Sign: Snake
Buffs: Serpent’s Kiss (Romance twice as easy)
Debuffs: Curse of the Unspecified (Start the game with no gender, no name, and no other identifying feature)
EXP: 1,119
Alchemy
Coagula (LVL 0, 24 SKP)
Solvé (LVL 0, 9 SKP)
Theoria (LVL 0, 23 SKP)
Botany
Tending (LVL 0, 5 SKP)
?
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Cooking
Fire (LVL 0, 21 SKP)
Water (LVL 0, 11 SKP)
?
Homesteading
Fire Tending (LVL 0, 7 SKP)
Tidying (LVL 1, 5 SKP)
Dirt Buster: The magical branch of Purification lends this Sorcerer the ability to ‘Bust Dirt.’ Dust and grime accumulate at a infinitesimally slow rate on objects you have cleaned.
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Speech
Logic (LVL 0, 33 SKP) Ready to level up!
Linguistics (LVL 0, 7 SKP)
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Total SKP: 160
Inventory:
Auros: 0
Cards of Destiny: 5 of ?? Discovered
Names: 2
Gillygad, The Stiched-Up Wonder (Pitchfork)
Zinia, The Serpent’s Caress (Snake)
I paced in front of the fireplace, agitated and angry.
When the woman had first showed up, I was intimidated by her. She was so commanding, so sure of herself, that I felt like she was the ultimate arbiter of my fate. But now, thinking about the whole situation, and not in the presence of her imposing stature, I found myself fuming and mentally rejecting her evaluations.
I had survived a terrible ordeal, and not only did I not get any credit for defeating a spirit of darkness, I was actually being punished for it! Or, at least, that’s how it seemed to me. Aleister silently followed my steps with his green eyes.
I just couldn’t believe it. I had tried so hard. It wasn’t my fault that an evil spirit decided to latch itself onto me. I could have died for goodness sake! That woman, Tess, had left me to be killed in this old, dusty house! And now, she came back, and had the nerve to tell me to clear out, and that I had failed some initiation, because I hadn’t cleaned the house in its entirety, and because the enchantments (that kept me trapped inside!) had been improperly broken.
Her displeasure seemed so petty compared to the horrors which I’ve lived through.
Before she stepped foot in this house, I was already teetering on the edge of sanity. Now, I felt like taking a leap into the abyss.
“You understand, surely, that I had to call her.” The cat finally spoke up. I narrowed my eyes.
“Fat load of good that did.” I answered bitterly, but I immediately regretted it. This mess wasn’t the cat’s fault. He had tried to help me by calling the Sorceress. She showed up late to the party anyway, a day after the Midnight Game was won, and had the gall to tell me I had failed. I was outraged!
But my rage was impotent. There was nothing I could do. The house was hers, as far as I knew, and it seemed she really did have the authority to decide my fate. I finally collapsed in front of the hearth.
I stared at the fire, gloomy and morose, and considered my circumstances.
“Aleister, what is an initiation supposed to do? How could I have passed it?” I asked the cat.
“It tests and cultivates the powers that the Sorcerer’s Guild finds requisite for the practice.”
“Like Tidying and Botany?” Surely I could still cultivate those.
“No, not quite. The powers being tested are more abstract, if you will.”
I perked up listening to the cat. Sensing my interest, Aleister continued.
“The first power is Scire, to Know. Most Apprentices come in with a little knowledge, and gain much in the process of initiation. But, you chose charming Zinia as your Sign, and thanks to Her curse, you began knowing nothing. Still, I’m sure you are more knowledgeable now, than when you started.”
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“Sure. Okay, what else?”
“Then there’s Velle and Audere. Loosely translated as to Will and to Dare. Both of these powers have to do with self determination. This is the reason why the Master Sorcerer must depart. For how else could one test self-determination than to be left alone?”
I nodded. I think I understood.
“And lastly, there is Tacere. To keep silent. That usually comes at the end of the initiation.” Aleister said. “All in all, the general format is that the Apprentice is placed into challenging circumstances, and must use their wits, will power, and daring to turn the situation around. Then, after it is done, the Apprentice is sworn to silence on certain matters pertaining to their initiation. This is very loosely speaking.”
I thought about that. Hadn’t my wits, willpower and daring been tested thoroughly by the Midnight Spirit?
I brought this point up to Aleister.
The cat’s neck hair stood on end.
“That was exactly what I argued to that stubborn witch! Weren’t you listening?” Aleister said.
“Right. Of course I was.” I nodded, failing to tell the cat that I was too busy stuffing my face with food to have paid much attention. “So why wasn’t it good enough for Mistress?”
“It should have been good enough!” Aleister spat, “Only…”
“Only what?”
Aleister sighed deeply.
“Sorcery is no longer the wild and lawless art of hermits and oddballs. In bid for legitimacy, the Guild has become rather rigid. Bureaucratic, even.” Aleister explained. “It used to be that a Master Sorcerer could design any initiation they felt was suitable for their Apprentice, but now, everything is standardized.”
“What do you mean?”
“For example, there are three pre-approved methods for initiation. Of these, being left alone in a dirty, locked up house is one. It has been a long time since the Guild has approved initiation that deviates even an inch from these norms. There are forms to fill out prior to beginning, very specific conditions the Master must set-up prior to departure, and of course a checklist at the end to determine if the initiation was passed or failed.”
I think I was starting to understand.
“And if Mistress were to fill out this checklist?”
“No doubt she can tell without any paperwork, that if she were to evaluate your performance by the Guild’s checklist, you would not have passed.” Aleister nodded.
“Which is why she told me I failed. Because I did not adhere to this Guild’s prescribed method.”
“Yes. You’re starting to get it. Mistress isn’t a fool, but she also tends to not like thinking or being outside of any boxes. If there are guidelines and instructions, you can trust that Mistress Addlebern will adhere to every letter.”
“And this checklist, it wouldn’t have a line that says ‘Defeated evil spirit in a deadly game of darkness,’ on it.” I concluded
“Not a chance.” Aleister agreed. “If we were doing things the Old Way, that would be enough for just about every Master. But the Old Ways are in the trash heap of history. Maybe, that’s all for the best, anyway.” The cat finished, with a dramatic flourish of his tail.
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The woman stayed in her bedroom all day. Cheerful came back with groceries, and I decided to at least prepare the fish filets he brought, before they spoiled.
While I sweated over the hearth, sticking my hand over an open fire to flip the white cutlets just right, I thought more about my predicament. Surely, there was some way out.
When I finally retrieved the cooked and golden filets, I got a message.
+5 EXP
+5 Fire (Cooking)
Recipe Prepared!
Fried Fish, (Lunch or Dinner)
Oops. I wasn’t supposed to be increasing my skills. That’s what the Sorceress had told me. I shrugged and decided if I were getting thrown out anyway, I didn’t need to worry about heeding her every word.
While we ate, I questioned Aleister further.
“What will happen if Mistress decides I’ve failed after all?” I asked, dreading the answer.
“I think I can talk her into letting you stay, if that’s what you mean…” Aleister responded quickly.
“No, what will happen to me? Will I still have the Curse of the Unspecified? Will I still be under the Sign of the Snake?” I asked. From what I gathered, the Signs were tied to initiation. It would only make sense that they would be revoked in case of failure.
Aleister looked to the side uncomfortably, which didn’t bode well.
“Generally speaking, the Apprentice is de-Signed. They lose their ability to increase their magical skills, and they must give up Old Toad’s Grimoire.” He answered automatically, like he was reading the answer out of a rule book.
“Give up the Grimoire?!”
“You might find other Grimoires on bookshelves here and there, but not Old Toad’s. It’s one of the Guild’s most prized assets. They wouldn’t let just anyone have a copy.” Aleister added.
I couldn’t give up the book. It was the only thing that saved me during the midnight game. I had started to feel like Toad was an old friend, guiding me through this nightmare...
I frowned. If that’s where all this was going, I needed to figure something out. Quickly.
If I did nothing, I would lose my house (not mine, hers, I had to remind myself), the Grimoire, and even my Sign.
I took the last bite of my fish and got a new message.
Filling Dinner (1 day)
All prices are 20% better.
That would have been a lovely buff, if I had any money left. But I had given it all to Cheerful, who had returned with a sack full of food. This time, he did not bring back paper bags full of weeds, at least.
I was starting to formulate a plan. I didn’t like what I would have to do, but I really didn’t see an alternate option. I wish I could have stayed in the house, brewed potions, and learned more recipes. I watched Aleister and Cheerful enjoying their dinner. I would miss my friends.
So this Guild wanted to test self -determination, huh? They wanted to test wits? I knew that I could put mine to use.
But first, I would have to wait until nightfall.
I hoped that Mistress wouldn’t come back with her judgment before then.
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It was deathly quiet in the old house. Everyone was asleep. Mistress hadn’t come down again, and Aleister and Cheerful were dozing in the kitchen.
I was nervous staying up. I did not want any unwelcome Vision, especially after my struggle against the Midnight Man. I checked every corner carefully, making sure that the shadows weren’t moving, growing, turning into something other. I carefully crept to the front door.
I could open it! I hadn’t been outside in over a week!
I stepped out and stood in the doorway. A full moon greeted me from above the chimney tops and roofs of the neighboring houses. A cold wind battered my face. I guessed that it was early spring. Not the ideal time to go roughing it on the road, but what choice did I have?
I stepped back inside and carefully shut the door.
I tried my best to minimize the noise I made scaling the spiral staircase. It groaned so loudly that everyone would surely be awake before I reached the second floor landing, but as I stood there, my heart beating and my ears perked for noises, I heard only silence.
I picked out what seemed like the warmest clothes from my closet. There was a thick, puffy jacket hidden in the back, which I immediately donned.
I stripped one of the sheets off my bed. In it, I put a few pants and shirts, and made my way downstairs again, cursing each step of the world's loudest staircase. In the kitchen I grabbed some food, and rolled up a quilt. I then plucked a few Belladonna berries, and put them carefully in my pocket. I packed everything into the sheet, and tied it off, throwing it over my shoulder.
Aleister was curled up in front of smoldering embers in the hearth. The cat had said he would go with me. A part of me wanted to wake up my wise friend and bring him along, but a bigger part wanted Aleister to stay, and enjoy the comforts of a house and regular meals.
I almost changed my mind again when I opened the front door and a teeth chattering wind blew through my jacket. I gritted my teeth and took the first step.
If I stayed, and Mistress Addlebern kicked me out, I would have to leave anyway. Except then, I would be leaving with absolutely nothing. This way, I could keep the Grimoire, and my ability to level skills. Maybe I could set up a traveling parcel service using my stolen Grimoire? Maybe I could use my ‘Dirt Busting’ skill to my advantage, and secure a profession as a janitor? Maybe I could entreat Zinia for help, and seduce someone into letting me crash on their couch. The world was my oyster!
I looked back at the door of the house, which until recently had required 750 EXP to unlock. It was funny. I had much more EXP now, but I had no idea how I would spend it. There were no more locked doors for me. The wide open road beckoned!
Over the door frame, the address of the house was plastered in faded letters.
735 Austere Way
I silently bid goodbye and goodnight to the magical house. I started down the cobbled road, humming Gillygad’s song to keep me company.
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