by Isaac Winter
"Thank you," I said. Several Meliae gathered to see me off and their expressions were mixes of awe and fear. "Thank you all. I appreciate your support."
I slung my bag over my shoulder and stepped out into the sunlight. The brilliance nearly blinded me--after spending who knew how long in the Woodheart, full sun was overwhelming.
> New Status: Sun-blind. Perception abilities decreased for the next 60 seconds.
> You have left the Woodheart. Charmed status has been lifted.
> Reminder: You have 3 skill points to allocate.
Well, at least I had my strength and agility back. I pulled up the map and checked the waypoint. It wasn't far, but if the Meliae and the quest description were any indication, I was going to need help. I was going to need the Seekers.
And for that? I had to find Fel and Tris again.
No sooner had I exited the tree than I heard a faint rustling behind me. The tree glowed with a weird fog-like haze, then faded out of view completely. When I looked again, it was gone, only a fluttering leaf left behind. I blinked, shook my head, and moved on.
13
Now that I was out of the woods (literally), I took the time to sit down and go over all the new skills and notifications I'd gotten.
> Reminder: You have 3 skill points to allocate. Would you like to do so now?
[Yes/No]
I selected Yes this time and perused the list of choices. Charisma stuck out to me as something that could use improving, especially if I was going to get in more sticky situations like I had with the Meliae. Then again, I was close to level 5. That meant it was almost time to choose a class, and I wanted to make sure I optimized my stats for whatever I'd choose. I read through the list of classes that Fel had given me again.
Classes in the Veil
Table of Contents:
1. Classes
1.1. Archivist
1.2. Artificer
1.3. Knight
1.4. Missionary
1.5. Corsair
1.6. Shadowdancer
1.7. Wizard
1.8. Naturalist
Tris was clearly an Artificer, but I didn't know what Fel was. I decided to go down the list and look at each in turn, starting with Archivist. Something about it stuck out to me. Maybe it was because of my long days as a scholar, but I hoped I could put my knowledge from my world to good use here after all.
Archivist: Masters of knowledge, the archivist is the seeker of buried secrets and forgotten lore. They seek out both obscure divine spells and knowledge about the creatures of the darkness.
Core Traits: Intelligence, Wisdom
Example Abilities: See the Unwritten, Mystic Sight
Already that sounded extremely interesting. Wasn't that what I had been doing at the Academy, anyway? Except for the whole bit about creatures of the darkness, of course. The 'divine' part made me a little uneasy. I'd never considered myself a religious man, but after all I'd seen here in the Veil, I didn't know what to believe anymore.
I read through the rest just for good measure:
Artificer: Masters of both mechanical and magical, artificers delight in taking things apart and putting them back together in new and fantastic ways. They value innovation, adventure, and most have a high tolerance for risk.
-Core Traits: Intelligence, Agility
-Example Abilities: Mechanical Knowledge, Bombcraft
-Information: One member of your party has this class. (Tris, Level 11 Artificer, Sub-class: Tinker)
Knight: Warriors at heart, these fearless heroes fight with heavy arms and armor for their chosen cause.
-Core traits: Strength, Constitution
-Example Abilities: Shield Smash, Deadly Blow
-Information: One member of your party has this class. (Fel, Level 16 Knight)
Missionary: Devoted to their chosen deity or cause, Missionaries specialize in spiritual magic, buffs, and healing.
-Core traits: Charisma, Wisdom
-Restriction: Good alignments only.
-Example Abilities: Fighting Spirit, Heal Multiple
Corsair: Fast, agile, and good in a pinch, the corsair is a master of rogueish tendencies with a penchant for ranged weapons and traps.
-Core traits: Agility, Charisma
-Example Abilities: Trapcraft, Lockpicking
Shadowdancer: - Masters of the darkness, Shadowdancers devote their life to studying the ways of magic, especially those that others don't want uncovered...
-Core traits: Agility, Strength
-Restriction: Evil alignments only.
-Example Abilities: Summon Minion, Soul Shield
Wizard: Seekers of magic in all its forms, Wizards are pure magic users access to some of the most powerful spells in the Veil.
-Core traits: Intelligence, Constitution
-Example Abilities: Corrosive Touch, Obscuring Mist
Naturalist: In tune with the natural world, Naturalists find beauty in all living things and can affect certain elements by extension. They are also excellent healers.
-Core traits: Wisdom, Luck
-Example Abilities: Nature’s Aura, Summon Sapling
Shadowdancer had always been my second choice. It did sound pretty badass. Dark magic and stealth? Seemed to really fit with my choice of dark elf. If I wanted, I bet I could make a damn good rogue type. But after all I'd seen so far, the runes were too intriguing. And all this business about the Seekers? The Author? The mysterious forces hunting for Tris, and maybe me too? I couldn't run away from all that. I'd have to go Archivist, and take the divine parts in stride.
With that settled in mind, I allocated the other two points to Intelligence and Constitution. This brought me to the following new stats:
Name: Cael
Race: Drow
Racial Bonuses: +25% base mana, +10% base Agility/Intelligence
Class: Unknown (choose at lvl 5)
Level: 4, 15% to next level
Health: 133
Mana: 167
Stamina: 133
Strength: 10
Agility: 14
Constitution: 11
Intelligence: 13
Wisdom: 12
Charisma: 12
Luck: 11
With that sorted, I decided to look more closely at the Loot Bag the Meliae gave me upon leaving the Woodheart.
> Ancient Lorebook. Quality: Rare.
> Minor Earth Scroll x 2. One-time use item. Deals 30 Earth damage to target.
> Elysian Moss x 3. Gives off a faint light. Perhaps if you were more skilled at Alchemy, you could find other uses.
> Ring of Strength. Gives wearer +2 to their Strength stat.
> Forest Cloak. Gives wearer increased Stealth and camouflage in wooded environments.
> Meliae Wafer x 10. A common form of food among the Meliae, these wafers may not taste great, but they have surprising nutritional value. Random chance to buff one of your stats +1.
> 73 Gold.
I placed the ring on my finger and instantly felt a little stronger. All the results of working out without ever touching a barbell! The cloak wrapped itself around me and had a nice weight to it. A gold stripe trimmed the edges and a fine chain secured it around my shoulders. The hood was large and hung down over my face just enough to block the sun. I grinned beneath the thick fabric. Now we were talking! My first piece of cool clothing. I stuck the rest of the items in my bag. Not a bad haul for an impromptu quest. The item that really intrigued me, though, was the 'Ancient Lorebook.' It was almost like this world knew what kind of stuff I'd loved back in my old life and kept dropping it in my lap. First the runes, then the ancient books? Sign me up.
I laid my bag aside and flipped open the cover, coughing a bit as dust flew off the pages. Whatever this book was, it hadn't been opened in ages. The title stuck out at me in swirling black script. Mysteries of the Forest. I flipped a few more pages, marveling at the expert penmanship. As if in a trance, I absorbed the book in one go, the pages fluttering before my eyes as the
information wormed its way into my brain. When it finished, a rush of cool air fluttered around me and I received a new notification:
> New Lorebook studied: Mysteries of the Forest.
> New spells! You have learned:
Weak Gust: Shoots a small gust of wind at target.
Water Burst: Shoots a small jet of water at target.
Earth Resistance: Provides extra 10% resistance to Earth elemental damage for 60 seconds.
I fist pumped the air. My first spells! I placed the book back in my bag and snacked on a wafer while perusing my map. I had to admit, I was at least a little disappointed when I didn't see any stat buff from eating the wafer. Oh well.
Next order of business, I needed to find Fel and Tris. I opened the Party dialog again and found them under 'Recently Contacted'. Whatever magic keeping me from contacting them before had worn off, so I shot off a quick message:
Got pulled away on a quick errand. Send me your coordinates and I'll meet up with you. Got something you might want to see. -C
The message blinked back at me in record time.
Quick errand my ass, we've been looking for you for days! Thought maybe the wolves got you. Next time, say something. Jerk.
Location attachment:
Well, some things never changed. I selected the location and set off.
Luckily, Fel's wasn't far off, but it was a steep climb up a series of hills to get there. Even though my stats were higher now than they'd ever been, I still felt a bit winded. Surely this had to be some sort of skill, right? I checked my HUD. Nothing. With a huff, I continued on. Soon the smoking chimneys and little huts of Syn came into view. I'd never been so grateful for a run-down shanty town. After my adventure with the Meliae, I craved a little familiarity. At least for the moment. I knew I'd have to head out again soon, but it was time to regroup.
I turned down the little alley leading to Fel's and this time the red light outside the door welcomed me. After knocking a few times, I heard a clattering on the other side of the door like moving furniture. A slat opened and two brown eyes peeked out, then widened in recognition. "Cael!" He cried, opening the door.
Fel stood with arms outstretched in the doorway, looking positively jovial. Had he lost weight since last we met? Perhaps it was because I'd grown accustomed to seeing him in armor. I nodded at him and said, "I know I've been gone, but you'll be glad to see what I've found."
'Well, don't blather on about it out here!" He chastised me, but it was good-natured. "Hannah! See to it the patrons are taken care of. I need to run to the cellar." A female gnome poked her head out from the kitchen and wiped her hands on a towel. "One day, you're gonna tell me what's keeping you down there all the time."
"Not a chance," Fel smiled and winked, then led me toward the secret door. We clattered down the steps to the cellar and I had to ask. "Do they...know about any of this?"
Fel laughed. "I had one of the local mages enchant this door, no one comes in without my permission. They figure it's just the storeroom and I want to keep the kegs of ale safe." He saw my confused expression and added, "Don't worry, what happens here stays here. We have a back entrance, by the way. I can set it as a waypoint if you like."
"Yeah, that would be great, thanks."
Tris bounded toward us as we reached the bottom of the stairs. "Thank the Author you're all right!" She said, and I thought I could detect a hint of genuine relief. Was she really...worried about me?
"Sorry," I shook my head. "Got caught up on a quest."
"We were kinda in the middle of something." She frowned.
"I couldn't help it, okay? Everything I touch teleports me somewhere, apparently!"
"Maybe be careful what you touch next time." Tris shot daggers at me with her eyes and Fel struggled to contain a laugh.
"If you're done," I said through gritted teeth, "I have something actually interesting to show both of you. Something that can help the Seekers."
With that, both their ears perked up and they drew closer. "We didn't even tell you that much about the organization yet. What did you..."
"I know enough," I interrupted, fiddling in my bag. "You're looking for the Author, right? And you're looking for those runes. That's why you recruited me, cause I can see them."
Fel and Tris gave one another meaningful looks but I continued.
"Well I've got something that is going to help us all get a lot closer to that goal. I have a desire to find this Author guy too, you know. He abducted some of my friends."
She gave me a knowing look. "Then you know we don't have much time."
I took a deep breath, then reached into my bag. "I found this."
I extended the scroll and both Tris and Fel leaned close to read it. Fel squinted through a small monocle at the arcane script, glared at me, then back at Tris.
"This is...incredible." He stammered. "Where in the Veil did you get such a thing?"
I shook my head. "I...I dunno, really. It all happened so fast. I had this quest item, then next thing I know I was with these weird tree pixies, and..."
"Wait a second," Fel stopped me with a wave of his hand. "You mean to tell me you met the Meliae?"
"Um, yeah." I said, shrugging.
"Gods above," Fel breathed. "What were they like?"
"Tiny." I smiled.
Fel waved a hand at his bookshelf. "I've been researching them. The fact that you were able to interact with them...incredible. Were they hostile at all?"
I grimaced as I thought about being "relieved" of my clothing and items. "Not...hostile, per se. They just have very specific customs."
"You had to walk around naked, didn't you?"
This time, Tris couldn’t hold it in. She broke down in a fit of laughter.
"That's just the way they do things, okay? Now if you don't mind, this is important. When I met with the Meliae, they seemed to want to help on your quest. The Seeker quest, I mean. And I think this artifact can help us. With this, and the lead they gave us, it could lead us closer to the truth. What do you say?"
"What lead?" Fel asked warily. "They're not known for being the most honest of creatures...what if they're just trying to lead us astray?"
"There's a new source of Runic energy emanating from these ruins." I stopped and projected the quest marker. To my surprise, a holographic map appeared before me with the marker glowing in green. Fel didn't startle, just nodded.
"You're the only one that can detect these energies, though. You and the Meliae."
"Not true." I smiled, waving the scroll at him. "Not anymore."
He looked at me, eyes wide. "I couldn't..."
"Are you going to tell me more about the Seekers, or should I leave and go my own way?"
"No, no." He backpedaled. "I'll join you. And Tris will as well. Isn't that right Tris?"
"You're one of us now," She said, extending her hand.
"Let's do it."
> New Quest: All Together Now
-------------------------------------------
Join Fel and Tris to the Ruins on the Meliae Map.
Detect the source of the runic energy.
Accept?
[Yes/No]
> New Party Member: Fel has been added to your party.
> New Party Member: Tris has been added to your party.
To chat with your party members, use the Party dialog on your HUD.
"Finally, it will be good to see some action. Who knows what we'll find?" Fel said and slipped on his armor. Tris slung her bag over her shoulder and nodded toward the back of the room.
"Back door. Let's go."
14
The weather remained pleasant as we continued our journey to the Ruins. After some initial friction, Tris and Fel were in good spirits, talking and joking as we went. It felt good to have company again. To be honest, the Meliae freaked me out a little bit. I felt lighter somehow being around them. Perhaps it was a party bonus.
The day passed without much chaos until we reached th
e edge of a large wood. A raven flew out as we approached, cawing as it flew low over our heads. I ducked on instinct and glared at it as it flew by. "Masen Forest," Tris said.
"Masen?"
"Not the best place, for sure. But we're so close."
I peered into the forest and saw what Tris was talking about. It wasn't exactly a walk in the park. The path faded out into darkness as branches stretched across the way, blocking out the last vestiges of sunlight. I heard a rustle nearby. Movement. My enhanced senses told me it was a an animal, but I couldn't tell what kind. Whatever it was, the forest did a great job of looking stereotypically spooky. Had we gone the wrong way?
I projected the map again and double checked. Nope. The ruins that the Meliae spoke of were close, right on the other side of this thicket. We could go around, but that would add hours to our travel time. The sun already hung low in the sky. I didn't know about Fel and Tris, but I didn't want to be anywhere near this wood after dark.
"What should we do?" I asked them for advice.
Fel rubbed his chin, looking to Tris. "Masen is no easy journey, but I know a shortcut."
"Is that so?" I asked, quirking my eyebrow. "Not one that's gonna get us killed, I hope?"
"Oh no," He said, rubbing his hands together. "I've totally read about it in a book."
Tris rolled her eyes. I wasn't sure what to think. "What are our options, Tris?" I hoped she could provide a more balanced opinion.
"We can either go through the woods, or we can go around. Or we can double back to Fel's and make a new plan."
I definitely didn't want to do that. We were already all the way out here! It was only then that I saw a ticking timer for the quest. Seriously, a timed quest?
"Uh, guys?" I said. "It's timed."