I amused myself, playing with my new appendage for a bit before the sound of the wizard clearing his throat caught my attention.
“Well then, now that that is done, it is time to choose your class,” he said and waved his hand across the pillars.
The racial avatars disappeared and were replaced with a set of kobolds dressed in various types of armor and clothing. “Before you are your class choices. The world of Argos is-”
“I choose Necromancer,” I said, interrupting whatever he was about to say.
Class: Necromancer
Archetype: Mage
Necromancers use their magical gifts to harness the magic of death and entropy to do their bidding. From raising the dead to firing bolts of corrupting magic, necromancers are a potent damage dealing class that can sometimes fill other party roles due to the versatility of their animated minions.
Starting Skills:
Necromancy Spell School
Dissection
Simple Weapons
Cloth Armor
He looked at me with a huff, muttering under his breath about impatient youth. He waved a hand and all but one of the pillars disappeared: a kobold in dark robes wielding a staff with the word “Necromancer” hovering above it.
“Are you sure you wish to choose Necromancer as your class?” the wizard asked. “This combination of race and class will result in a very physically weak character, with only a slight boost to magical ability to compensate. It is far from ideal in terms of survivability.”
I’d made up my mind well before logging in, so I knew what I was getting myself into. I nodded to the wizard and answered, “Yes,” a slight, sibilant hiss now apparently part of my character speech. “I choose necromancer.”
The wizard shook his head and shrugged. “Kobold Necromancer it is. I hope you know what you’re doing, young man.”
Although the class and race combination wasn’t ideal according to what a normal player might want to get out of the game, I’d done my research and was pretty sure that the combination would be ideal for my purposes.
First, Necromancers had access to a class specific gathering skill that allowed them to collect things that would normally require specific gathering or crafting skills to get. More loot equals more money.
Second, they were a pet class. Since I was going to be the squishiest of the squishies, having minions to tie up any potential enemies while I ran away would be ideal.
Third, their offensive skills could also heal the caster, so operating solo would be easier. And finally, the undead minions had more access to actual game skills than other classes and could eventually be intelligent enough to perform simple activities when instructed. A feature I intended to explore thoroughly.
I smiled at the wizard and began to speak, ready to lay out the logic behind my choice.
He raised a hand and stopped me. “Don’t bother explaining. I won’t remember it anyway and it’s time for you to allocate your starting abilities.”
“Behold!” he said and clapped his hands.
A slightly translucent window appeared in my vision, showing my base attributes.
<><><> Attributes <><><>
Strength:10
Agility:10
Constitution:10
Intelligence:10
Wisdom:10
Charisma:10
Fortune:10
“Every adventurer begins with a score of ten in each attribute. This represents a completely average specimen of your race. Your choice of kobold as a race has no direct impact on these base attribute scores, but instead will alter the impact of these attributes on your health, mana, and endurance pools.”
I focused on the list of attributes, confirming what I had read on the game’s website and forums.
There were the three basic physical scores: Strength, Agility, and Constitution. Strength determined how much you can lift and carry, as well as your melee damage. Agility governed your coordination, manual dexterity, accuracy, and ranged damage, and Constitution impacted your resilience, resistance to damage, and hit points.
The mental attributes were typical from a gaming perspective as well. Intelligence controlled your mana pool, spell-casting accuracy, and damage. Wisdom did the same for divine casters and controlled mana re-gen rates for everyone. Both affected Perception and other mental acuity skills.
Charisma was treated as a hybrid physical and mental stat and determined NPC reactions and some battlefield type buffs. It was a primary skill for both paladins and bards.
Lastly, Fortune was a measure of the character’s luck and was a big mystery on the forums. People speculated that it improved chances to get better loot or increased crit chances, but it was hard to accurately measure. The general consensus was that it definitely had some effect on the random portions of the game, but no one could quite prove what.
I finished reading through the list and looked around the room, wondering what I was supposed to do next.
The wizard snapped his fingers once again, manifesting a long table with seven racks, each holding a set of vials filled with potions of various colors.
He gestured to the table. “As a new adventurer, you are entitled to twenty of these potions. Each will increase one of your attributes by one point. Choose carefully, as this will greatly impact your initial survivability.”
Each rack was labeled with the associated attribute. I gathered up the potions for my planned starting build: ten light blue for Intelligence, five dark blue for Wisdom, and five gold for Fortune. The wizard examined my choices with a neutral expression, no longer bothering to comment on my choices.
Raising the first light blue potion to my lips, I poured the liquid into my reptilian mouth, somehow managing not to spill it. The potion was sweet and tasted like one of those quarter juice drinks I’d had as a kid. In the case of the Intelligence potion, it was a distinctly… blue flavor.
Messages appeared at the bottom of my vision as the cool liquid reached my stomach, producing a distinct physiological effect.
You have gained 1 point in Intelligence! Your mana has increased!
I was filled with a rush of energy as the potion took effect, and quickly drank the remaining Intelligence potions, raising my current score to twenty as my body continued to buzz like a kid hopped up on mountain dew and pixie sticks.
You have gained 9 points in Intelligence! Your mana has increased!
Next, I started on the wisdom potions, which had a smooth taste similar to a warm cup of tea with honey added.
You have gained 1 point in Wisdom! Your mana regeneration rate has increased!
The wisdom potions mellowed out the rush from the Intelligence potions. Some people would describe the feeling as Zen. I drained the rest of the potions, bringing my Wisdom score to fifteen.
You have gained 4 points in Wisdom! Your mana regeneration rate has increased!
Lastly, I quaffed the golden Fortune potions, which tasted like a perfect cup of coffee. Some developer had taken the nickname black gold to the next level.
You have gained 1 point in Fortune! Time to roll the dice!
With each one, my fingertips began to tingle, and I felt a sense of potential in the air. After a minute or two, the heightened senses faded.
You have gained 4 points in Fortune! Time to roll the dice!
The wizard waved a hand, and the remaining potion racks disappeared. “Attribute potions exist out in the world, but they are few and far between. Your attributes will progress as you gain experience, or acquire sufficient magic,” he continued.
A system message appeared at the bottom of my display.
System Note: As a necromancer, you will gain 2 points in Intelligence at every level, and 3 attribute points which can be allocated as you see fit.
“So, what shall we call you adventurer? Would you like to choose your own name or allow me to choose a name appropriate to your kobold heritage?” the wizard said.
In all of my research and prep for this, a name hadn’t
even crossed my mind. I shrugged and answered. “You choose.” I could always change it if he came up with a crappy name.
The wizard’s eyebrows disappeared into his hairline as he puffed on his pipe. “Well now, that’s something new. A kobold… kobold… yes! I’ve got it. I hereby dub thee Kababala!”
I started to ask about changing it, but before I got a word out, the wizard snapped his fingers and the room disappeared in a swirling cloud of pipe smoke. So much for options. At least it wasn’t too bad.
His disembodied voice echoed through the cloud, “Now all that’s left is to finish your look, and then you’ll be off to the training grounds! Good luck!”
I lost all sense of my physical body, but could somehow still see as the smoke cleared to reveal a kobold floating in space in front of me.
Customize your Character
There were no controls or sidebars, so I was glad I’d done my homework, or I might have wasted a lot of time sitting there twiddling my thumbs.
I focused on the character, willing the changes I wanted to make and watching them take effect, the technology’s magic powers able to read my thoughts and apply them.
I added length to my avatar’s tail, making it even longer and whip like, maxed out the horn size and made some additional minor alterations to make the overall look more draconic. I changed the coloration to a mottled pattern of dark greens and grays, hoping for some extra camouflage.
I also minimized the height, since research indicated that being smaller actually made you harder to hit out in the game world. The smallest the system would let me go was two-and-a-half feet, which was pretty damned small. Hope I never have to reach anything on the top shelf, I thought with an amused grin.
When I was done shaping my avatar into a mini-dragon man, I locked in the changes and smiled as my point of view rotated and sank into the avatar before the white room disappeared with a flash.
***
3
The world faded into view, and I found myself lying on a small stone bed within a cave. There were no torches or light sources anywhere, but I had no issue seeing my surroundings once the racial skill kicked in.
Racial Ability: “Darkvision” Unlocked.
Darkvision – The eyes of your species have adapted to the lightless caverns in which they make their home, allowing you to see in complete darkness. Characters with this skill do not require light to see and can operate normally in complete darkness. Unfortunately, this adaptation also causes bright light to be a problem, resulting in a penalty to accuracy and discomfort in the presence of more than the dimmest of lights.
I sat up and looked down at myself, exploring my digital body. It was quite surreal seeing my arms and hands covered in green scales, and I was a little surprised that the experience wasn’t more disorienting. My perspective was a lot different than my normal human body. The programmers of the game had done a great job translating sensory info.
I examined myself and found I was dressed in a plain cloth shirt and pants of basic quality. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get some new stuff when I go through the beginner quests, I thought.
I focused on bringing up my character sheet to see what I had to work with.
<><><> General Info <><><>
Name: Kababala
Race: Kobold
Class: Necromancer
Level: 1
Experience: 0/100
<><><> Pools <><><>
Hit Points:6/6 [100%]
Mana:72/72 [100%]
Endurance:18/18 [100%]
<><><> Attributes <><><>
Strength:10
Agility:10
Constitution:10
Intelligence:20
Wisdom:15
Charisma:10
Fortune:15
<><><> Racial Skills <><><>
Darkvision: N/A
<><><> Class Skills <><><>
Cloth Armor:1
Simple Weapons:1
I cringed at my hit point total. I knew it was going to be bad from my research, but that number was still shocking. With six points, stubbing my toe on a door might send me to respawn, and to add to that, two of my starting skills were missing from the list.
With nothing else to do, I climbed out of the bed and left the small room, wondering what was next.
As I crossed the threshold of the door leading out of my starting room, another message appeared at the bottom of my display.
QUEST RECEIVED – Training Part 1
Welcome to new adventurer training. Follow the quest marker on your map to locate your trainer.
Reward: 25xp.
A small map appeared in the corner of my vision with a glowing marker highlighted on it. I turned in place, watching a small arrow in the middle of the map rotate to match my orientation. When I focused on it getting bigger, it began to grow, forming into a transparent window floating in the air before me.
The kobold starting area was located within a small cave system, with several tunnels leading through the rock to various locations. Most of the map was grayed out in the typical fog of war, but there was a visible path leading from my location to the quest marker.
There was a small guiding arrow near the border of the map indicating its relative direction to where I was. I examined the various twists and turns between me and the quest marker and figured I’d be able to make my way there without too much trouble.
Restoring the map to its miniature size, I followed the tunnel away from my spawn location and into the surrounding cave system.
The tunnel led to a small, sparsely populated cavern where I got my first glimpse of other kobolds. Along the walls were several small stalls, goods laid out for examination and purchase while their bored looking kobold shopkeepers sat behind their counters.
Off to one side was a small practice yard where a couple of lightly armored kobolds were busy hacking away at a wooden training dummy under the watchful eye of another who was clad, head to toe, in plate armor.
My map filled in the details of the various stalls and training areas I passed by, labeling each shop with and trainer with icons appropriate to their respective wares.
Since I had no money and no interest in melee combat at this point in my career, I ignored the lot and continued on my way towards my class trainer.
I crossed the cavern and entered another small tunnel that led downwards, spiraling deeper into the earth. Several side passages led off into the darkness, and as I followed the path laid out for me, my map filled in the portions I could see.
The air became musty and heavy with the scent of death and decay as I descended deeper into the network of tunnels, and when I arrived at my destination, the source of the smell was revealed.
I stepped out of the tunnel into a small cave reminiscent of a taxidermy shop. There were small baskets overflowing with bones of various shapes and sizes lining one wall, and the reconstructed skeletons of several animals were on display along another.
The place pretty much screamed “Necromancy”, and the fact that the glowing marker from my map was hovering in the middle of the room cinched it.
Sitting at a small workbench was an albino kobold. From what I could see, he was busy sorting through a small pile of bones.
Sensing my presence, he looked over and beckoned me to come forward. “Welcome, Apprentice Kababala. I was told you’d be arriving today,” he began. “My name is Balaka, but you, you may call me Master.”
I nodded along as he continued, “I will be your instructor in the necromantic arts during your time here in the town of Tobaladalaka. Your arrival is fortuitous, as I just received word that our gardeners on the surface are in need of some assistance. Let’s get started, there is no time to waste.”
Balaka set aside his current project and beckoned me to follow, heading back the way I’d come. He led the way along the path upwards, turning down a side passage before we reached the central cavern.
The path led upwards toward the surface, winding its way back and forth
like a switchback trail on a mountainside. I glanced at my map to see if there were any clues as to where we were going, but the surrounding area was still hidden.
Eventually, the tunnel opened up into a huge cavern. Several large skylights had been cut into the roof, allowing sunlight to stream in, diffusing through the root systems of the surface plants.
My sight quickly adjusted to the dim light and I saw that we were in some sort of garden with rows of several low-sunlight crops. From just a glance, I could tell things weren’t looking too hot. A large portion of the crops appeared to have been dug up and chewed on, and as I looked closer, I thought I saw several small brown forms moving through the area.
Balaka reached into his robes and pulled out a book bound in black leather. He handed it to me and said, “This is a primer on the necromantic arts. Using it will grant you the knowledge of the Necromancy spell school and imbue you with the knowledge necessary to learn Necromancy spells. Read it now.”
I took the book and opened it. Within the book was a collection of arcane sigils and drawings that quickly blurred and formed into a prompt.
Would you like to learn the Necromancy Skill? (Yes/No)
Yes, I thought, and the book dissolved into a dark purple mist that swirled around me and was absorbed into my body.
You have learned the “Necromancy” skill!
Necromancy - This skill represents the character’s knowledge of the Necromancy spell school. This skill is necessary to learn Necromancy spells from scrolls or spell books. The level of this skill determines the base power of all necromantic spells, as well as the level of the spells that can be learned by the character.
“Good,” Master Balaka said, handing me a rolled-up scroll. “This is a spell scroll. Each scroll will grant the ability to cast a specific spell, and describe the gestures, words, and components necessary to shape your mana to the desired effect. Use it now.”
I opened the scroll, revealing a series of arcane looking runes that lit up as my eyes scanned past them.
Necromancy skill check – successful! “Necromantic Bolt” spell identified.
Extra Credit Page 2