"What do you think? Should I try to raise my radiance? Or spend points on skills?"
If Mudhead had an opinion on things, he was being stubborn and not telling anyone. Ben had run over to the livery stables to try and catch Mattias before he left, but the old Courier and Beatrice had already headed out. He'd left Ben a note, and a key.
'Ben - Sorry I missed you. Beatrice and I are out patrolling the roads and helping some of the folks get their herds out of town before the fireworks start. Bad business and I don't like it. Keep low. A Courier shouldn't take sides in things like this. From talking to General Themis, it seems all the workers are sidelined anyway. A good thing. I'm taking some dispatches to the capital, not sure when I'll be back. Mudhead's all yours, God help you. Feel free to make use of the other room as it's more comfortable than your hidey-hole upstairs. Back someday. - Mattias.'
Ben would miss him, as well as Beatrice. For now, he'd have to figure things out on his own. He dearly wished he knew more about what his new class would bring. He wanted badly to pick up more crafting skills. But he also wanted every advantage he could get, and if there were small bonuses to be gained for having stats raised to 10, that was the priority, along with raising his aspect. Looking at his stats, he brainstormed how to get the most out of them. He had Boss Experience to raise the stats he needed. A 1000 points would give him Rank 5 and 5 points in that stat. He could buy 3 more points with enhancement points and had his starting bonuses for his heritage.
Some of his stats were woefully low, many still at zero. The restrictions on Contract Workers were stifling at times, but they were slowly getting around them. 'Slowly' being the key word. But rewards from killing Bosses were helping them gain a foothold. A new skill meant a chance to gain more experience in a stat. His new magical weapon was an odd example of that. He'd experimented with the Maw-Tooth Adze, and not having anyone to fight had tried to use it in its traditional role of stripping back and shaping wood. The tool hadn't felt awkward to use and after an hour's work, he'd gained the basic skill: Adze. While being good at stripping bark seemed like a small thing, having a STR skill was huge. Even a few day's work would let him gain a point or two of STR. For a Contract Worker, that meant the ability to lift logs and barrels with ease. It wouldn't help him raise his STR now, cooped up for the war, but in Tier 2 it would come in handy.
With several stats at zero, he concentrated on the others. Radiance was his first thought, and improving his magic. He put 1000 Boss Experience into Flames of the Phoenix. This brought the aspect to Rank 5 and gave him 1000 towards RAD. He received a message about new spells that immediately justified that decision.
[Flames of the Phoenix has reached Rank 5. You have been inspired with the knowledge of two new spells.
Healing Fire: At a touch, pale flames spread from your hands and run over a person's body. Bleeding is cauterized, small wounds are healed, and fractured bones are strengthened. Up to 200 health is restored as well. More grievous injuries are lessened but not totally healed. Cost: 300 mana base cost. Horrific injuries may increase the cost.
Guiding Light: You create a glowing beacon of light in the air above you within 10 feet. The light is as bright as daylight and has a radius equal to 20 feet per rank of the spell. Within its light, undead and corrupted creatures have a penalty of -1% chance to hit and an additional -1% per rank. Cost: 50 mana per rank. Duration 1 minute.]
Better healing, and a combat bonus. Very useful. He pondered how to get to Rank 10 in radiance and brought up an old message. Suzette signed up with the Light, and Ozzy was pitching for both sides. Rolly was interested in neither. He'd thought about abstaining as well, but gaining his aspect of magic and healing spells the way he had gave him a new perspective. The Wolf was an example of what lurked in the dark. The Meat Daemon was another. Officially joining the Light wouldn't change much so he accepted the offer he'd let sit for weeks.
[You certainly took your time making the decision, but that just shows how careful you are in giving your allegiance and how seriously you take your dedication to the cause. The Light bestows upon you +1 Radiance which will....oh, have some of that already? Well, good for you! But don't go yet, there's more! Take your pick of the following cantrips: Mending, Purify Well Water, Bless Newborn Child, and Freshen Air.]
Ben chose Mending, a spell that would be handy for sewing up arrow punctures in his uniform. He got a lot of those from assassins.
[Excellent Choice! Now let's talk about your first quest for the Light. Choose from the following...]
"Did a quest already."
[Oh, so you did. Saved a woman's soul from the Dark, rescued a patrol of Paladins, and...oh! Summoned a Divine Being to aid you in destroying a Necromantic Wolf Spirit...yep, we'll give you credit for that! Keep up the good work and welcome to the Light!]
With that extra point, and buying three points of Spirit of the Divine, he'd be at nine RAD. One of his free points could raise that to ten. More experience went into DEX and AGI to bring both up to 1500 points and level 6. Six enhancement points in Spirit of the Cheetah raised AGI to 12, and 6 in Spirit of the Monkey raised DEX to 10. He had the points to spend, and there were only a few skills he valued as much as raising his stats for the possible milestone benefits. CHA would need 3 points from Spirit of the Swan and would go past 10 with the points from Tier 2, and that would give him four stats at 10 or higher.
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He bought Trust Me! and Jumping Jack. The latter especially seemed useful now for leaping on and off a horse, which was painful if done wrong. He still remembered that disastrous dismount that nearly got him killed by Harmony. As always, one thought of the girl spun him off into memories of those few days. When was he going to see her again? A trip to Franklin House was sounding better and better.
With an effort, he turned his thoughts back to spending points. Those skills would cost him 8 enhancement points. He went ahead and bought the second level in Magic Sense as well. With a few points left, he picked up blacksmithing and silversmithing as tertiary skills, and rune carving as primary. He wished he had a month to just sit and tinker with things. He realized he was being frugal with his points. He loved theory crafting in games and looking at options forever but held off too long on spending the points. He didn't have the option in this game. He still didn't have a perception skill, and that was hurting him. Spotting ambushes would make his Courier runs less painful. He put six points into buying all three levels of Spirit of the Owl. With 13 points left to spend, he boosted his mana by buying two points of INT and the first two levels of Increased Mana.
He had just finished up when he heard someone knocking on Mattias's door. He went down the ladder, shouting "Mattias is on the road."He was surprised at the sight of General Themis, resplendent in her helm and cape. Behind her was a squire holding a large book under one arm and a set of scales in the other hand. "Then I guess you'll have to do. I didn't expect him to still be around, but I'd hoped. Follow behind my squire. I'll have messages going back and forth from here to Rowan, and you’ll be doing the riding until this little skirmish is officially over."
Ben brushed loose hay off his uniform and followed her out. At least he'd get a good look at how the war was going by hanging around the General.
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Name: Benjamin
Height: 5’ 10”
Weight 170 lbs.
Heritage: Human 100% (+1 DEX, +2 AGI, +1 CHA)
Creature Type: Contract Worker
Class: Contract Worker: Courier Level 5
You have a role to play in the village of Sedgewick.
Health: 1240
Stamina: 1220x3= 3660
Mana: 1560
STR: 0 (+20 Stamina, +10 Health, per point.)
CON: 2 (+10 Stamina, +20 Health, per point.)
DEX: 10 (Increased chance to hit in combat.)
AGI: 12 (Increased avoidance in combat.)
WIS: 0 (+15 Mana per point.)
INT: 5 (+15 Mana per point.)
CHA: 9 (+15 Mana per point.)
PER: 3 (Decreased chance of ambush.)
RAD: 9
Drive Cart (DEX): Rank 5.
Carry Tidings (CHA): Rank 5:
Travel (AGI): Rank 5
Horseback Riding (AGI): Rank 3
Wolfback Riding (AGI): Rank 0
Acrobatic Dismount (AGI): Rank 2
Aspect of the Phoenix (RAD): 5
Minor Poison Resist (CON): Rank 2
Tool Repair (DEX): Rank 4
Inventor (INT): Rank 2
Leatherworking INT (Tertiary): Rank 0
Woodworking INT (Tertiary): Rank 0
Coppersmithing INT (Primary): Rank 2
Adze (STR): 0
Enhancements:
Notebook: Creates a magical notebook that can be viewed privately, written in, and shared with others.
Identification 1: Gives information on Tier 1 Creatures and Items cost.
Magic Sense 1: If a Tier 1 creature within 30' has an affinity for a type of magic and may cast spells, you will get a feeling for what type of magic. You can tell if an item is magical and if Tier 1, gain an idea of its use.
Horseman's Whip: You are skilled at using a whip and can do so while mounted. You may use your whip to entangle an opponent instead of doing damage. This is a Primary weapon skill.
Horseman's Xbow: You are skilled at using the Hand Crossbow and can shoot while mounted and moving. This is a primary weapon skill. (Added by Harmonia.)
Run Like the Wind: Your movement is +25% faster than normal. This affects your mount or conveyance.
Jumping Jack: You may leap twice as far as normal.
Trust Me! 2: Your Winning Smile inspires trust in all tier 1 creatures and helps with tier 2.
Extra Mana 2: +150 Mana
Contract Worker - Imperial Courier
Your actions and lineage have brought you increased responsibilities as well as a small bit of fame.
In times of peace, you carry the mail. In times of war, you carry the Emperor's word. In times of trouble, you are the eyes and ears of the Emperor. Your skills include enhanced versions of the normal courier skills.
+2 CHA, +3 free stats.