnAllocated Points : 20
UnAllocated Class Points : 4
Character Status
Health : 28/63
Stamina : 17/39
Mana : 17/85
Conditions : None
Class Sheet
Class : Wizard
Level : 3
Spells Book : Tome of Mike
Cold Extremities_Lv 3:: Active Spell_Cost 14 Mana_ 1 Second Cooldown_You remove the warmth from things you touch. Deal 16 Cold Damage per second with a 25% chance of causing Chill and Frostbite. Lose 3 health per second the longer this ability is active. You can activate this ability on each extremity. Scales with Intelligence and Constitution.
Frost Armor. _Lv 3:: Active Spell_Cost 25 Mana_ 5 Second Cooldown_ Give a protective layer of Ice on a target object or creature you touch. Target gains 95 points of Elemental Armor however they lose 3 Stamina per second. Has a 50% chance of applying Chill and a 15% chance of applying Frostbite to Melee attackers. Scales with Intelligence and Wisdom.
Cause Fear. _Lv 1:: Active Spell _ Cost 10 Mana_ 3 second Cooldown_ Your perceived combat prowess has allowed you to manipulate the hidden Stat Will. Enemies you target within a short cone are forced to reconsider attacking you and have a 20% chance of being effected by Terror. Scales with Wisdom and Charisma.
Passive Skills
Identify. _Lv 1 :: Allows you to see the first page of a Character Stat sheet.
Reduced Spell Cost Lv 1 :: Spells you cast cost 5 Mana less.
FrostBorn :: You have an increased chance of applying FrostBite and Chill. Also anytime you apply FrostBite or Chill to a target above 3x stacks gain 1 Health, 1 Stamina, and 3 Mana.
Extended Touch Range :: Spells in touch range can either remain touch spells or shoot out in a straight line for 1 meter (about the size of a baseball bat).
Multicast :: Reduce the effectiveness of a spell by 40% to increase the number of times that spell is cast by 2 at no additional cost.
Race Sheet
Race : Dwarf : A hardy race often hailing from planets known for their frigid temperatures and dangerous untamed wildlife. They are ingenuitive enough to carve into Mountains with stone tools but also diverse enough to flourish in any climate and Temperate Zone.
Racial Bonus Stat : Luck
All dwarves are born with an innate ability to Level UP the Bonus Stat Luck.
Racial Passives
Dark Vision : Can see perfectly fine in the dark. Though some users can suffer nearsightedness during the day.
Hard Body : Rarely notices extreme cold or heat, Status effects and Damage related to Fire and Cold Damage is reduced by 2 and have 30% reduced duration.
Novice Dwarven Caster : Haven slain many larger opponents with sorcery, your spells against enemies bigger than you have a 10% chance of dealing double damage.
Origin Bonus
Hill Dwarf : Having grown up in the rolling hills and not the deep mountains, the Hill Dwarfs gain +1 Luck every 2 Levels. Good luck.
Equipment
Armor of the Archfiend :: Armor set derived from the corpse of an Archfiend, minor bonuses to physical resistance and poison is the most it offers
Armor Class : Light
Total Defense Rating : 10+ Physical Resistance, ÷20 Poison Resistance
Trait : ??? (unlocked at level 15)
Workmen's Iron Wrench :: An improvised weapon that deals moderate bludgeoning damage. Scales with strength and dexterity. Now carries the effects of Frost Armor, deals bonus Cold damage equal to ten percent of granted Elemental Armor.