I reach my hovel and sit down on the bed, then bring up the Shop. Time to browse, note down costs and make some decisions.
Bozhidar had two ideas for me, and I start with the easier one: looking injured. I find a feature for 1 token that gives me the appearance of injury without the bad things. Should keep most people off me for not being actually injured. The other is basically Analyze or Inspect. I compare a few results and settle on something similar to classic CRPGs, which let you inspect practically anything. “Mousing over” gives me the most surface level information, while some focus and Energy expenditure gives me details. I note down a 6 token total cost and move on.
Much to my displeasure, I force myself to ignore Kiril’s suggestions for now, useful as they are, and move on to Cynna’s. Heal Self costs 3 tokens and works identically to Heal Other. A shield feature costs another 3 tokens and works by locking away Energy as a rechargeable barrier.
Extra reach has multiple variations, like being able to fire ranged attacks while fulfilling some condition or having my attacks emit a sort of additional area using Energy. Either way, the cheapest of those is a whole 10 tokens, so I move on from them.
At a total cost of 12 tokens, and a remainder of 4, I decide to continue putting off getting Kiril’s suggestions. They might be cheap enough, if I were to check, but I need to hang onto some tokens for an emergency. I get everything else, though.
Then I move on to spending XP. I have a whole lot and I want to try and round myself out. XP lets me improve attributes, as well as purchase skills, techniques and expertise.
Attributes have diminishing returns, costing what is essentially the Fibonacci sequence: first two improvements cost 1 XP each, then it’s 2, 3, 5, 8 and so on. Each improvement provides a 10% increase over the base value. I think about it for a moment and come to the conclusion that 4 improvements for each attribute is worthwhile. 28 XP well spent.
Then I move on to the rest, which are simply a question of rank. I decide to bring up my two Es to Ds at the cost of 5 XP each. I consider doing more, but conclude that this is actually enough for now, especially if I want to get more tokens soon.
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With my Character Sheet slightly beefier, I’m practically vibrating with anticipation at trying my new abilities out. I look around the room I’m in and give everything a cursory glance with Inspect. Table, phone, chair, door, bed, bedding. The feature just returns things’ names, the words coming to mind. Notably, it seems like I can’t Inspect the ground or walls. They might not count as their own objects in my mind?
I decide to test out the deeper Inspection feature. I look at the table and focus, pouring Energy into the feature, and a notification panel comes up.
INSPECTION
Name: Table
Material: Wood
Condition: 50/50
Properties: None
I wasn’t sure what kind of information I was hoping for, but that was pretty informative. I suppose condition is its “Health” and properties would fill out if anything is special about what I’m looking at. Wood as a material is not that informative, but maybe it relates to my understanding of the material. I will have to test that out somehow.
The word “phone” suddenly comes to mind. I haven’t really needed it the last couple of days, and that’s a nice surprise. I look at it and focus in much the same way I did for the table.
INSPECTION
Name: Your Phone
Material: Metal-plastic composite
Condition: 17/20
Properties: Turned Off, 45% Battery
It stings to see I haven’t been taking care of my phone as well as I thought I did, but 17/20 is not bad. That’s as much as I know about its material, too. Interesting that “Turned Off” and “45% Battery” are properties. I also wonder if it’s capable of relating ownership on anything or just what I consider my own.
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Then I remember suppressing notifications for reserve changes and give my Energy a quick check. Using Inspect took 1 Energy each time, which is less than I anticipated. I go back to the shop and check for a HUD feature. At 5 tokens, it’s a little too much for now. I make a mental note to get it later.
Standing up from the bed I move towards the door to the hovel and take a deep breath. Going outside might be overwhelming, but I’ll have to eventually. I open the door and step outside, taking another deep breath and releasing it as I do. I look around and not immediately get assaulted with information. That’s a relief.
I do another once over everything and this time stay on some things, testing out Inspect’s range. Tent, tent, pole, torch, Staufolk, tent, pole, pole, tent. The identification of an otherwise random Staufolk as just that puts me at ease. The word name is loaded and it appears I don’t get the names of anyone I don’t know. The range also appears to be relatively limited, as there’s a campfire out of range but still close.
I focus on one of the poles and let the Inspection panel come up.
INSPECTION
Name: Pole
Material: Wood
Condition: 10/10
Properties: None
About what I expected it to be. Lower condition compared to the table since the table is definitely sturdier. I take a deep breath and focus on a passing Staufolk, hoping I don’t find out anything I don’t want.
INSPECTION
Name: Swiftfoot Staufolk
Sex: Male
Condition: 25/30
Properties: None
The name remains just their species, but I get their sex, which I’m not particularly comfortable with, as a piece of information. Seems like this one is a bit injured, so I go up to him. “Hey, I can tell you hurt yourself some how,” I start explaining and see his countenance darkening, “Would you like me to heal you?” He seems taken off guard, perhaps expecting dissatisfaction or cruelty. He slow, shakily, nods at my proposal. I pour 5 Energy into Heal Other and let my body follow the movement I chose. He seems confused at my performance, replaced by relief as he glows that green glow I’ve started getting used to. Then I Inspect him again, to check if my assessment was correct.
INSPECTION
Name: Swiftfoot Staufolk
Sex: Male
Condition: 30/30
Properties: None
He seems to be in better condition, visually, and the Inspection corroborates that. He nods his thanks and I smile and nod back, seemingly freeing him from having to stand around me. Inspect definitely feels like a good investment.
I head to the arena next, just giving everything cursory glances, to test out my other new purchases. I pass by the mess hall as well, just to Inspect Kiril, and his name comes back as “Kiril Swiftfoot (Staufolk).” Inspect turning the clan name into a last name makes sense to me. Everything else just gives back its own name, as I’ve grown accustomed to.
The arena is as active as I expect it to be, with drilling and training, and I wave down Cynna to come over. She finishes a spar with one of her soldiers and walks over to me. “You’re here quicker than I anticipated. Ready to train some more?” She asks, nodding back to the arena.
I nod and focus on her, activating Inspect.
INSPECTION
Name: Cynna Swiftfoot (Staufolk)
Sex: Female
Condition: 55/70
Properties: Well-trained, Favored by spirits
Her properties take me by surprise and I wonder what “Favored by spirits” means in practice. I raise my hand towards her. “Want me to heal you? I can tell you’re injured.” She tilts her head a bit before shrugging and nodding. I pour 15 Energy into Heal Other and the green glow envelops her as minor scrapes and bruises disappear. Right after, she simply turns around and signals for me to follow her into the arena.
I follow her in and mentally focus on my new Shield feature, activating it with an investment of 20 Energy. It should provide me with twice that as a buffer and take a short while to start recharging when any amount is depleted. I can see and feel a shimmer surround me before becoming invisible.
Picking up a quarterstaff, I stand in front of Cynna in the center of the arena, surrounded by her soldiers looking excited. I keep myself wide open and spread my arms. “I want you to hit me as hard as you can. I have something to test again.”