As I drifted through consciousness, I felt at peace, peace from what, I don’t know. It just felt right to lay there and let the final pieces of me form, the ebb and flow of understanding filled me as time quickly passed, before I shot to full alert. Where was I? Who was I? I didn’t know, I couldn’t know. But what I did know, was that I am a magic core, one whose purpose is defend the realm from interspatial anomalies
How I know this, is instinct. That is also why I realise I need to protect my core. But how do I protect myself? And from what? Images and knowledge flooded my still developing mind, people wielding great weapons that I for some reason feel the need to call “cold” or magic of varying disciplines. Adventurers, delvers, guilders among a myriad of other names, all people who seek to claim me and my power.
I think for a while yet, why do I call these weapons cold? Suddenly, memories and experiences of various people, whom I instinctively know are not in this world fill me. Cold weapons refer to armaments that do not require explosions or fire to function, whereas firearms are a form of weaponry reliant on an explosive charge. Knowledge on the construction of these weapons continue to pour into my mind, and intrinsically I understand how I am going to defend myself. I will become a mobile fortress of giant cannons.
Finally, as my understanding and ego cements itself, my view shifts and I see everything around me. I was not just drifting on the shores of consciousness earlier, but also on a small stream, more of a trickle really through a short cave. My core, glowing faintly and starting to hover above the water suddenly shines brightly, warmth spreads through my being as energy fills out my form. I shudder in relief feeling as though half of me is being reconnected when-ding.
Core Awakened
Category Select
Upon seeing this screen within my mind's eye, I know to follow its instructions. Selecting Category Select, as it's the only available option, another screen pops up, one that I know is reading my mind, for each option is tailored for my needs.
Category
Terra Strider
A moving fortress of the land.
Equipped with a hull of Earth and Steel.
Colossal treds for movement
Adaptable turret weapons and fortifications.
+1 Earth based construction blueprint
Acquires knowledge on building a fortress surrounding the core with minimal movement.
Favours holding advantageous positions.
Susceptible to attacks while on the move.
Windswept Glider
A soaring fortress of the sky.
Equipped with a light shell of armour.
Giant wings for thrust and lift off.
Weapons focusing on delivering heavy payloads from high above.
+1 Wind based construction blueprint
Acquires knowledge on building a flying fortress to keep the core high above any would-be attackers.
Favours open air space with free roam to move away from any danger.
Susceptible to attacks due to the light armour.
Molten Fortress
A near static fortress following magma flows.
Equipped with a scorching hot shell of magma.
Massive paddles to guide through magma flow.
Overwhelming firepower of toxic gas and molten ash.
+1 Fire based construction blueprint
Acquires knowledge on finding and following the world's magma flow. Keeping well away from any creature capable of harming the core.
Favours deep underground encounters with little fresh air and no escape for adversaries.
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Susceptible when above ground and/or exposed to extreme cold.
Leviathan's Wake
A coasting fortress on the open sea.
Equipped with a steel alloy hull.
Propellers and a rudder for movement through the sea.
Giant cannons on the front and rear of the fortress
+1 Water based construction blueprint
Acquires knowledge on creating a shell of steel and navigating the ocean, with sets of cannons to deter any attackers.
Favours open ocean with clear sightlines to bombard enemies with countless salvos of explosive ammunition.
Susceptible to attacks to the rudder, propellers, broadside and citadel.
All these options are great, but among them one stands out, calling to me. I heed its call and select Leviathan’s Wake.
Category Selected
Leviathan’s Wake: Knowledge imparted
Immediately after that screen appears, knowledge and concepts overwhelm my mind in a deluge of information. Slowly, I sift through this knowledge and learn. First I discover why things float or sink, then knowledge continues to flow into my mind. Everything from buoyancy and water displacement, how propellers work, armour layout, cannon design and size, and finally naval tactics. All of this knowledge culminates into a blueprint, one that I know but can’t quite put a name to. A ship that seems large compared to the ships of this world, but from the information I have learned, I know it is but a small ship that can only get bigger and more devastating.
Blueprint Gained!
Benson Class Destroyer
Benson Class, the knowledge gained from this blueprint was overwhelming. The twin stack design and the 600 psi steam superheated to nearly 460 degrees centigrade in boilers alternated in tandem with engine rooms for survival from a compromised hull and coupled with cruising turbines with double-reduction gears for fuel efficiency and range of the ship. Making the ship capable of long range movement with minimal refuelling and incredible survivability, even when the hull is breached. The ship's weaponry is also considerably substantial. With quintuple torpedo banks to launch a heavy salvo of explosive shells that stay just barely under the surface of the water, and 20mm Oerlikon guns and finally 127mm enclosed gun mounts. This ship is a true nightmare to come across unprepared on the open water, a perfect ship to take on the moniker of Leviathan, and start my journey into the world, in search of spatial anomalies and to protect this world.
Once I finished understanding the knowledge that was bestowed onto me, I set to creating the ship, but first, I must leave this cave system. Letting my core be swept by the stream, I begin assembling the blueprint in my mind space, understanding which components come first. The inner frame of the ship, sectioning out space for the engine and boiler rooms, filling in the connection points to the propeller and rudder, the fuel silage, ammo hold, wiring and the outer hull. Finally putting the finishing touches by connecting the ammo to the torpedo banks, all the cannons and filling in the captains bay where my core would rest, and connect to the ships control systems. Finally I finish putting together the ship in my mind, and am ready to begin construction on the sea.
My drifting down the stream ends when I connect to a small cove, connecting to the open ocean. It is here that I start synthesising the construction of the ship, converting energy into materials to follow the blueprint. I follow my mind's guide to the T, everything from the hollow frame work, to the flat sides. I work quickly and without stopping, the world itself seems to wish for the ship to be completed with haste, as energy continues to pour into and through me, hastening the construction by a landslide. Finally, after a short few hours of work, the ship is done, it floats without any assistance and my core rests snuggly in the main hold, with open view to the surrounding waters through the windows.
As I feel complete, and ready to set out exploring, I hear another ding. I pull open the system menu to see what the notification is about.
Fortress Construction Completed!
Fortress chosen: Leviathan’s Wake
Water based core: name?
The system seemed to want a name for my core? Well, I am an ocean based core, so may as well just name myself that.
Fortress Construction Completed!
Water based core: Ocean Core
Ship class: Benson
Ship Prefix: (OCS Ocean Core Ship)
Ship Name?
System wanted a name for the ship aswell? Well, I already chose Leviathan earlier as a namesake to my category
Fortress Construction Completed!
Water based core: Ocean Core
Ship class: Benson
Ship Prefix: (OCS Ocean Core Ship)
Ship Name: Leviathan
I thought that was it, but another screen popped up shortly afterward.
OCS Leviathan
HP: 12,000/12,000
+10hp/m
Ammo: 2400/2400 shells
70/70 torpedoes
+100 shells p/h
+5 torpedoes p/h
Critical System Status:
Functioning
Concealment Range:
7.1 km
Finally, the system messages stopped, and I was able to focus and read the descriptions properly. OCS Leviathan seems to be the ship's full title, OCS prefix coming from me, and Leviathan is the name of the ship. The Health pool of 12,000 seems like a nice even number, but I’m unsure how this fares against other creatures or possible adversaries I may come across. The ammunition count is good, with my fire rate of 20 rounds per minute, I can fire for a continuous 120 minutes without even considering the shell regeneration. Critical System Status appears to be in reference to the functioning of my weapons, engine, propeller, and rudder. This should hopefully be enough to start my journey on the open sea and to protect this world, as is my duty.