by Stone Thomas
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7 Strength / 175 XP to Next / 7 –> 8 / Total XP Cost: 0
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7 Hardiness / 175 XP to Next / none / Total XP Cost: 175
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7 Focus / 175 XP to Next / none / Total XP Cost: 175
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7 Resolve / 175 XP to Next / 7 –> 8 / Total XP Cost: 0
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TOTAL BASE ATTRIBUTE XP COST: 600
Stats Affected by Change
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[Constitution] Health Points (HP): 500/500 –> 600/600
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[Vivacity] Action Points (AP): 100/100 –> 120/120
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[Strength] Phys. Damage Inflict Range: 70-85 –> 80-98
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[Hardiness] Phys. Damage Block Range: 38-53
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[Focus] Mag. Damage Inflict Range: 70-85
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[Resolve] Mag. Damage Block Range: 38-53 –> 43-61
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Skills For Weapon Class: Battle Staff
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Locked. Concuss 1. Whack an enemy in the head for a 10% chance at rendering them unconscious. Failed attacks cause dizziness instead. [25 AP to cast] [Requires: Strength 8, Resolve 8] [125 XP to unlock].
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Improve to Concuss 2 to increase chance of causing unconsciousness to 12%. [26 AP to cast] [Requires: Strength 10, Resolve 10] [250 XP to improve].
…
Intended Change: 0 –> 1
Cost Subtotal: 125
TOTAL BATTLE STAFF SKILL XP COST: 125
Skills for Special Class: Flame Dame
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Holding Fire 4. Conjure a single wall of flame up to 20 feet in perimeter that damages anyone or anything that crosses its path. [14 AP to cast] [Requires: Hardiness 4, Focus 4].
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Improve to Holding Fire 5 to increase perimeter of flame wall to 28 feet. [22 AP to cast] [Requires: Hardiness 6, Focus 6] [1,875 XP to improve].
…
Intended Change: 4 –> 5
Cost Subtotal: 1,875
TOTAL FLAME DAME SKILL XP COST: 1,875
Summary
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Available XP: 2,677
Cost of Intended Changes: 2,600
Precision Training Discount (2%): 52
Total Adjusted Cost: 2,548
Total Projected Remaining: 129
Confirm?: Yes / No
∇
After I explained everything to Ambry and Lily, including the new skills I had unlocked for them, I started training everyone else. Slowly, I amassed additional XP of my own from training each person in turn. It was certainly a better way to spend an afternoon than chopping wood. The best part was that Lily and Ambry had brought in some very helpful people.
We had a miner class now, who I sent with Cindra to the mine so we could start extracting gold, iron, and energems. A culinarian class, whose skill allowed her to increase the output from all recipes by 10%, which would only get better as we continued to train. A logger, who could prepare wood from trees much more efficiently than I could. A cartographer, who could only make crude maps when she got here, but who now could craft magical maps that updated areas she had surveyed automatically. A deviser capable of making complex machinery.
There was no healer though. I thought back to Lana, and hoped she was alright. I wished Ambry and Lily had found her when they rounded people up. The thought of her suffering at Duul’s hands after she had just purified her blood was heartbreaking.
“What do we do with them all?” Vix asked after the last person walked away to start on their day’s project.
“How quickly can you build homes on the hill?” I asked. “We’ll need a wall to surround not just the path between the slopes, but the entire base of the hill that Nola’s temple is under. We’ll need homes, and a forge for our new metalworker, and a meeting hall for events, and—”
“Homes?” she asked. “Residential buildings are so boring, that’s what I was trying to get away from.”
“As boring as sharing our limited number of beds with our growing number of settlers?” I asked.
“Fine,” she said, “but I’m not building all of that alone. I’ll need some helpers.”
“Of course,” I said. “Take whoever you need. I didn’t realize other people could help you build.”
“Anyone can build something,” she said. “My class allows me to build with extraordinary speed and precision. It takes me 12 hours to build a tower. It would take someone else weeks. However, I can oversee some of the projects and lend a hand to speed them up.”
“Vix,” I said, “you’ve just been promoted to head architect. But when you have a crazy idea of what to build next, check in with me first, would you?”
The wheels were already turning in her eyes. “A whole team at my disposal. First the wall. But not just any wall…” She continued to mutter to herself as she walked away.
“Lily, Ambry,” I said. The women stood to the side, waiting for direction from me.
“After fighting cretins lately, I have these.” I dug the energems out of my pocket. They were small, but four of them were completely black now. “Something like this powered the electric tower in Valleyvale. Do you know how that worked?”
“Yes,” Ambry said. I had to look to Lily for more exposition.
“Our mother made that tower,” Lily said. “Before she disappeared.”
“Disappeared?” I asked.
“She was a lightning mage,” Lily explained. “Our father begged her to be more careful, but that branch of magic comes with recklessness.”
“Yours too,” Ambry said.
Lily rolled her eyes. “I’m not as calculating as my sister, so shoot me. Anyway, some people thought our father did something to get rid of her, afraid that her unpredictability would hurt his bid for Mayor. Others thought she just fried herself into a pile of ash one day when no one was looking.
“It took her ages to fill that large energem. I saw what happened when the cretins died. The way they filled up your energems was phenomenal. They must be pure energy, even though they’re evil.
“Normally, filling an energem is painstaking work. Our mother poured all of her action points into that stone for years before it was full. Then she set it up to protect the city from intruders.
“Anyone can set one up, but once the gem is assigned it’s permanent. That’s why most people wait until their skills are strong before they imbue an energem.”
“We don’t have time,” I said, “but we do have an energem mine, and an endless supply of cretins on the way. I’ll give some thought to who has the right spells for our needs. Thanks for your help.”
“No problem,” Ambry said.
“So where do you want us then?” Lily asked.
“When the cretins come,” I said, “I want you on the towers. Your father had you wait inside until the cretins destroyed the front door, and I think that was a waste. You should contain the enemy as soon as they’re in range of our defensive towers. For now though, see if you can give Vix a hand. She’s planning out the city, and I think the Mayor’s daughters are in the best position to advise.”
“Will do,” Ambry said. She didn’t smile once the whole time she was here. I wasn’t sure if she was unhappy, or if the lack of a scowl on her face should make me relieved. I walked away from the girls and into the temple.
Nola, I thought, how close are you to evolving?
I thought it would take months, she said, but my progress is coming along. I should be ready in a few weeks.
Do we have a few weeks?, I asked.
I wish I knew, she said. I’ve blocked my psychic connection to the gods, so I don’t know where Duul is or what he’s up to. I can’t take the risk.
Then we’ll do the best we can, I said.
I walked into the forest after that for some quiet time. I heard trees falling in the distance from our new logger, but I wandered to a spot where I could be alone. It was time to upgrade my own skills, and I was happy to find a new weapon skil
l that had opened up. I unlocked it, hoping my HP wouldn’t fall low enough to warrant using it.
Δ
Skillmeister View of:
Arden Hochbright
Base Attribute / XP to Next / Intended Change / Total XP Cost
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5 Constitution / 125 XP to Next / 5 –> 7 / Total XP Cost: 275
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5 Vivacity / 125 XP to Next / none / Total XP Cost: 0
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8 Strength + 6 Bonus / 200 XP to Next / none / Total XP Cost: 0
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6 Hardiness + 4 Bonus / 150 XP to Next / 6 –> 8 / Total XP Cost: 325
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5 Focus / 125 XP to Next / none / Total XP Cost: 0
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5 Resolve + 3 Bonus / 125 XP to Next / none / Total XP Cost: 0
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TOTAL BASE ATTRIBUTE XP COST: 600
Stats Affected by Change
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[Constitution] Health Points (HP): 500/500 –> 700/700
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[Vivacity] Action Points (AP): 100/100
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[Strength] Phys. Damage Inflict Range: 140-171
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[Hardiness] Phys. Damage Block Range: 54-76 –> 65-91
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[Focus] Mag. Damage Inflict Range: 50-61
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[Resolve] Mag. Damage Block Range: 43-61
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Skills For Weapon Class: Polearm
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Piercing Blow 1. Damage multiplier of 2.0. [20 AP to cast] [Requires: Strength 5].
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Improve to Piercing Blow 2 for damage multiplier of 2.2. [20 AP to cast] [Requires: Strength 7] [250 XP to improve].
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Intended Change: 1 –> 2
Cost Subtotal: 250
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Locked. Spear Cannon 1. When HP is at or below 10%, shoot a beam of light from your spear to damage enemy attackers, with a Strength multiplier of 3.0. [22 AP to cast] [Requires: Strength 8, Hardiness 8] [125 XP to unlock].
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Improve to Spear Cannon 2 to increase Strength multiplier to 3.4. [24 AP to cast] [Requires: Strength 10, Hardiness 10] [250 XP to improve].
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Intended Change: 0 –> 1
Cost Subtotal: 125
TOTAL POLEARM SKILL XP COST: 375
Skills for Special Class: Skillmeister
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Precision Training 2. Reduce the XP cost of skills and attributes by 1%. [Passive] [Requires: Focus 6, Resolve 7].
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Improve to Precision Training 3 for XP cost reduction of 3%. [Passive] [Requires: Focus 7, Resolve 9] [1125 XP to improve].
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Intended Change: None
Cost Subtotal: 0
TOTAL SKILLMEISTER SKILL XP COST: 0
Summary
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Available XP: 1002
Cost of Intended Changes: 975
Precision Training Discount (2%): 20
Total Adjusted Cost: 955
Total Projected Remaining: 52
Confirm?: Yes / No
∇
Alright Duul, I thought, you evil bastard. I’m either ready or I’m not.
+23
That night, we had our feast as promised. Twenty-five new settlers sat on both sides of a long wooden table that one of our new carpenters fixed for the occasion, along with wooden chairs. Mamba, Cindra, Vix, and I sat at the end of the table, closest to Nola, with Ambry and Lily.
“We have a working gold mine now,” Cindra said, “and a way to extract raw energems. You should see the mine, those rocks glitter like stars in the dark rocky tunnels.”
Mamba set her wine on the table. “Everyone wants my snakies to help them work faster. They love all the attention.”
I took a long sip of my own wine. It was valeberry wine, a sweet, earthy drink from fruits that grew around Valleyvale. It was one more reason to hope Valleyvale didn’t fall to Duul’s forces. Where would we get wine from if the whole city was cursed?
Our new culinarian brought another platter to our end of the table.
“I can’t eat all of this,” Vix said, “it’ll go to my hips.”
“Not me,” Cindra said, “it goes right to my boobs.”
“By all means,” I said, “indulge. It’s not every night we have a spread like this. In fact, have seconds!”
It was a wonderful meal, interrupted only by the festive tunes from our new bard who plucked on a stringed instrument in the corner. He had a cup of wine to himself, and seemed lost in his own music.
Mamba stood and took my hand.
“No,” I said, “I’m tired, and I’m a bad dancer, and I’m still eating—”
“I’m a good teacher,” she said. “Music fills the soul when body hungers for body.”
I wanted to argue, but I was at a total loss for how. Mamba dragged me toward the music and began to gyrate her hips against mine.
I let my own hips move with hers. She quickly fell into some kind of trance, rippling her abdominal muscles and bending in wild ways. Her muscle control was enviable. My hands slipped further down her body to support her weight as she arced further and further. Finally, her hands brushed against the floor while her pelvis ground against mine.
She was the most flexible woman the gods had ever created.
Or so I imagined. I had never seen anyone bend in so many ways. Something soft brushed against my ear.
Vix whispered, “I built you a private room. From the tunnel behind the altar, you can’t miss it.” Then she continued her walk toward the bard, where she began to dance on her own. Soon Cindra joined her.
I knew what Vix was insinuating, and I was thankful for the info.
“Why don’t we dance in private?” I asked.
“Okay,” Mamba said, “but you lead.”
“That I can do,” I promised. Here was a woman who had been cast aside by the elves for being a gypsy, and by the gypsies for being an elf. In a way, she was emblematic of the home we were creating here. We were all runaways or castaways of one form or another, bound together in pursuit of safety and community.
I admired Mamba for being such a free spirit despite the way people had treated her. I pushed open the door behind the altar and found another door, newly constructed, where there hadn’t been one before. In my old life, this was the vestry where Cahn kept the silk gowns he bought with the temple’s money.
In my new life, this was my own private getaway. A room where I could let my guard down, stop being Head Priest Arden, founder of a new city, and just be myself. A man who accepted a role in this world beyond bat extermination.
The stone door muffled the sound of eating and drinking, dancing and singing from the temple’s front chamber. It also muffled the sound of Mamba panting and screaming as we explored each other’s private pleasures. She was a loud one indeed.
+24
“Arden,” a woman said. She stood before two city gates made of white metal. They gleamed with a power all their own. I was dreaming, of a place and a person I had never met.
“Yes?” I asked.
“I am the Great Mother,” she said. “I was speaking with Nola a moment ago, but Duul interrupted. He is powerful, Arden. Perhaps too powerful.”
“Are we doomed?” I asked. “Is there any point to all this?”
“I cannot see the future,” she said, “but I know a bright one will depend on you. The goddess you serve is in a unique position in the pantheon. Her family ties put her in position to inherit powers from every branch of the family of the gods. I was in a similar position once, during the first God War. My heart goes out to her.”
“What do you mean inherit?” I asked.
“When a god dies, any power they accumulated does not die with them. They pass each power to the next of kin. Not the god’s next of kin per se, but the power’s next of kin. Often these powers travel from parent to child, but not always. Nola is directly related to many gods with powers she may inherit, and she is the appropriate receptacle
for many more. She cannot know that yet though. The burden would be too great for a young goddess to bear.”
“So the gods that have died already?” I asked.
“Minor deities for the most part, with powers that are inconsequential,” she said. “Tonight, however, things changed. Sajia was taken from us. Her power will devolve to Nola.”
“That’s Nola’s mother,” I said.
“And my niece,” the Great Mother said. “Nola was a rebellious young goddess, seeking a temple in the farthest parts of the human lands. It is that distance that may yet save her. Duul’s forces have spread far and wide, but he is strongest here, near the Imperial City. Use this time to gather your army, Arden Hochbright. Make your parents proud.”
“Did you know my parents?” I asked. “Who were they?”
The Great Mother shimmered from new, as did the pearlescent gates of what I now knew belonged to the Imperial City. The human lands’ central stronghold and home to the Great Mother’s temple.
In its place emerged the view of a rocky mountain slope with thousands of shining faces, each as black as pitch with sharp menacing mouths and no eyes. Each grouping of cretin soldiers had a general with them, and dozens of war dogs on tight leashes.
Standing at the helm of this army was a man twice the height and breadth of any general. He towered above me, his face a sagging sac of red skin, puckered and wrinkled like a scrotum with eyes. He wore a black vest, revealing the same texture of skin on his arms and his upper chest.
“Bow before Duul!” the man shouted.
“Leave Nola alone!” I yelled. “I won’t let you hurt her, or anyone else.”
“Of what importance is she, I wonder,” he said, “that the Great Mother should visit her mortal priest.” His voice was that of an old man, garbled by throat muscles too weak to keep his throat open while he spoke.
“You blame me for war,” he said, “but it’s the Great Mother that did this. Aggression is a natural impulse that must find expression if it is to dissolve. Instead, she bottled me up for centuries until the world’s anger boiled over.
“You must think I curse the men, control them in ways they would never allow. I do not. I release that which the Great Mother quelled. Their lives were angry and weak. I show them power and strength. I can show you that strength, young Arden. Serve me. Tell me where Nola is and I will make you my head priest.”
“What about the women?” I asked. “You don’t turn their eyes black with hate. Why?”