When Hesta’s horse had broken away, it somehow did so without damaging his cart. One of the squad’s spare horses could thus be used to pull it. After some discussion, it was decided to put his linens and goods in the larger wagon, swapping them for the five zebor carcases currently in the wagon. The carcases were removed and the wagon cleaned magically.
“Common magic” is a thing, able to be learned by those with mana. Quite a few people learn such things as Clean, Heat Liquid, and Torch, which is a non-burning light source. No one else in the group is a ki user, so I do not yet know if there is a ki equivalent to common magic. Since no one seems to know, my guess is there is not. I’m trying to imagine what “internal to self” common ki spells might be, but all I could imagine was glowing eyes that acted like flashlights. I wouldn’t reject it, but I imagine it would look pretty silly to others. And it would not be as useful as a general Torch, illuminating in all directions.
Only five carcasses would fit Hesta’s cart. The two remaining ones were wrapped in a spare blanket, and moved to the front of the wagon. The Blakeman and Silverstone families loaded into the wagon as well, along with Hesta’s goods. All the guardsmen rode horses. Wern estimated the trip to their small barracks fort would take a little over 2 hours. It was almost completely night by now. General consensus was to not be traveling by night any more than necessary.
Those of us in the wagon got to know each other better. Mom avoided relating exactly how we had arrived to help. “On a hike” is sort of loose-ended, and I would have wanted to know more. I’m not sure why she didn’t say. I followed suit, avoiding that topic, and none of the Blakemans pressed the issue.
About 20 minutes into our wagon ride, my ki had regenerated sufficiently that I could likely complete healing Hesta’s arm. The direct pressure had stemmed his blood loss. Fortunately Pokka’s aura heal came soon after, reducing the severity of the injury from one that could have crippled his badly torn arm to a “merely” serious bite wound. Close to an hour had passed since then. I now had over 50 ki available, with its regeneration rate having been significantly reduced because my current ki was less than 40% maximum. I told Hesta and crossed the wagon to sit next to him. I grabbed just below the wound and focused on healing it. This time just over six seconds passed and his wound was completely healed. I was down to 4 ki, having healed about 25 HP.
I removed the bandage from the wound, and the compress with its dried blood fell away from the fur. Feeling around, where the wound had been, there is just fur and remaining blood and sweat. We’re all going to need some sort of bath later.
It did not take long for the two kids to fall asleep after that, even in the bumpy wagon. With the strain of Hesta’s wounds and blood loss, he followed suit shortly after. Those effects must have outweighed the “energized” state he said he felt after being healed. As a localized effect, Heal Other probably does not significantly replace the whole-body blood loss that had already depleted him. That could be a problem in the future.
Mom, Arrjee, and I huddled together, and we started whispering. We needed to discuss some of the subjects which had been avoided initially. Mom asked us if we had both received and completed quests as she had. We acknowledged so, and the reward for all of us was the armor that had appeared on our bodies. Arrjee’s sword and Mom’s shield had already been their property, somehow summoned with us to help complete the quest. I revealed Skawa’s message that the rest of our family in Cottages knew we were safe, and they could expect Mom and Arrjee back tomorrow. There would not be time for me to get back before this “first tuesday” expired.
Arrjee asks me again, “What was it that you did to take down our zebor? Stabbing it so quickly in its eye looked amazing! And surprisingly clean.”
“Uh, something very stupid. Part of it was probably normal, using Ki Punch to poke its eye with a single claw. If the skill works with a slap, why wouldn’t a finger poke also work?”
Mom says, “That does not sound stupid to me. You made a reasonable interpretation of a new power, and it was effective. Good job, son.” Arrjee nods in agreement.
“It was the other part that was stupid, and probably not a reasonable interpretation at all. I had also just activated Dodge with the intent of using it opposite of its defensive nature. I used it to “dodge toward” my foe, not away from it. I was more surprised than Arrjee that the combination with Ki Punch worked. It was foolish to do even if I had known that it could succeed. If the beast had counter-attacked, Dodge’s motion had already been committed. I would have been worse than defenseless, with no battle experience at all backing me up. My weak excuse is that I was caught up in the battle and was not thinking straight.”
Lucky dumbass. Do you think I want to reroll your character twice in the same day? That said, I will grant that you made an effective, though foolish, kill.
“No, nor would I, especially now that I have friends and family. I’ll try to react smarter. I think it was my gaming instincts, but it would not be easy to explain that to them. And yes, I know, in a game I would not actually die or have my own eyes scratched out.”
Arrjee shakes his head. “I don’t know if you are the dumbest wolf I have ever seen, the smartest, or the luckiest.”
Mom said, “He might be all three. We’ll discuss that combination move with Barrie and Ralf tomorrow, and let you know next week how stupid you actually were.” She smiled at me, and hugged me with one arm.
She then suggested I try training a skill which Arrjee and Carrie had already gained, Analyze. They are at Rank F, but lack magic to boost it. Minimal utility is available to them now. It is one of the common magic skills, but she saw no reason it could not be powered by ki. She says that in her opinion and many others, the skill is not magic per se. Mana is used as a minor price that our interfaces charge for access to detailed information.
She is correct. Just like your map remains clouded in areas you have not been, you need to build the right to access specific knowledge about beings and things. The Analyze skill opens the door to various degrees, and I will charge a fee to reveal what is beyond. Ki or mana is all the same to me.
“Good to know. Thank you.”
Nice. Common ki skills do exist.
“That is a great suggestion, Mom. How do I train it?”
“As you have the time, spend it in observation. Focus for 10 or 15 seconds on a person, or any being really, or any object. Take in what you see, what you smell, what you feel. If food or drink, on what you taste, and its mouth feel. Arrjee and Carrie were able to reach Rank F in about fifteen to thirty minutes of such focused observation. You might be faster if you have such a nascent ability.”
“I do not believe I do. While my first self was somewhat observant, he never really focused on small details in the world around him. It is quite possible a major factor in his accidental death was insufficient awareness. That is fine, though. Fifteen plus minutes to gain such a valuable skill is well worth it!”
“Okay, I’ll let you get started while I nap for the remainder of our journey.”
“Rest well.” Arrjee already seems to be nodding off. He will be my first target. It is somewhat dark, but someone had activated a Torch spell earlier. While fading it is still in effect. Focusing on his face, what do I see? Yes, he is cute, but what specifically leads me to think so? Much of Human attractiveness on Earth was thought to be based on facial symmetry, and he certainly has that. I’m not going to tell him so, but his snout reminds me of a puppy’s. His musky scent brings to mind thoughts beyond those of observation. His soft, brown fur adds a lot. I wonder if the “soft” part counts, because that is a memory, and not something I am experiencing now. Not a problem. I reach up to gently caress his face, Soft, check.
He opens his eyes. “What?”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
“I couldn't resist, and Mom has me learning Analyze. She suggested I use multiple senses, and taste seems inappropriate right now.” I smile at him. He rolls then shuts his eyes again.
His “What?” had added an audible element to my observation. This is fun. Okay, that is his fifteen seconds. He’ll get more later. Just down from his face is the leather gorget he earned as part of our quest reward. It is between dark brown and black in color, and somewhat rough. It had not been smoothed like patent leather. I gently rub a finger along its surface, hoping not to disturb him. It is very sturdy and well made. If I were to buy something like that on Earth, it would not be cheap. Hell, I would not even know where to get one, although I know serious LARPers can spend a lot of money outfitting themselves. I smile at the thought of them obtaining armor provided by an actual god.
The wagon bounces along as I concentrate on one person or item after another. As hoped, about twenty minutes in, a window popped up.
Learned skill: Analyze F
I think, “Query Skills”.
Gifted Skills
HP Regen, D
SP Regen, D
Ki Regen, D
Ki Punch, E
Dodge, E
Heal Other, E
Learned Skills
Analyze, F
First Aid, D
Meditation, F
Running, F
I have fallen behind in tracking them. My expectation had just been to investigate the new Analyze, but I have not read the description for two others. I wonder if I could have just commanded, “Query Learned Skills”. In answer, the current window is replaced by a new one, listing just the bottom four skills. Interface makes things easy. I just have to be smart enough to take advantage of that. Heck, I might have just been able to select Analyze from its first notice. I guess it is good to have done it this way, because I can check the others now too. I select Analyze.
Analyze allows you to obtain extra information about objects and beings. At Level 0, it offers no more information than can be obtained by thorough use of your senses, though quicker than a detailed observation. At Level 1 and above, rank determines the degree of information provided. Below rank D, contact what you wish to Analyze, although at any rank you may Analyze items shown in your Inventory. Rank F values:
Ki used: 3
Recharge: 3 sec
That makes sense, I guess. Likely I will have objects in a bag, pouch, or backpack that show in my inventory, but which I am not in direct contact with. I dismiss that window and select:
Running is a form of motion characterized by either 1 or 0 feet in alternate contact with the ground. Agility and Strength contribute to stride length, and Endurance has the primary effect on stamina cost. Rank F values:
Speed: 5-10 miles per hour
Efficiency modifier: -50%
Recharge: 0 sec
I have to smile and quietly laugh at myself. I had always known there was a difference between running and walking, and it was not speed. If I saw the two, I could identify which was which. But if someone had asked me point blank what the difference was, I do not believe I could have articulated it. Now it is obvious – walking would be, “2 or 1 feet in alternate contact with the ground”. (Hell, I’d love to get the Mosey and Saunter skills just to read their descriptions.) I am wasting 50% of my stamina. With Arrjee at Rank C, I doubt he wastes nearly that much, even if my Endurance is higher than his. I wonder what his top speed is.
Finally my big breakthrough:
First Aid is a set of abilities which allow you to handle various first-responder medical difficulties without the use of magic, magical potions, or ki. It is primarily knowledge-based, although training and practice greatly contribute to the effectiveness of any given technique. Rank and Dexterity both contribute to the speed and degree of success. Rank D values:
Success rate: +30%
Speed: +15%
Stress: 8 stamina/min of application
The base speed and success of a technique stem from knowledge, training, practice, and dexterity. If I don’t know a technique, 0 ability plus 30% of that ability is still 0 ability. I suppose if I barely know one, that +30% could be significant, though. This is the first skill I have seen with a cost in stress, but with my SP regeneration of about 6 stamina/min, it does not seem burdensome. At a guess, Rank F might have cost 10 stamina/min, decreasing 1 per rank. Worth it at any rank.
The description heavily implies that First Aid will be teachable to anyone, which I am very happy to see. A trained 11-year old might be able to set some broken bones and/or apply splints. I never had to set a bone, but they taught it to us Boy Scouts. I can begin contributing now with something besides healing. It is something that can prove useful even while I am in a sixdays.
I dismiss both windows, not needing to re-read the description for Meditate. However, using it soon would be an excellent idea. First I want to try out Analyze, though. I reach out two fingers of my right hand to gently touch Arrjee’s gorget. This time I don’t bother trying to push ki anywhere. It is likely Interface will just take what it needs. Instead I focus on observing the gorget. It works.
Gorget - Leather armor providing low protection but high maneuverability to the neck and collarbones. Excellent quality, no wear. Enchantments:
* Self cleaning
* Self repair
* Climate comfort
Very nice, even if it doesn’t provide any more protection than an unenchanted piece would. Climate comfort probably means it is wearable in hot or cold weather. That is protection of a sort, too. But wait. His is “enchanted”. My quest reward said “charmed”. Are they different? I analyze my own gorget: It reads exactly the same, but replaces the word “Enchantments” with “Charms”.
What were they saying earlier this evening? Something about a ki user not being able to use ki skills to temporarily improve magical – I assume “enchanted” – armor and weapons. So maybe if I get such ki skills, I can invest ki into the charmed gorget and enhance how much it protects.
Yes, that is indeed the difference. A mana user might throw up a magical shield or barrier, while ki users can directly enhance their armor, so long as it is not already enchanted. Your degree of protection can be greater, because it is generally only protecting you.
“Generally?”
There are fringe cases. For example you might be wielding a ki-invested bo or shield, and use it effectively to block a blow that would have hit an ally.
“I like fringe. Why doesn’t everyone use charmed armor?”
Because it is fringe, and there are less types of charms than enchantments. The majority of warriors are mana based. Even the number of “pure” warriors, with neither of their classes giving them access to their own magic or ki, exceeds the number of ki-based warriors. Thus there is little demand, and most smiths and tailors choose magic-based classes, disallowing them the ability to charm.
“Their loss. I still like fringe.”
I partially agree. All other things being equal, I believe a ki warrior’s potential is higher in individual action. Here is one example. A typical, but well-outfitted warrior might have a 25% protection enchantment on his armor. That amount is fixed. You, however, may eventually be able to apply a situational 40% or even 50% protection bonus with ki, and vary the bonus depending on need. The same potential applies to weapons.
A pure warrior can raise his damage potential even higher, at greater risk. He is focused on physical prowess, not being distracted by other concerns. He never runs low on magic or ki. His stamina regeneration benefits greatly, being fed from the available second tap. Once the battle is complete and his stamina is topped off, that tap begins adding to his health regeneration instead.
On the other hand, a magical warrior can offer a team benefits neither of the former could, so the team benefits by having variety among its members.
“Thanks for sharing so much info at one time.” Smiling, I think, “But I guess it is my birthday.”
Dammit, I’m coaching again. Don’t get used to it.
Time to get some meditation in before I fall asleep.
Breathe. Inhale. Hold it. Hold it. Don’t focus. Exist. Hold it. Exhale.
I continue until slumber takes me.