by M J Conlon
“Now, we have to deal with punishment.” Derick said, as an extra hand grabbed the woman’s hand an pulled it up out along the wall. “I do not accept any attacks against me. As this is a first offence you will get a generous warning.” With that Derick mentally flung the knife forward into the woman’s hand, then let the blade resheath itself before dropping the woman entirely. Derick let the strain of holding the woman and moving the dagger with precision wear off of his mind. He could see that after such a display he was down to just 207 of his original 690 mental energy. While his increased wisdom helped greatly increase the rate at which his Mental energy recharged, it still took quite a bit longer than Derick would have liked, especially as he was now in a hostile area. The two guards near the entrance started to move forward, but Derick waved his finger no.
The two guards looked at each other, then over at the female elf who had up until a moment ago been their leader. She bent over her now injured right hand clutching the cloth from her dress, while she bent down with her left trying to get the two fingers that lay on the floor. As she reached out, Derick gently pulled the two digits away from her outstretched hand with his psychic-telekinesis.
“Those are mine.” Derick said, holding out his hand and letting the two digits fall gently into his hand. “In fact, until you prove to me that you deserve this place, this whole place is mine.” Derick said, using the same voice he would use while commanding a platoon of men to risk their lives before a stream of insurgents. The same voice that inspired his people to hold the line during the siege of Basilica. The same voice that Derick used to maintain consciousness while pinned to a wall while he waited for help to arrive.
“Are there any questions?” Derick asked the two guards, before turning his attention back to the woman.
Silence.
“Good, grab everyone. I want them all to know me, who I am, and that I am in charge. If they wish to challenge me, then let them know this will be their chance.” Derick said, to the two guards. The two guards just stood there dumbfounded, before Derick gestured with his hand letting them know that he wished they were gone. Once the two guards left, he turned back to the female elf.
“What is your name?” Derick asked.
“Why does it matter?” She asked, her lips pulled back in snarl.
“Because right now I am thinking about calling you Nubby, but figured you might want a more dignified name to be used by your peers.” Derick said, his voice dropping dispassionately low. She debated for a second, before a sign of resolve filled her face.
“I am Luscinda.” The female elf answered.
“I am OhmN the portalist.” Derick said with a slight bow that put his head well below her waist line, even with her in a near crouch of pain. “Now let’s see this wound of yours.” Derick said, while going over to the woman expecting to have to administer first aide of some kind. Maybe cauterize the wound?
“I am fine.” She said, a look of fear washing over her normally stoic face. The rippling muscles and look of fear caused a slight chuckle to escape from Derick’s lips.
“Sorry” Derick began.
“Sorry,” she spat, “you are sorry?” The last part coming out as an evil hiss.
“I know it was your lips that were the offending party in this case, but figured you would probably be more useful with just two missing fingers than your lips.” Derick said, trying to reassure her, before walking past her and down the hallway that the two guards ran down. Derick could feel the group huddling and massing in the grand entry way. Derick even felt a few try to hide but was easily able to keep track of them, either due to his having noticed the red dots, or having increased his psychic-viewing ability.
“Come now, we don’t want to be late to your last day as the leader.” Derick said, gesturing for Luscinda to follow while walking down the hallway. Rather than go down the hallway and see the mass of people who all seemed to want to defend their home, Derick quickly turned down the hallway and then reappeared at the back of the hallway. Derick appeared in a shadow along the hallway of the giant entry way. Just behind the last group of thieves who all had crossbows drawn and ready to fire. Finally Luscinda showed her face around the corner, one crossbow man fired, but instantly jerked their shot just to the left of Luscinda, no doubt overcorrecting the shot at the last second.
“Where is he?” Luscinda demanded, stomping her foot angrily. With that a slight murmuring of people began, before Derick let out a loud slow clap.
Derick took two steps from his shadow, bowed while clapping all the while. He waited until most of the would-be assailants turned to him, then he teleported in the blink of an eye to a spot right next to Luscinda. Once everyone’s attention turned back to him, he teleported again, this time to the other side of the grand entry way, then to the ceiling. Then finally he appeared right behind one of the stealthed thieves who was perched at the edge of a balcony.
“Boo!” Derick whispered right into the stealthed thieves’ ear. Instantly the thief let out a shriek, before moving forward and away from the sound. Derick watched as the man fell to the ground with a clatter. A loud cracking sound echoed throughout the hall as it was the sound of bone crunching.
“Ouch.” Derick said, while appearing in the spot that had just been held by the would-be assassin. Derick shook his head disparagingly at the thief who was desperately trying to get up. Derick’s head swam a little after the slight shaking, no doubt a sign that his mind was still trying to process all of the jumps he had made in quick succession.
“So, I am OhmN.” Derick began, by raising his short hands up above his head. “I feel I need to take over this operation, in order to optimize its efficiency.” Derick said, lowering his hands, and letting his attention fall back to the group. “I feel a brief introduction on my part is necessary.” Derick said, before teleporting one last time to the front of the room, next to Luscinda.
“I am OhmN, the first sage portalist in over seven centuries.” Derick began, by showing the title, above his head, while also removing his hood to show his cosmic hair and violet eyes. “What you may not be aware of is that I have slain dragons.” Derick said, while displaying his dragon slayer title. “Not just dragons, but a dragon patriarch.” With that Derick toggled his title to dragon patriarch slayer. “With slaying the dragon patriarch it should go without saying, but I am also a master monster slayer.” Derick said, while displaying his monster slayer title. “I have many more titles, but feel that if you are not adequately cowed by what you have seen thus far, or from me then I give you the chance right now. Either stand against me here and now, or join me to a new land of prosperity and profit.” Derick said, waiting for someone, anyone to flinch, but no one seemed to move.
“No one?” Derick said, his voice low and full of malice.
Silence.
“Good. Now that we have that settled.” The sound of a crossbow bolt firing echoed through the air. Derick not having a chance to see the crossbow bolt, but knowing the general location and the offending party created a giant portal in front of him that narrowed down to a point right before the eye of his would be assailant. In less than a second a gasp of pain was heard echoing behind the throng of thieves that looked around for what just happened. It took some a second to notice the tall elf falling backward to the floor, a black crossbow bolt jutting from his right eye.
“This is as good a time as any to state. I believe in an eye for an eye.” Derick said, teleporting to the man and quickly trying to loot him in case his psychic vampirism was able to gain any talents or abilities from the corpse. Then Derick quickly took the loot from the man’s pockets, which was thrown on the floor in front of him. In a second, before the coins finished their rustling on the ground, Derick was back in front of the crowd by Luscinda’s side. “I do not harbor ill will.” Derick said, “but I will not accept blatant disrespect, nor will I allow an attack to go unchallenged.” Derick said.
“Realize no one is above the first law.” Derick said, “show them your
hand Luscinda.” Derick said, then when he noticed her hesitation Derick grabbed the hand with his psychic-telekinesis and held the still sputtering hand above her head, letting blood drip on her face and down her arm. “Yet now we can start over fresh, right Luscinda?” Derick asked, a slight tone of malice filling his voice, letting it be known that he would not accept insubordination again.
“Yes.” Luscinda said meekly, a slight whimper filling her normally dominating voice.
“No one else needs to feel the need to challenge me, nor my position here?” Derick asked the crowd once more, letting his mental grip on Luscinda’s hand drop, which she quickly pulled into her side trying to once again stop the flow of blood.
None of the thieves said a word.
“All right, then as for now continue to go about your actions as normal. I will make changes as needed.” Derick paused, then added “also, for the next three days and nights there will not be a tax on any crimes committed. Additionally every magic item you acquire from outside the guild will be yours, no questions asked. Should you find any unique books, tomes, maps, or references to places of power or ancient places of power I will reward you personally with 100 platinum pieces.” Derick then thought about it, and nodded to himself.
“Additionally, the person who delivers the most unique books, tomes, maps, or references of power by the end of the third night will be awarded a place as second in command.” Derick said, directing the last barb at Luscinda. With that Derick waved his hands and quickly began walking down a side passageway where he was sure no one was hiding. He could feel Luscinda following him.
Derick began to walk away, before a thought filled his head. “I figure it goes without saying, but should my name or this guild ever be uttered in the same breath, I will find out who has the loose lips and make them an example to be spoken about with fear until the next sage portalist appears.” Derick said, the last words so coldly that he felt a cold shiver run down his back. “Should anyone ask, tell them Mr. Big is now the one in charge.”
With that Derick began going heading down the same hallway.
“You need me.” Luscinda began, catching up to Derick and his slow strolling pace.
“Well then, I suggest you find rare books, tomes, maps, or references to places of power.” Derick said, flippantly to her. “You will have a head start.” Derick added. Derick could hear the footsteps of the woman pause while walking down the hallway.
“How so?”
“All the books that you and the one armed thief had will count toward your total. Though some of those people out there seemed eager to replace you. I wouldn’t accept your grand starting point as an assurance that you will win this race.” Derick said, continuing his leisurely stroll, before going down a side tunnel then disappearing form the Thieves’ Guild hall completely. Derick quickly made sure that his Professional Title was once again displayed, before making his way to a side street that once again allowed him to enter the main city street without drawing too much attention to himself.
“Did you just drop a Rocky and Bullwinkle reference?” HAIL asked.
I did.
“But I thought you didn’t like anything from the 1900s?” HAIL protested as Derick made his way to the city hall.
It was a great series that lasted from 2082 to 2087. Derick thought angrily.
“Oh yes, the remakes.” HAIL said, almost as if chiding himself for missing something obvious. “Well good reference, nonetheless.”
Character View 8
Name
OhmN (ΩN)
Race
Celstial Gnome
Class
Psychic-Leech
Profession:
Sage Celestial Portalist
Status
Resurrected
Age
27
Alignment
Chaotic Neutral
Current Level
10
Experience
64,675
Experience to Next Level
37,725
Respawns
2
Player Kills Required till free respawn
2 (18 of 20 complete)
Titles
Name
Bonus
History
Brother Slayer
+5% Bonus damage to fellow Travelers.
You have slain more than 20 Travelers.
Monster Slayer
25% bonus damage to all monsters
You killed a monster more than 20 levels higher than your own.
Psychic Dragon Slayer
+10% All class related Powers and Abilities
You have slain and absorbed the essence of a dragon associated with your affinity or class type.
Precocious
+10% experience for all future actions.
+10% skill growth.
You gained 10 levels in a single day.
Professional
All professions, even rare ones are now unlocked and available to learn.
+10% experience to profession skill progession.
You are the first player to Master a hidden profession.
Resurrected
All Merits associated with your previous undead status will remain even if respawned.
You took the Undead status, then purchased away all negative effects associated with the status.
Divine Attention
You can now add unallocated Stat points to your Luck Attribute
You have gained the attention of the Gods.
Attributes
Attribute
Score
Strength
22
Dexterity
25
Constitution
30
Charisma
23
Willpower
69
Intelligence
35
Wisdom
35
Perception
25
Luck
36
Vitals
Health
400 / 400
(Constitution X 10)
Stamina
250 / 250
(Constitution X 5)
Mental Power
790 / 690
(Willpower X 10)
Mana
450 / 350
(Intelligence X10)
Blessings:
Protected by the Pantheon of Triton
Effect, protected from any divine powers that would either effect the Player directly, or indirectly.
Hidden Ressurection:
Every detail of your character that could appear on the Resurrection status board is hidden from other Players.
Skills
Name
Level
Skill Rank
Awareness
52
Journeyman
Stealth
68
Journeyman
Dual Casting
75
Journeyman
Channeling
75
Journeyman
Meditation
75
Journeyman
Casting Fight Form
50
Journeyman
Individual Attack Form
50
Journeyman
Eavesdrop
22
Novice
Concentration
5
Novice
Mental Fortitude
6
Novice
Professional Skills and Sub-Skills
Name
Overall
Breakdown
Celestial Portals
154
-Celestial Vision
154
(100 +15 +39)
-Celestial Correspondence
154
(100 +15 +39)
-Celestial Travel
154
(100 +15 +39)
Remaining 20 (0 of 20 spent)
Spell Power / Abilities:
Name
Power Level
Description
Psychic-Viewing
23 (19 +4)
Range: 112 Yards, 78% chance to identify Magically/Ability hidden people, objects, or locations
Levitation
1 (1)
Duration 14 minutes, 21 minute cooldown.
Psychic-Telekinesis
8 (8)
Can lift 187 lbs per Mental Energy or Stamina Point spent. No range limit.
Phasing
11 (11)
Duration 14 Seconds, 1 minute cooldown.
Psychic-Vampirism
21 (21)
42% chance to steal power from slain enemy.
Psychic-Stealth
1 (1)
Channelled: 10 Mental Energy +1 Mental energy per second channeled to avoid all forms of detection from each targeted individual
Psychic-Tracking
1 (1)
Player can climb with their base gear without Stamina or energy loss. Each additional Power Point applied to this ability allows the Player to add 10 lbs to increase maximum weight carried without incuring Stamina loss.
Climbing
1 (1)
Player can track any item or individual that they have come in contact with a base cost of 5% Mental Energy.
Psychic Portal Mastery
1 (1)
Effect Adds +15 (Power Level X10 + Willpower/10) to all skills related to Profession Celestial Portals.