Thomas looked at his statistics. It had been a little while.

Thomas Bluebrim

Brawler

Legend of Wind

Level 8

0 Misfortunes / 0 Fortunes

0 Curses / 0 Blessings

218/218 Health

0/0 Mana

4/4 Stamina

0 Distinctions Available

38 Skill Points Available

0 Customization Points Available

Strength

Constitution****

Intelligence

2

5

0

2 Melee Damage Bonus

190 (218) Maximum Health

26 Additional Skill Points

4 Maximum Worn Armor

10 (16) Damage Reduction

1 Maximum Stamina Points

0 Deflection *

12 Base Armor

0 Spell Piercing *

Wisdom

Agility

Perception

6

0

0

6 Lores

0 Bonus Targeting

0 Reaction Time

6 Arcane Resistance

0 Evasion

1 Stamina Regeneration

0 Mana *

20 Movement *

0 Missile Range Bonus *

He considered, with a slight frown for the way it reflected information he was pretty sure it hadn't before, and then looked at his distinctions.

Class Distinction: Hurl

As a reaction to an attack by a creature no larger than one size category larger than you, you may throw your assailant up to 5ft, subject to a contest of Constitution; if your attacker hits another creature, both become prone; if it doesn't hit another creature, it still falls prone

Class Distinction: Tough as Nails

You have a natural armor (Maximum Worn Armor Limits still apply) equal to twice your Constitution

Class Distinction: Weapon Expertise: Unarmed

Your base unarmed attack damage increases by one progression for each free hand, and your Melee Damage Bonus applies for each free hand

Class Distinction: Call Out

You may Call Out an opponent; subject to a Discipline contest against your Endurance, they must move towards you and attack you whenever possible

Class Distinction: Shake Off

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You may expend Stamina to increase your Worn Armor by 4, knock back all adjacent opponents 5 feet, and, subject to an Endurance contest against your Endurance, knock all affected targets prone

Class Distinction: Shrug Off

Damage less than 4 is reduced to 0

Class Distinction: Improved Hurl

Hurl has a range of 10ft, and the thrown creature deals its Total Armor in damage to any hit creatures

Class Distinction: Latent Power

+1 Maximum Stamina

Class Distinction: Inhuman Size 1

You get 25 additional health. Additionally, you may Enlarge at will, becoming Large.

Class Path Distinction: Deft Nature

You can't be caught flat-footed, and can dodge as easily prone as standing

Class Distinction: Thick Skull

You are immune to non-lethal damage

Class Distinction: Latent Power

+1 Maximum Stamina

Class Distinction: Improved Shrug Off

Damage less than 7 is reduced to 0

Class Distinction: Greatly Improved Hurl

Hurl has a range of 15 ft, and hurled creatures take their total Armor in damage

Distinction: Unarmored Defense

When wearing no armor and not using a shield, you get Worn Armor equal to your Agility plus your Perception. +3 to Maximum HP

Distrinction: Improved Unarmored Defense

When wearing no armor and not using a shield, you get Damage Reduction equal to your Intelligence plus your Wisdom

Distinction: Fortune Master

Doubled Epiphany Bonus, +1 to all Skill attempts for every ten unspent skill points

Distinction: Unarmed Combat Mastery

Your unarmed attacks deal an additional progression of damage. Your unarmed attacks ignore 50% of damage reduction.

Strength Training

You get +1 Strength at level 5, +2 Strength at level 13, and +3 Strength at level 20

Endurance Training

You get +1 Constitution at level 5, +2 Constitution at level 13, and +3 Constitution at level 20

Thomas had finally sought out Anne's advice on what he should do. She was still amused at his choice of Fortune Master, but Norris supported it, and Madelaine had added it to her list of distinctions to take. So, he'd taken Strength Training and Unarmed Combat Mastery, and bumped up his constitution a bit as well. He was nearing the limits of what the Characterization options would let him do there.

Sixteen damage reduction. He still wasn't entirely certain what a unit of damage was, only that one hundred of them hurt a hell of a lot. But between that and Improved Shrug off, well, he didn't even bother with shoes anymore. Not like his wingtips had survived, anyways; he'd forgotten to take them off one of the times he had used Enlarge. And then he'd done it again with a very expensive pair of boots.

“Ready.” He called out to Anne; their small group was grouped around the top of a rise that didn't quite manage to feel like a hill. She nodded to him as she strung her longbow. Arias had both of her swords in the ground in front of her, and had her shortbow already ready; she formed a triangle with Thomas and Anne, each covering a third of the rise, in the center of which stood Norris and a cross-looking Madelaine.

“Alright everyone. Thomas, your job is to Call Out if more than one gets past us.” They had already been over this, three times, but he nodded. “Arias, you're first back if things get bad in the center.” The girl waved without looking over; her attention already out. “Madelaine, stab anything that tries to get Norris.”

“Got it.” Madelaine's tone was sulky. She wasn't fooled about who was protecting who.

“Alright. Let us begin the hunt.” Anne's voice changed slightly as she spoke, growing darker and deeper. A tremor went through the air, and Thomas grimaced, glancing back at her, then out in the direction he was supposed to be watching.

When Anne had said she was supposed to control what they fought, he hadn't realized quite how literally that was supposed to work. Wasn't magic his ass. He watched a tusked deer step appear over the top of the hill across from him. He raised his hands, clenching them into fists.

Madelaine watched, feeling disconsolate, as the herd of tiny fluffy deer died around them. Thomas had suggested them, saying something about a rematch. Anne and Norris had discussed the strategy they'd employ for some time before agreeing. It had been a boring conversation.

Her rapier went through the eye of one; she was pretty sure that it had been let past the others on purpose. It thrashed, jerked, and collapsed, while she watched, and then her attention drifted up again, watching the others fight. The princess, Arias, fought like she was dancing, her princess hair flying around her as she spun and leapt gracefully around the deer trying to bite her. Anne fought with a different kind of beauty; calm, cold, efficient. She barely moved her feet; first, firing her oversized bow. Then, when they got close, she had just started laying about with her sword, stepping aside only to avoid the already-dead bodies of tuskies. And Norris was just boring to watch, tossing little glowing lights. He had a backup spell that summoned a spectral octopus or something, though; Madelaine had heard that mentioned during the planning.

Then there was Thomas. He didn't fight pretty at all. She watched him; he had gone Big Man, and alternated between kicking the deer, and throwing them at each other. He was covered in blood and bits of fur. Currently, he had grabbed one of the deer and was punching it in the face repeatedly while yelling about teeth. She looked away again. Oh! Another was coming her way. Wait, no, two. Ooh. Three. They'd gotten past Thomas while he was distracted. She raised her rapier with a smile.

The lead deer collapsed with an arrow in the eye. “Thomas!” Anne's voice. Thomas made a terrible growling noise, and the second peeled away towards him. Madelaine scowled. This wasn't fun at all, there was just the one now. She stabbed at its eye.

And blinked as her rapier not only missed, but flew out of her hand, with a feeling she vaguely recognized, like when the curse had gone off, except she didn't have any curses right now. She stared dumbly at the rapier on the ground, hand still outstretched at the deer, which – she screamed in shock when it bit her, and tried to jerk her hand back, except the teeth were sharp, and held tight, and – and then its head fell off, and the jaw loosened, freeing her fingers.

Madelaine raised her hand, staring as she wiggled … three of her fingers. The other two wouldn't move properly. Woah. Her ring finger was barely attached. And it didn't hurt at all. She looked up at – ooh, the princess was here. Madelaine smiled up at Arias. Her savior! She was a badass princess, like Madelaine would be someday. Arias smiled back, and then she was gone, and Norris was there, wrapping up her bitten hand.

That hurt. It hurt a lot. She only cried a little bit, though, and then the fight was over. Thomas apologized to Anne, then after a discussion with Anne apologized to Madelaine, who might have called him stinky. Anne skinned a couple of the deer, and they cooked it over the campfire, and it was delicious.

She had trouble sleeping – her hand felt like it hurt more, the more time passed. She didn't cry, however. She was tougher than Thomas, whatever his class, and she had seen all the bites and bruises he had after the fight. She forced herself to go to sleep through the pain.

Moderate objective complete: Survived a medium herd of level 9 Silver Fawn as part of a party. You've earned two customization points.