Threadbare Volume 2

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Threadbare Volume 2 Page 34

by Andrew Seiple


  —and felt his gauntlet close on flesh. A hand. A hand he knew all too well.

  “Anise,” he said, retreating to the green. “Report, I’m listening.” Then it was in through the barrier, and watching as the thing that wore Amelia’s face moved to stand in front of the column, fearful and worried.

  “Milord,” she said. “Your daughter has won her first great battle, but there were consequences.”

  Melos’ eyes snapped open. Mute, unable to speak, he stared out of the light. But he let his fury show, and she quailed to see it. He could punish her later, through the projection. He’d done that before, hurt her, done worse to her, until she’d learned.

  Learned to lie better, anyway, the shattered remnants of his common sense whispered in the back of his mind. Or was that his guilt? He didn’t know. Couldn’t know.

  “I tried to keep her safe! But... the cultists. She lost sanity, when she explored their sanctuary.” Anise took a breath. “Cecelia lost her jobs. I brought in some trusted cohorts, to reteach her the basics. They’re doing it even now. She tells me she can pilot the Steam Knight suit, so no one should ever know.”

  Melos closed his eyes. When the tears stopped, he opened them again, and stepped out of the column.

  “My lord?” Anise said, stepping back.

  “You swear to me that you had no hand in this? That you didn’t wipe her mind?”

  “I never affected Cecelia’s sanity, I swear.” Anise held up her hands. “She won the battle. The old one is no longer a threat in that area, nor ever will be again.”

  With the seconds ticking by, with a growl of frustration that was half a sob, Melos fled back into the column, then out again, resetting the count. Anise offered him a roll, and he ate it, wincing at the staleness, as she continued.

  “There is one windfall from this,” Anise said, and Melos gasped as she held up a new dungeon core. Only a minor one, but still, but still...

  He tore it from her hand, ran to one of the filled columns, one of the ones labeled “LOOT.” He clawed at it, reached in and pulled a burned black crystal from its plinth, and replaced it with the red dungeon core. Immediately it lit up brighter, the numbers flashing in its depths cycling up, going into overdrive and vibrating in the enclosure. A strange energy pulsed from it, green numbers flashed overhead, and some of the tear overhead seemed to mend.

  It wouldn’t be enough, he knew. Not for long. Not even for a year. But it would buy time, and that was what he needed right now. He took a look around at the other columns, sprinkled throughout the black space. Of the sixteen other filled loot columns, fourteen of them held burnt cores.

  He lost a precious second then, to self-pity, as reality pulsed.

  “Teach her quickly!” He yelled, throwing himself back into the Master’s column. In there for only a few seconds, just long enough to make sure it registered, then out again. “Teach her quickly. Get her back up to speed. Crush the dwarves. No more traitors.”

  “I did execute a few, in the town. I hope you don’t mind that I attended to that personally.”

  “I don’t care.”

  She smiled, and her posture unbent a bit.

  He knew she’d screwed him over somehow. But he didn’t care, couldn’t care. The daemon continued, glancing around the room, at the other four columns that held figures. “I could more efficiently crush your foes if you let the rest of the Hand out. They’ve spent too long as mid-bosses, it can’t be good for their health.”

  “No,” Melos rasped, staring at the faces of his dead friends, their nude forms hiding the daemons inside them, trapped in green light for eternity. “No, but you can have the golem. Have Emmet, like we discussed. It’s time for Amelia Gearhart to return to the world. Talk to me in the castle.” Then it was back into the column, to reset the count, and closing his eyes again.

  Resting them. Just resting.

  He knew she was smiling. Knew she was sneering. Knew that she’d surely screwed him over in some petty, spiteful little way. He’d never had the time to properly review the pact, never had time to iron out the details. How could he, when he only had thirty seconds and passing through the column disoriented him each and every time?

  When he opened them he saw her leaving, heading toward the hidden door, picking her way over the dismembered bodies. Past the throne, broken and sparking, where once all the loot columns had channeled their energy, past the apparatus that Grissle had made long ago. Past HIS corpse, the only intact one left in the room.

  Things didn’t rot here. Didn’t change. Didn’t fade.

  It was immortality, of a sort. And by the gods he’d scorned, it was a horror he’d never be free of. Not until his daughter was ready, not until he had someone he could trust, someone the traitors hadn’t twisted, to share the burden. One day she would be ready for the truth, and then they could trade off, take turns in the column that supported all of his reality, all the reality that Cylvania had ever known for the last fifteen years.

  And perhaps, someday, they’d find a way to fix it.

  Be strong, Cecelia. Endure. Fight hard, but never lose your heart. The hardest part is yet to come, thought the damned king, as he went back to his torment.

  EPILOGUE

  Once upon a time, there was a teddy bear whose little girl had died. But he wouldn’t let her go, and he knew that their story was far from over. He had much to do, so he said “Status” to check himself, and this is what he saw.

  Name: Threadbare

  Age: 5

  Jobs:

  Greater Toy Golem Level 15

  Cave Bear Level 12

  Ruler Level 11

  Scout Level 7

  Tailor Level 11

  Model Level 8

  Necromancer Level 11

  Duelist Level 6

  Animator Level 12

  Enchanter Level 10

  Golemist Level 12

  Smith Level 10

  Attributes Pools Defenses

  Strength: 124 Constitution: 138 Hit Points: 330(410) Armor: 52(59)

  Intelligence: 216 Wisdom: 201(208) Sanity: 417(545) Mental Fortitude: 42

  Dexterity: 135(142) Agility: 112(126) Stamina: 257(358) Endurance: 62

  Charisma: 110(145) Willpower: 199 Moxie: 309(424) Cool: 20(47)

  Perception: 107 Luck: 89(96) Fortune: 196(283) Fate: 15(22)

  Generic Skills

  Brawling - Level 35 (+8)

  Climb - Level 13

  Clubs and Maces - Level 9

  Dagger - Level 9

  Dodge - Level 8

  Fishing - Level 1

  Ride - Level 8

  Stealth - Level 13

  Swim - Level 5

  Greater Toy Golem Skills

  Adorable - Level 30

  Gift of Sapience - Level NA

  Golem Body - Level 26

  Innocent Embrace - Level 14

  Magic Resistance - Level 7

  Bear Skills

  Animalistic Interface - NA

  Claw Swipes - 24

  Forage - 13

  Growl - 2

  Hibernate - 37

  Scents and Sensibility - 20

  Stubborn - 8

  Toughness - 19

  Ruler Skills

  Appoint Official - NA

  Emboldening Speech - Level 16

  Identify Subject - Level 10

  It’s Good to be King - NA

  Noblesse Oblige - Level 26

  Organize Minions - NA

  Royal Audience - Level 17

  Simple Decree - Level 8

  Swear Fealty - NA

  Scout Skills

  Alertness - Level 2

  Best Route - Level 2

  Camouflage - Level 2

  Firestarter - Level 4

  Keen Eye - Level 5

  Sturdy Back - Level 6

  Wind’s Whisper - Level 5

  Tailor Skills

  Adjust Outfit - Level 4

  Clean and Press - Level 13

  Recycle Cloth - Level 1

&nb
sp; Tailoring - Level 51(65)

  Model Skills

  Call Outfit - Level 1

  Dietary Restriction - Level 40 (+80 to all pools)

  Fascination - Level 4

  Flex - Level 16

  Makeup - Level 3

  Self-Esteem - Level 16

  Strong Pose – Level 5

  Work it Baby - Level 40

  Necromancer Skills

  Assess Corpse - Level 12

  Command the Dead - Level 28

  Deathsight - Level 8

  Drain Life - Level 1

  Invite Undead - Level 12

  Mana Focus – NA (+11% to sanity)

  Soulstone - Level 45

  Speak With Dead - Level 20

  Zombies - Level 3

  Duelist Skills

  Challenge - Level 4

  Dazzling Entrance - Level 8

  Fancy Flourish - Level 7 (14)

  Guard Stance - Level 8

  Parry - Level 6

  Swashbuckler’s Spirit - NA (+13 to cool)

  Swinger - Level 2

  Weapon Specialist - Level 17 (Brawling +8)

  Animator Skills

  Animus - Level 35

  Animus Blade - Level 10

  Animus Shield - Level 4

  Arm Creation - Level 7

  Command Animus - Level 19

  Creator’s Guardians - Level 26

  Dollseye - Level 18

  Eye for Detail - Level 20

  Magic Mouth - Level 10

  Mend - Level 40

  Enchanter Skills

  Appraise - Level 30

  Boost+5 - Level 9

  Boost +10 - Level 2

  Disenchant - Level 1

  Elemental Protection - Level 8

  Glowgleam - Level 26

  Harden - Level 28

  Soften - Level 30

  Spellstore I - Level 9

  Spellstore V - Level 1

  Spellstore X - Level 1

  Wards - Level 2

  Golemist Skills

  Clay Golem - Level 1

  Command Golem - Level 10

  Golem Animus - Level 46

  Golem Guardians - NA

  Invite Golem - Level 11

  Mend Golem - Level 15

  Program Golem - Level 40

  Toy Golem - Level 56

  Wood Golem - Level 9

  Smith Skills

  Adjust Arms and Armor - Level 7

  Refine Ore - Level 10

  Smelt Down - Level 1

  Smithing - Level 46

  Equipment

  Journeyman Tailor’s Apron of fire resistance (+6 Armor, +10 Tailoring, Resist Fire 9)(+2 Armor, +4 Tailoring, +3 Resist Fire from WIB)

  Baggy Pants of Hammerspace (+5 AGL, +5 CHA, Allows hammerspace for one blunt weapon)(+2 AGI, CHA, from WIB)

  Okay Quality Bling

  Ringtail Master’s Coat (+5 CHA, +5 LUCK, +5 Armor, +5 Fate)(+2 CHA, LUCK, Armor, Fate from WIB)

  Rod of Baronly Might (+5 CHA, +5 WIS, +10 Cool)(+2 CHA, WIS, +4 Cool from WIB)

  Yellow Belt of Bravado (+5 AGL, +5 DEX, +5 to the Fancy Flourish skill)(+2 AGL, DEX, Fancy Flourish from WIB)

  Toy Top Hat (CHA +10)(+4 CHA from WIB)

  Inventory

  A Finely-Made Dagger (Dagger Level 5)

  Tailor’s Tools

  A small jewelry box with a few reagents and crystals, most minor.

  1 bead of Mend Golem (Level 15)

  Minorphone (Enhances voice and social skills focused through it twice per day)

  Quests

  Unlocked Jobs

  Berserker, Cleric, Cook, Cultist, Grifter, Spirit Medium, Tamer, Wizard

  APPENDIX I: THREADBARE’S JOBS AND SKILLS

  CAVE BEAR

  Cave Bears are large beasts, tough and strong and stubborn. They eat pretty much anything organic and spend most of their lives underground, emerging to forage as needed. Bears gain experience by eating bear-associated foods, roaming their territory, and defeating foes with their natural weapons.

  GREATER TOY GOLEM

  Toy golems are the protectors of children everywhere! And also good, reasonably cheap guardians for any fledgling golemist. They aren’t the toughest of golems, but they possess a few costly powers good for helping their charges survive. Like all golems, they’re sturdy, resistant to magic, and immune to a lot of things that would kill living beings. Greater golems possess sapience, and attribute ranks that lesser golems simply do not have. They can even learn jobs! Limited in that aspect only by the intelligence of their crafter, greater golems have theoretically astronomical potential. Greater Toy Golems gain experience by doing adorable things, surviving conflict by toughing it out, and defeating foes using their natural weapons.

  ANIMATOR

  Animators give life to inanimate objects, awakening them to serve and defend the animator. Animators gain experience by casting animator spells and defeating foes with their animi.

  DUELIST

  Duelists fight with their chosen weapon and swashbuckle around, using mobility and attitude to win their fights. Duelists gain experience through fighting with their specialized weapon, defeating foes with panache and style, and doing risky, flashy things in dangerous situations. Note: Specialized weapons can be changed. Practice hard, your specialized weapon will shift to your highest weapon skill.

  ENCHANTER

  Enchanters are one of the oddest adventuring professions. They do most of their work beforehand, and use their items to devastating effect. Enchanters gain experience by creating magical items, casting enchanter spells, and using their created items to defeat foes.

  GOLEMIST

  Congratulations! Through blending Animator and Enchanter, you are now a golemist! Golemists craft unique magical constructs, and use them to fight their battles. Golemists gain experience by casting golemist spells, creating golems, and using their golems to defeat their foes.

  MODEL

  Models improve their bodies and attitudes, displaying their glory for all to see and controlling how others look upon them. Models gain experience by using model skills, successfully controlling first impressions, and defeating their foes through social maneuvering.

  NECROMANCER

  Necromancers raise the dead to do their bidding, and can negotiate with powerful spirits and undead entities. Necromancers gain experience by interacting positively with the dead, casting necromancer spells, and using the undead to defeat their foes.

  RULER

  Rulers entice people to work for them, and organize them through decrees and rewards to do their bidding. Rulers gain experience by having their subjects do their bidding, organizing others to a common goal, and looking out for the interests of those in their charge.

  SCOUT

  Scouts roam the wilderness, spying upon foes and using stealth and survival to accomplish their goals. Remember, be prepared! Scouts gain experience by using scout skills, exploring new wilderness areas, and remaining undetected by foes.

  SMITH

  Smiths work with metal, crafting objects with the help of a forge, anvil, and hammer.

  TAILOR

  Tailors work with cloth and occasionally other flexible materials, crafting objects with the help of scissors, needle, and thread.

  GREATER TOY GOLEM SKILLS

  ADORABLE

  Level 1, Cost N/A, Duration: Passive Constant

  Adorable has a chance of activating when you do something cute in front of an audience, or onlookers blame you for something that isn’t your fault. It improves the attitude of anyone who fails to resist your charms.

  BODYGUARD

  Level: 10, Cost: 25 Sta Duration: 1 minute per toy golem level

  Name a target party member when activating this skill. For the duration, you have a chance of intercepting each attack aimed at them, so long as you remain within two yards of them. Multiple attackers or overwhelming amounts of strikes may reduce the effectiveness of this defence.

  GIFT OF SAPIENCE

  Level 1, Cost N/A, Duration:
Passive Constant

  Congratulations, you now have all the attributes and can think and learn. Good luck with that. You also have 0/8 adventuring job slots open, and 2/4 crafting job slots.

  GOLEM BODY

  Level 1, Cost N/A, Duration: Passive Constant

  Your body has no organs, and is made from inorganic or once-organic material infused with a magical force. By being exposed to effects that would kill or cripple living beings and surviving them, this skill will level up. As it levels up, you will gain immunity and resistance to a wider range of lethal effects.

  INNOCENT EMBRACE

  Level 5, Cost: Sanity equal to half the amount healed, Duration: Instant

  Heals an embraced target 10 X the level of this skill. Will affect on other golems, is standard healing otherwise. Currently activated through Animalistic Interface, and will affect any legal target embraced. Does not affect uninjured targets.

  MAGIC RESISTANCE

  Level 1, Cost: N/A, Duration: Passive Constant

  Has a chance of negating any non-beneficial magic cast upon you. The chance of success is dependant upon the spellcaster’s level.

  CAVE BEAR SKILLS

  ANIMALISTIC INTERFACE

  Level 1, Cost N/A, Duration: Passive Constant

  Allows the beast to use their racial skills without requiring vocalization. All skills that are not constant passives may be turned on and off as the situation and instinct require.

  CLAW SWIPES

  Level 1, Cost 5 Sta, Duration: 5 attacks

  Enhances the damage caused by your hands and feet, and adds the sharp quality for the next five strikes. Currently activated through Animalistic Interface, and will activate whenever you brawl with intent to injure.

  DARKSPAWN

  Level: 10, Cost: N/A Duration: Passive Constant

  You gain a bonus to all attributes equal to twice your Cave Bear level while in darkness, and can see normally in darkness. Sufficient light will disrupt this effect, and the bonus does not increase the maximum size of the associated pools.

  FORAGE

  Level 1, Cost 10 Sta, Duration: 10 minutes

  Greatly enhances your perception for the purposes of finding food, water, or other natural resources in the wilderness. At higher levels, may be used to locate specific naturally occurring resources. Currently activated through Animalistic Interface, will activate whenever you hunt for natural resources.

 

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