by M. Coulray
You have increased your Barrier Magic skill. You may now rank up any known Barrier Magic spells to Rank 2. Unlike skills, spell ranks increase in cost per rank, with the skill point cost equaling the numeric value of the target rank.
If I understood that correctly, it would cost two skill points to rank up my Physical Barrier spell to rank two, three more to rank up to rank three, and so on. I did some quick math and came to the realization that ranking up spells was going to be costly as hell. With three remaining skill points, I could rank up Physical Barrier once and still learn either the spell modifier Ablative Barriers or the new spell Mana Barrier, or else increase another skill entirely.
I decided to toss caution to the wind and rank up Physical Barrier.
[Physical Barrier]
Skill: Barrier Magic
Rank: 2
Target: Self or Other
Maximum base physical DEF: 7 (1 DEF/9 Mana)
Duration: 10 minutes
Other effects: +2 effective DEF versus missile weapons
Only one Physical Barrier may exist at a time. Increase Barrier Magic skill to increase maximum base DEF. Increase spell Rank to decrease mana cost per DEF.
Once again I did some quick math. The spell’s max cost had increased, but so had its max DEF. Now I could dump 63 mana into it at once, and get 7 DEF. I wasn’t sure, but I inferred that the spell must have a maximum rank, because otherwise after rank 10 I’d be casting it for free. I’d find out sometime later, I was sure.
More prompts awaited my attention.
[Adjusted relationship with Votess]
Positive factors:
Assisted with Votess’ ritual combat
Able to speak with Votess
Charisma modifier
Negative factors:
Not of Lizardman Remnant race
(Diplomacy Skill) Attempted to claim unearned Name
Final result: Your relationship with Votess has improved from Mistrust to Apathy.
Unearned Name? So even introducing myself was a mistake. And apparently I wouldn’t have known that if I wasn’t skilled in Diplomacy. Nothing I could do about not being a lizardman, though. I gave myself a pat on the back for putting those points in Charisma. I definitely wanted to make friends, not enemies.
Speaking of which, I returned to my skill list and put my last point into Diplomacy. I was heading into unfamiliar territory and I wanted every edge I could get.
On to the next prompt.
[Derived Attributes adjusted]
Vitality increased from 110 to 140 (Base 100 + 10 points/level + 0 points Endurance bonus)
Mana increased from 120 to 160 (Base 100 + 10 points/level + 10 points/level of highest Magic skill x 1.0 Intelligence bonus multiplier)
Nice, I thought. My Vitality was up significantly, as was my Mana. My average Intelligence and Endurance were doing me no favours, but at least they weren’t actively penalizing me. Once I hit level five I’d have to consider which one I wanted to increase.
There was one, final prompt. I opened it up and my guts tensed up.
[Access to GM Assistance disabled.]
What exactly did that mean? What if something bugged out? I stared at the prompt before dismissing it. There was nothing I could do. I opened my character status and checked out how things looked.
Daniel Descouteaux
Race: Human
Level:4
Attributes:
Strength: 10 (ATK bonus: 0)
Endurance:10 (Vitality/level bonus: 0)
Agility:10 (Accuracy/DEF bonus: 0)
Intelligence:10 (Mana pool multiplier: 1.0)
Willpower:10 (Resistance bonus: 0)
Charisma: 14 (Disposition bonus: 20%)
Luck:13 (Bonuses unknown)
Derived Attributes:
Vitality:140
Mana:160
Traits:
Gift of Tongues
Skills:
Knife Fighting: 1
Barrier Magic: 2
Cook: 1
Alchemy: 1
Trade: 1
Diplomacy: 2
Assess Target: 1
Spells:
Physical Barrier Rank 2
Everything seemed in order. I waved away all the prompts and left my view uncluttered by the AR HUD. In front of me, Votess walked on, tail swishing to balance his stride. I followed, wondering where he was leading me.
8
We walked for eleven casts of Physical Barrier. I didn’t bother with the warning chime to remind me that the spell had expired; the bugs did a fine job of that. Every time the spell dropped, I had a moment of thrashing around, slapping the bloodsuckers away. Votess watched without any expression, but I was sure he was laughing at me. Must be nice having all those scales, I thought.
His nickname for me, Scaleless, kind of made me wonder. My Diplomacy skill had given me a post hoc warning that naming myself was some kind of faux pas in lizardman society, but then how the hell did they distinguish themselves from each other? I decided to ask Votess.
“Hmm. Everyone at Goddess Watch is themselves. Their own smell, their own parents.”
“We humans get names at birth.”
“Humans? Is that what the Scaleless call themselves ?” Votess flicked his tongue through the air. I found that somewhat unnerving.
“Well, I am a human, as in, that is my race. There’s other races too.”
Votess grunted dismissively. “Scaleless are all the same.”
“So why do you have a name?”
Votess stopped and turned to face me. He stood up full length and tapped his chest with a spear tip. I saw several deformed scales there. “I am a warrior. I earned my name fighting the ones who have forgotten the Goddess. Others earn their names for other deeds. Wise ones must learn their arts. Hunters must bring back enough prey for the village. Boneforgers must craft a perfect weapon.”
“What about before you earn your name?”
“Hmm. Before I earned my name, I was Daughter of Second Clutch of Krees.”
I stopped walking for a second. “You’re… female?”
Votess turned and faced me. “Yes. Could you not tell even that, Scaleless?” Without waiting for an answer, she turned and began walking again. Was it my imagination, or was her tail swishing with a little more agitation? How would I even have known?
I hoped I hadn’t offended Votess. No prompts showed up to that effect, so maybe she would just let it slide. Still, I wasn’t sure why I’d assumed she was a he. Her build was strong and she was tall, but maybe that was normal for lizardman women? Lizardwomen? I gave up on the topic.
After barely another two minutes, Votess spoke to me. “What did you do when the lost one bit me? I barely bled.” Curiosity bled through her usual emotionless tone. “My scales are hard, as they must be, but I should have lost my arm.”
“Well, I mostly tried not to piss myself,” I answered without thinking. Votess didn’t respond. I sighed. “I cast a spell on you.”
Votess stopped walking. “A spell?” Her eyes fixed on me. Her tail didn’t move and her tongue remained hidden behind her teeth. This was clearly dangerous ground.
I raised my hands in peace. “Magic. I cast a spell on you that protected you from its teeth. I didn’t want you to die.” Mainly because I didn’t want to fight it on my own, I silently added.
Votess slapped her tail on the log walkway. It shook enough that I had to consciously make an effort not to fall on my ass. “You can cast magic?”
“Yes, but only barriers. I don’t know any other magic.”
Votess considered me. I tried to return her gaze, but winning a staring contest with a lizardman was apparently not easily done. She finally spoke again. “The wise ones will speak with you. If you are lying, I will ask to be the one to kill you. I will be quick,” she added, her tone indicating that she thought this was a kindness.
“Whoa! Kill me? For casting a spell? I helped you!” It seemed I’d missed something here.
I followed behind. Votess didn’t ask me any more questions, and I didn’t find it in myself to ask her any either. I’d gotten myself into something here, and I had no idea how I was going to get out of it.
The swamp gradually got drier and drier, with patches of land appearing and sturdier trees growing on them. Here and there I caught glimpses of animals moving, small ones mostly, but twice I could have sworn something big undulated under the surface of the water while we were crossing it. It gave me the willies.
An hour later, Votess pulled up and stopped walking. She turned to face me. “Say nothing to anyone inside. Do not meet their eyes. It is best if you stare only at the ground. Once we meet with the wise ones, if you are asked a question, answer it truthfully.”
I nodded. Ahead I saw a wide palisade wall, with lizardman heads peeking over it. It seemed the ground was solid enough to support construction here.
[You have discovered: Goddess Watch.]
Votess watched my face go through several expressions, then hissed at me. “Do not forget. Look at the ground to be safe. You will walk ahead of me. I will guide you with my spear.”
I nodded. Before us, a section of the palisade tilted like an old-fashioned garage door. I stepped forward and crossed the wall.
The village of Goddess Watch was much larger than I’d expected. Wood houses and other buildings surrounded me, elevated from the ground level. Every building was attached to one or more trees that rose up from the swamp. Each building was connected to the others by walkways similar to what had brought us here, even when there was dry ground beneath. Each walkway had spots broadened out in it at intervals. I wondered what they were for. I stared at the buildings in amazement until Votess hissed at me. Then I got to walking.
Around me, lizard folk hissed in surprise. Some of them seemed interested in me, and others… well, let’s just say I heard words like “enemy” or “prey” mentioned more than a few times. It occurred to me that Votess hadn’t told me exactly what they hunted for dinner at Chez Lizard. I hoped I wasn’t on the menu.
At each branch of the walkway, Votess herded me to one path or another with a slap from the shaft of her spear. My legs were beginning to bruise after only a few turns, because she wasn’t being gentle. I chose to believe this was a performance for the other lizard folk. Wherever we were going seemed to be deep inside the village.
As we walked, I tried to remember which turns had taken us this far. If I had to run, I didn’t want to be running at random. Then I realized that if I had to run, I wouldn’t get very far regardless. There were lizard folk everywhere. I learned what the broad spots on the walkways were for. When we met with other lizard folk, either they or we stepped onto the nearest widened area to let the other pass.
As we walked further, I realized the scope of the village was much larger than I had imagined. The sounds of life surrounded us. There were endless residents that stopped and looked at us, and even children that seemed fascinated by me. One dashed up at the goading of his or her peers and touched me on the thigh, then ran away hissing and waving their arms. My best guess was that they’d just won a bet or fulfilled a dare.
There was something strange about the village, but it took me more than a few minutes to realize was it was. Nowhere did I see fire. I guess that made sense; it had to be hard to keep fires burning in this place, and when everything was made of wood, an out of control fire could wipe out everything. Instead of torches, the paths and buildings were illuminated with floating, ghostly lights. Clearly the lizard folk had some kind of magic at their disposal.
The other missing element of civilization was metal. None of the weapons I saw were steel or any other metal. No fixtures or other items appeared to have any metal in them whatsoever. When I was able to focus on anything long enough for the AR HUD to report it to me, the word Boneforged showed up regularly. I decided to brave a question.
“What is Boneforging?”
Votess hissed in displeasure at my breaking the silence. “Boneforging is the forging of bone. Boneforgers strengthen and shape bone to fit the needs of the people.”
“You don’t use metal?”
This time, her tone was definitely mocking. I was beginning to pick up on her emotional expressions. “Draw your little knife, Scaleless.”
I did so, and looked at the blade. Spots of rust were forming on it. I’d only been in the swamp for a few hours! I rubbed at them with my sleeve, but they didn’t fade at all.
“That is why we don’t use weak metal, Scaleless. The mists destroy most things not of the swamp.”
“Most things?”
“Any kind of leather will survive. Bone and horn. Enchanted metals will not rust. We have salvaged some things from previous Scaleless invaders that remain untouched by time and the mists.” Votess paused for a moment, although she didn’t stop walking. “Some of it might be of use to you. If the wise ones decide you are to live,” she said as an afterthought.
I decided not to ask any more questions. The thought of an impending execution was a bit of a downer, especially seeing as it was going to be mine. I kept my mind off it by examine the construction of the buildings and trying not to see the things that occasionally created waves in the dark waters we traversed on the log walkway.
Soon we reached a large building that sat between five especially large trees. Two lizard folk stood guard by the entrance. Like Votess, they wore neither armour nor clothing. At our approach, they faced us. Their gaze fell on me.
“What do you bring to the village, Votess?”
“A Scaleless, to see Krees and Telix.”
The guards looked at me. One poked me with his spear, hard enough that without Physical Barrier I was sure I would have been cut. I was glad I’d kept it up though our nice little walk.
The guard seemed to notice my especially tough skin. Apparently he or she had meant to cut me. A hiss of surprise cut through the air, but Votess spoke before they could say anything. “Will you stop me? I am Votess.”
“We will not stop you, Votess.” The exchange seemed ritualized. The guards stepped aside, and Votess pushed me forward, a little more roughly than was absolutely necessary in my opinion. I stepped into the building and blinked.
The ghost lights that illuminated the village were in full effect here. Each corner of the pentagonal structure held one of the floating orbs, and more drifted above us at the ceiling. The room held another five guards, one at each corner. The floors were finished wood, in contrast to the unshaped logs that had formed the walkway that took us here. The far side of the building was dominated by three thrones, two of which held lizard folk. The third, central throne was empty.
The occupied thrones held two lizard folk, both of which were staring down at me with interest in their eyes. I surreptitiously looked back, careful not to make eye contact. Neither of them wore anything to distinguish them as royalty or leadership or anything, but I supposed that when you sat on the biggest chair in the room, that said something.
If I’d heard and understood right, one of these lizard folk was Krees, which was the name of Votess’ mother. Had I been captured by a princess? Before I could think further on the topic, said princess struck me in the back of the legs with her spear. I fell to the ground and knelt. Beside me, Votess took a crouching position. Her digitigrade legs didn’t lend themselves to kneeling.
“What have you brought us, Votess?” This came from the leftmost throne.
“A Scaleless, Telix,” said Votess.
“Why?”
Votess didn’t answer for some time. I shivered. The ghost lights didn’t throw any heat into the room, and I could really have used some warmth right at that moment. The spears held by the guards looked especially sharp.
“For this, I ask that
we speak alone.”
The guards hissed and stepped forward. Their spears levelled at the two of us. Votess didn’t stand or otherwise respond to them. Instead, Telix spoke. “You are named and trusted, Votess, but why?”
Instead of answering, Votess poked me with a claw. “Speak.”
I looked up, focusing on the empty throne so I didn’t make eye contact. “Hello. I am— I am Scaleless.” I almost spoke my name, but remembered in time. Something flickered in my prompt queue. I didn’t bring it to the forefront. I had bigger things to worry about.
The two seated lizard folk rose. The guards in the corners muttered below the level of my understanding. Votess stood and pulled me up with her. “Do you agree?”
The other lizard ruler, who I assumed was Krees, spoke. “We agree. Leave us. Votess will guard us in your absence.”
Without any argument, the five guards filed out. Each stared at me as they went past. I tried to look as small as possible. It wasn’t difficult. Some of them dwarfed Votess, and she made me look positively tiny.
Once the room was empty save for the four of us, Telix and Krees approached.
“I am Telix.”
“I am Krees.”
They stared at me, unblinking. I flickered my gaze between them. Telix reached out and touched my face, then pulled back with a hiss. “Its skin is hard!”
“It can cast magic.” Votess didn’t put any particular inflection in the words, but the effect on Telix and Krees was interesting. Both of them stuck their faces in mine and flickered their tongues towards me. Their eyes were as wide as possible and they alternated between staring at me and at each other. I wondered if they were psychic or communicating somehow.
“Show me.” This came from Krees.
I looked at Votess. She handed Krees her spear. “Do as you did at the lost one’s pool.”
I nodded in understanding, then whispered the words to cast Physical Barrier on Votess. It dropped from me immediately. I hoped nobody decided to test my skin’s hardness at that moment.