“Fighters and Sorcerers, and it can be said Rogues and Bards can be as well due to the luck stat being more at the discretion of the Games Master.”
“F…” Todd stopped himself and tried to focus on listening.
“Also, Paladin, if you can work within the moral code, has…”
“I screwed up.” Todd blurted out. As the weight of his choice settled on his mind, he smacked himself in the forehead with his palm.
Crack, then, “ouch!” Grimacing in pain Todd rubbed the sore spot on his head and mentally cursed himself for being stupid.
“You ok?” Mark said, taking a step toward Todd.
“Yeah, just give me a moment.” Todd thought about choosing an Archetype, after a few seconds of nothing, he focused on the idea of changing his Archetype. The only change was the pain quickly faded away. Even the memory of it seemed distant.
Mark wandered over to where Reggie, Jax, and Hunter were sitting. They were nibbling on a dried fruit bar. Mark took a seat near them.
“Each class gets a couple of favored attributes. Some like Fighters only get 2, Paladins and Bards get 4. Though Bards get Luck, which is questionable in its effectiveness and use, ” Mark said.
“Sounds like Bards are overpowered then,” Hunter said.
“Bards are never OP,” Mark said.
“If I die, I reset and can choose an archetype then,” Todd said as he walked over to where his friends were sitting.
“Don’t, Furcas said he can make us remember dying, and it sucks ,” Hunter said. “Who knows if he’ll further punish you by making you keep the same class.”
“I fucking hate this game,” Todd grumbled as he walked over to his friends. He sat down and pulled out a dried fruit bar from his bag.
“Done,” Hunter said.
“What?” Mark said.
“It's a skill-based game, Bards have the most-favored attributes so they gotta be OP,” Hunter said with a smile spreading across her face.
“Done,” Reggie said.
“Also done,” Jax said.
“I swear to God, if you all choose bard, I’ll kill you myself.” Mark held a hand up and a small spout of fire shot into the sky.
“Um…” Reggie bit his lip and glanced at Hunter, then Jax.
“No, I choose Paladin,” Jax said as he quickly scrambled backward.
“Fuckity, fuck fuck,” Mark stormed off to the edge of the clearing , cursing the whole time.
Todd held out a hand to keep Hunter and Reggie from following.
“Let him go; I’m sure he’ll calm down. So how do Bards work?” Todd looked toward Hunter and Reggie.
“I don’t know,” Hunter said, offering a smile and a shrug. “How does any of it work?”
Todd resisted the urge to yell, closed his eyes, then gripped the bridge of his nose, and took a deep breath. Absently his hand rubbed the spot on his forehead where he smacked himself. “Let’s work on it and be ready to go once he calms down.” The silence that followed, helped Todd calm down and stop beating himself up mentally for also choosing an archetype too quickly.
Todd couldn’t remember what Mark had said before the game about the mechanics. As he sat Todd pulled out his character sheet to see if there was any clues on it;
Archetype: Fighter
HP: 10/12 Mana: 0 / 0
Stats:
Physical : 4, Moxie : 2, Spiritual: 2, Luck: 2,
Agility: 2, Magic: 2, Mental: 2, Energy: 3.
He smiled when he say his max hit points went to 12. He hoped natural healing would fix the missing two points.
“Hmm… hm hm hm… hmmm” Hunter started humming in the silence. The pitch changed a little and started to vary. Nearby, Reggie was watching some birds circle a tree and absently started tapping his chest in a two-light, one-solid tap pattern. After a few repetitions their rhythm synchronized.
“I discovered how to see magic!” Reggie and Hunter called out as they stood up. They turned and looked at each other, and then together, stomped their feet twice and clapped. “We will, we will.”
Todd felt pressure and slight pain behind his eyes. As Reggie and Hunter continued, the pain increased. Todd walked off twenty feet and started practicing swinging a sword. When the bards started singing Baby Shark, he walked farther away into the trees and swung the sword against some branches.
A couple of minutes of swinging the sword against the tree warmed up Todd. Sweat started to form, but he didn’t feel tired. Taking a step back, he looked at the tree; he’d chipped the bark and some of the wood, but it still stood firm.
A tree nearby caught Todd’s attention. Scarring the bark on it were also some cuts as if made by a sword. A branch that hung around shoulder height looked stripped of leaves and smaller branches. Todd walked over to it and pulled the branch. The branch bent, and when Todd let go, it bounced back into place.
“You ever get déjà vu?” Mark said from several feet behind Todd. Todd jumped a little, but didn’t swing his sword at the voice.
“Yeah,” Todd turned and looked toward his friend. Tears trailed down Mark’s cheeks. “What's wrong?”
“So, I stormed off and decided to practice magic to work off my anger.”
“Yeah, same.” Todd motioned to the trees nearby.
“The place I stormed off to looks like someone went there and worked off some anger already.”
“Like a twisted version of Groundhog Day.”
“Fuck, yeah.”
“Somewhere, we failed at the previous attempt. Maybe this time, we practice more?” Todd motioned toward the tree branch. “Any idea what we did?”
“Baby shark, do doo,” two off-key voices crooned forty feet from Mark and Todd.
Mark cut a laugh short before walking over to the tree with the leafless branch. He pulled and moved it, watching it spring back into place. After a long minute, Mark smiled.
“The game is based on skills; the more you use the skills, the better you are. We must have been using the branch and trees to work on dodging and attacking.”
“Does that work? I thought there had to be consequences for experience to be gained.”
“That's a new thing, Skills and Demons was to mimic the real world. You practice throwing and catching before you ever play a game. ” Mark beckoned Todd closer. As Todd approached, Mark pulled the tree branch away from Todd. Mark released the branch, and it flew toward Todd. Surprised, Todd tried to take a step backward, but the branch hit him in the jaw.
Todd staggered back, his hand covering his mouth, blood seeping through his fingers. He turned and spat some blood onto the ground.
“Fuck, man, warn me.”
“Sorry , you ok?” Mark took a step toward Todd.
“Yeah, just hurt. I get your point,” Todd knelt down, wiped a hand on the grass then his shirt, and once most of the blood was off, he reached into his backpack and pulled out a single piece of paper.
Current HP: 6 / Max HP: 12
“Dammit, how does healing work ?” Todd said, putting his character sheet back in the backpack, trying to avoid getting more blood on it.
“Natural healing is your physical score after an eight-hour rest. There is some magical healing, but you need stronger types to fix major damage like broken bones and organ failure.”
“I’ll live, but we should practice before we leave. Can you get Craptallica over here? I think it’s best we start now.” Todd motioned toward Hunter, Jax, and Reggie. Without waiting for acknowledgment, Todd pulled out some rope from his backpack and tied it to the branch.
As Todd pulled the branch back, he wondered if previous versions did the same thing and if they were doomed to repeat the past. He prayed to the dice gods that this would will work .
A few hours later, everyone rubbed the welts and bruises covering their necks and shoulders. Todd’s arms hung heavily as he carefully wound up his rope while following everyone back to the campfire. It took the effort to remain standing, but as long as he had his single hit point left , he was
going to keep going. Thankfully, they had Jax to rely on for healing.
“Tomorrow, we leave; on the way, try to think of ways to practice skills. If we want to escape, we must be better than our previous selves, ” Todd said once he got to the campfire.
Everyone except Jax had already collapsed on the ground. A few moans and soft curses came from his friends. Jax walked up to each and touched everyone once. When Todd felt the wave of healing wash over him, he involuntarily stretched. Everyone glanced at their character sheets after getting healed.
Todd pulled his out and looked as well.
Current HP: 7 / Max HP: 12
While looking at his 7 hit points as another wash of healing energy came over him.
He watched the number change to 12 as he looked at his character sheet. Wondering how he could can increase his maximum hit points; Todd remembered his manners.
“Thanks, how are you doing?” Todd looked at Jax—and really looked at him.
Jax’s regular stoic expression was still there. His wounds looked healed up, his jaw seemed clenched, and Todd realized that had been his default expression even before the game.
“I’m fine.” Jax paused, frowned, and relaxed a little. “Repetitively healing helps me skill up and increase maximum mana.”
“Is it the constant draining or gathering that helps increase it?” T odd asked.
“Neither, I think it’s the constant gathering and keeping myself at full mana.”
“Tell the others we need every advantage we can find.” Todd rubbed his chin, “also see if anyone has an idea of how to increase max hit points.”
“I’ll talk with Mark”
“Why not Hunter and Reggie?”
“Each time they gather mana, they have to sing a song. If I have to hear Hurl and Oats sing, I’ll beat them.” Jax paused and scrunched his face and sighed. “No, I couldn’t beat them for being annoying.”
“Have them see if they can air guitar it?” Todd said, wondering if he’d regret the suggestion later.
Non-Crunchy - Chapter 4
Dire Straits
Name: Todd Longfellow, Race: Human
Height: 5’6”, Weight: 130, Sex: Male
Archetype: Fighter
HP: 12 / 12, Mana: 0 / 0
Stats:
Physical: 4, Moxie: 2, Spiritual: 2, Luck: 2
Agility: 2, Magic: 2, Mental: 2, Energy: 3.
Relevant Skills: Melee - Grapple, Mental – Unconscious Awareness, Physical - Awareness, Physical - Climbing, Physical - Run
_________________
“If fucking Wild Scallions say ‘Excellent’ one more time,” Todd walked through the woods. He spotted a mushroom off to the side, moving to stomp on it. It flattened with a nice squish, he glanced down, but kept walking, ignoring the feeling of ichor on the bottom of his boot.
Walking into a small clearing Todd didn’t see any path exiting it. Tree’s, brush, grass, and a few flowers. Deliberately going out of his way to stomp on a flower. Behind him three of his friends would pause, yell, “Excellent!” or “Party On!” as they air-guitared. Todd groaned as he kept moving away from them.
“CAN’T YOU GUYS BE FUCKING QUIET!” Todd turned back towards his friends and yelled. Hunter and Reggie looked at him with mouths open, mid air guitar. They were a few feet behind Todd.
“Sorry man, we were just…” Hunter said, she raised her hands up and gave a weak smile.
A loud roar reverberated through the woods. Todd quickly turned around in a circle. The woods went silent.
Faint cracks of tree’s to his left, drew Todd’s attention. Between the foliage and grass, he could see a dark brown shape moving quickly towards them. Fifty feet away it still looked huge.
“Shit! RUN!” Todd called out. Mark started running towards the shape, Todd grabbed him and turned him the other way. “Wrong way!”
Hunter, Reggie, and Jax all took off at a sprint through the woods. The last one moving, Todd was able to see the large bear as it burst through some bushes twenty feet away.
Todd bolted after his friends. Though Mark had a few seconds headstart, Todd quickly caught up to him. Slowing down to stay with his friend, Todd glanced back, the bear was chasing them. The massive creature was almost six feet tall on all fours.
“Faster!” Todd said between breaths. Mark simply shook his head. Twisting at the hip, but still running, Todd grabbed Mark around the waist with both arms. Jerking him upwards, Todd threw his friend onto his shoulder. Briefly Mark’s feet kicked in front of Todd, forcing him to angle them out of his vision.
“Fuckity…” Mark yelled as he bounced on Todd’s shoulder. “Watch out for tree’s!”
“Shutup, try to slow it down!” Todd said as he focused on running and pushing himself to move faster.
Todd tried pushing himself but the extra weight of Mark prevented him from going any faster. An explosion behind him caused him to jump unexpectedly. A wave of heat warmed him from behind.
Todd landed hard on his left foot. Pain exploded in his ankle but he stayed upright. He kept running, a little slower however.
“The fuck!” Todd yelled as he ran. Gritting his teeth every time his foot touched the ground.
“I figured out Fireball!” Mark said.
“Is it still…”
“YES!”
A roar answered Mark’s reply, the massive creature was close.
“FUCK YOU!” Jax called out as he flew by Todd running in the opposite direction. A blur of woolen clothing and his axe was all Jax could see. A thud, roar, and cry of pain echo’ed behind them. A moment later, Todd could feel Mark’s stomach heaving.
Slowing down some, Todd glanced behind him. The bear was now fifty feet back and busy with something. Setting Mark down, Todd pointed towards Reggie and Hunter ahead of them.
“Keep moving Let’s hope he respawns.” Todd ran after Hunter and Reggie.
Todd’s ankle threatened to give out as he ran. Mark caught up to him and started pulling ahead. When Mark was just a few feet in front of Todd, he noticeably slowed down.
“What are you doing?” Todd said between clenched teeth.
“Not gonna leave,” Mark said.
“You gonna get both of us eaten,” Todd gulped in some air, “fucking find us a place to hide.”
Mark nodded and put on more speed easily leaving Todd behind him.
“At least if it gets me, I’ll slow it down.” Todd said to himself. A roar echo’d behind Todd. He glanced back to the dark shape moving through the forest about a hundred feet back, the bear was quickly closing the distance.
Feeling a second wind, Todd pushed through the pain of his ankle and stayed ahead of the bear. A few seconds later, he burst through some thick brush that gave a little bit of space before a stone cliff. Trying to stop himself, he threw both hands out as he hit the stone. Mark, Reggie, and Hunter were standing to the right side, one of them throwing a rope upwards into the rocks.
“Fuck!” Todd cried rubbing the side of his face that had scraped against the stones.
“Ladies first,” Reggie said holding the rope to Hunter.
“Don’t fucking start,” Hunter glared, then glanced back into the woods.
“Fucking go!” Todd said pushing Hunter to the rope. She grabbed on it and started climbing. Todd waited for her to get ten feet up before grabbing the rope.
“I’ll go next, when I get up I can help pull people up.” Todd said. Mark and Reggie offered no resistance. Todd quickly regretted his decision as his injured ankle slowed his ascent.
Todd pulled himself up the rope, amazed at how little effort it took, in the real world he was never this strong. He caught up to Hunter who appeared to be having difficulty in getting footholds. The rope below him jerked and Todd looked down to see Reggie was starting to climb as well.
Thump! A loud crash as a ball of fur and muscle slammed into the stone wall. Dust and pebbles rained from above Todd. Glancing down he couldn’t see Mark anywhere, but a puddle of red spread out f
rom under the bear. The creature shook it’s head back and forth as it focused on burying its face into something. Looking back upwards, Todd tried to focus on climbing.
A roar from below, then the rope jerked. Reggie screamed out in pain. Todd gripped his rope tight and squeezed the tears from his eyes. He couldn’t block out the squishing sounds, nor the bubbling screams from below.
“Reggie!” Hunter called out above, Todd looked up to see a horrified expression on his friend’s face.
“Keep moving!” Todd called out.
Hunter resumed climbing. Her right foot slipped, the stone under her left foot fell, causing her to fall a few inches until she stopped her fall. She slid a few inches down, trails of crimson ran down the rope.
As if sensing the predicament, the bear below them roared and the rope jerked. Hunter reached a hand up but her blood slicked hand wasn’t able to hold onto the rope. As one hand slipped, the other held for a split second more before being jerked away.
Highly Unbearable Page 6