by Tao Wong
I will, at some point, write book 5.5—the training montage—for those curious, but due to the way the book / quest / world is structured, it will veer much more toward “normal” fantasy. No Level Ups, no Stat Screens, etc. This way, those who are still curious can read it, while those who are more interested in the overall story can continue to enjoy the series.
Hopefully, that gives everyone some context.
If you enjoyed reading the book, please do leave a review and rating. Not only is it a big ego boost, it also helps sales and convinces me to write more in the series!
Follow John’s continuing quest in:
- Stars Awoken (Book 7 of the System Apocalypse)
There is a new short story available in the System Apocalypse Universe: Blue Screens of Death. Read for it free on my website!
In addition, please check out my other series, Adventures on Brad (a more traditional LitRPG fantasy), Hidden Wishes (an urban fantasy GameLit series), and A Thousand Li (a cultivation series inspired by Chinese wuxia and xianxia novels).
To support me directly, please go to my Patreon account:
- https://www.patreon.com/taowong
For more great information about LitRPG series, check out the Facebook groups:
- GameLit Society
- LitRPG Books
About the Author
Tao Wong is an avid fantasy and sci-fi reader who spends his time working and writing in the North of Canada. He’s spent way too many years doing martial arts of many forms and having broken himself too often, now spends his time writing about fantasy worlds.
For updates on the series and other books written by Tao Wong (and special one-shot stories), please visit the author’s website: http://www.mylifemytao.com
Subscribers to Tao’s mailing list will receive exclusive access to short stories in the Thousand Li and System Apocalypse universes: https://www.subscribepage.com/taowong
Or visit his Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/taowongauthor/
About the Publisher
Starlit Publishing is wholly owned and operated by Tao Wong. It is a science fiction and fantasy publisher focused on the LitRPG & cultivation genres. Their focus is on promoting new, upcoming authors in the genre whose writing challenges the existing stereotypes while giving a rip-roaring good read.
For more information on Starlit Publishing, visit their website!
You can also join Starlit Publishing’s mailing list to learn of new, exciting authors and book releases.
Books in The System Apocalypse Universe
Main Storyline
Life in the North
Redeemer of the Dead
The Cost of Survival
Cities in Chains
Coast on Fire
World Unbound
Stars Awoken
Rebel Star
Stars Asunder
Broken Council
Forbidden Zone
System Final
Anthologies
System Apocalypse Short Story Anthology Volume 1
Comic Series
The System Apocalypse
Glossary
Erethran Honor Guard Skill Tree
John’s Erethran Honor Guard Skills
Mana Imbue (Level 3)
Soulbound weapon now permanently imbued with mana to deal more damage on each hit. +20 Base Damage (Mana). Will ignore armor and resistances. Mana regeneration reduced by 15 Mana per minute permanently.
Blade Strike (Level 3)
By projecting additional Mana and stamina into a strike, the Erethran Honor Guard’s Soulbound weapon may project a strike up to 30 feet away.
Cost: 30 Stamina + 30 Mana
Thousand Steps (Level 1)
Movement speed for the Honor Guard and allies are increased by 5% while skill is active. This ability is stackable with other movement-related skills.
Cost: 20 Stamina + 20 Mana per minute
Altered Space (Level 2)
The Honor Guard now has access to an extra-dimensional storage location of 30 cubic feet. Items stored must be touched to be willed in and may not include living creatures or items currently affected by auras that are not the Honor Guard’s. Mana regeneration reduced by 10 Mana per minute permanently.
Two are One (Level 1)
Effect: Transfer 10% of all damage from Target to Self
Cost: 5 Mana per second
The Body’s Resolve (Level 3)
Effect: Increase natural health regeneration by 35%. On-going health status effects reduced by 33%. Honor Guard may now regenerate lost limbs. Mana regeneration reduced by 15 Mana per minute permanently.
Greater Detection (Level 1)
Effect: User may now detect System creatures up to 1 kilometer away. General information about strength level is provided on detection. Stealth skills, Class skills, and ambient mana density will influence the effectiveness of this skill. Mana regeneration reduced by 5 Mana per minute permanently.
A Thousand Blades (Level 3)
Creates four duplicate copies of the user’s designated weapon. Duplicate copies deal base damage of copied items. May be combined with Mana Imbue and Shield Transference. Mana Cost: 3 Mana per second
Soul Shield (Level 2)
Effect: Creates a manipulable shield to cover the caster’s or target’s body. Shield has 1,000 Hit Points.
Cost: 250 Mana
Blink Step (Level 2)
Effect: Instantaneous teleportation via line-of-sight. May include Spirit’s line of sight. Maximum range—500 meters.
Cost: 100 Mana
Portal (Level 5)
Effect: Creates a 5-meter by 5-meter portal which can connect to a previously traveled location by user. May be used by others. Maximum distance range of portals is 10,000 kilometers.
Cost: 250 Mana + 100 Mana per minute (minimum cost 350 Mana)
Army of One (Level 2)
The Honor Guard’s feared penultimate combat ability, Army of One builds upon previous Skills, allowing the user to unleash an awe-inspiring attack to deal with their enemies. Attack may now be guided around minor obstacles.
Effect: Army of One allows the projection of (Number of Thousand Blades conjured weapons * 3) Blade Strike attacks up to 300 meters away from user. Each attack deals 3 * Blade Strike Level damage (inclusive of Mana Imbue and Soulbound weapon bonus)
Cost: 750 Mana
Sanctum (Level 2)
An Erethran Honor Guard’s ultimate trump card in safeguarding their target, Sanctum creates a flexible shield that blocks all incoming attacks, hostile teleportations and Skills. At this Level of Skill, the user must specify dimensions of the Sanctum upon use of the Skill. The Sanctum cannot be moved while the Skill is activated.
Dimensions: Maximum 15 cubic meters.
Cost: 1,000 Mana
Duration: 2 minute and 7 seconds
Paladin of Erethra Skill Tree
John’s Paladin of Erethra Skills
Class Skill: Penetration (Level 2)
Few can face the judgment of a Paladin in direct combat, their ability to bypass even the toughest of defenses a frightening prospect. Reduces Mana Regeneration by 10 permanently.
Effect: Ignore all armor and defensive spells by 55%. Increases damage done to shields by 110%.
Class Skill: Aura of Chivalry (Level 1)
A Paladin’s very presence can quail weak-hearted enemies and bolster the confidence of allies, whether on the battlefield or in court. The Aura of Chivalry is a double-edged sword however, focusing attention on the Paladin—potentially to their detriment. Increases success rate of Perception checks against Paladin by 10% and reduces stealth and related skills by 10% while active. Reduces Mana Regeneration by 5 Permanently.
Effect: All enemies must make a Willpower check against intimidation against user’s Charisma. Failure to pass the check will cow enemies. All allies gain a 50% boost in morale for all Willpower checks and a 10% boost in confidence and probability of succeeding in relevant actions.
N
ote: Aura may be activated or left-off at will.
Beacon of the Angels
User calls down an atmospheric strike from the heavens, dealing damage over a wide area to all enemies within the beacon. The attack takes time to form, but once activated need not be concentrated upon for completion.
Effect: 1000 Mana Damage done to all enemies, structures and vehicles within the 20 meter column of attack
Mana Cost: 500 Mana
Eyes of Insight (Level 1)
Under the eyes of a Paladin, all untruth and deceptions fall away. Only when the Paladin can see with clarity may he be able to judge effectively. Reduces Mana Regeneration by 5.
Effect: All Skills, Spells and abilities of a lower grade that obfuscate, hinder or deceive the Paladin are reduced in effectiveness. Level of reduction proportionate to degree of difference in grade and Skill Level.
Eye of the Storm (Level 1)
In the middle of the battlefield, the Paladin stands, seeking justice and offering judgment on all enemies. The winds of war will seek to draw both enemies and allies to you, their cruel flurries robbing enemies of their lives and bolstering the health and Mana of allies.
Effect: Eye of the Storm is an area effect buff and taunt. Psychic winds taunt enemies, forcing a Mental Resistance check to avoid attacking user. Enemies also receive 5 points of damage per second while within the influence of the Skill, with damage decreasing from the epicenter of the Skill. Allies receive a 5% increase in Mana and Health regeneration, decrease in effectiveness from Skill center. Eye of the Storm affects an area of 50 meters around the user.
Cost: 500 Mana + 20 Mana per second
Vanguard of the Apocalypse (Level 1)
Where others flee, the Paladin strides forward. Where the brave dare not advance, the Paladin charges. While the world burns, the Paladin still fights. The Paladin with this Skill is the vanguard of any fight, leading the charge against all of Erethra’s enemies.
Effect: +30 to all Physical attributes, increases speed by 50% and recovery rates by 30%. This Skill is stackable on top of other attribute and speed boosting Skills or spells.
Cost: 500 Mana + 10 Stamina per second
Society’s Web (Level 1)
Where the Eye of Insight provides the Paladin an understanding of the lies and mistruths told, Society’s Web shows the Paladin the intricate webs that tie individuals to one another. No alliance, no betrayal, no tangled web of lies will be hidden as each interaction weaves one another closer. While the Skill provides no detailed information, a skilled Paladin can infer much from the Web.
Effect: Upon activation, the Paladin will see all threads that tie each individual to one another and automatically understand the details of each thread when focused upon.
Cost: 400 Mana + 200 Mana per minute
Other Class Skills
Frenzy (Level 1)
Effect: When activated, pain is reduced by 80%, damage increased by 30%, stamina regeneration rate increased by 20%. Mana regeneration rate decreased by 10%
Frenzy will not deactivate until all enemies have been slain. User may not retreat while Frenzy is active.
Cleave (Level 2)
Effect: Physical attacks deal 60% more base damage. Effect may be combined with other Class Skills.
Cost: 25 Mana
Elemental Strike (Level 1 - Ice)
Effect: Used to imbue a weapon with freezing damage. Adds +5 Base Damage to attacks and a 10% chance of reducing speed by 5% upon contact. Lasts for 30 seconds.
Cost: 50 Mana
Instantaneous Inventory (Maxed)
Allows user to place or remove any System-recognized item from Inventory if space allows. Includes the automatic arrangement of space in the inventory. User must be touching item.
Cost: 5 Mana per item
Shrunken Footprints (Level 1)
Reduces System presence of user, increasing the chance of the user evading detection of System-assisted sensing Skills and equipment. Also increases cost of information purchased about user. Reduces Mana Regeneration by 5 permanently.
Tech Link (Level 2)
Effect: Tech Link allows user to increase their skill level in using a technological item, increasing input and versatility in usage of said items. Effects vary depending on item. General increase in efficiency of 10%. Mana regeneration rate decreased by 10%
Designated Technological Items: Neural Link, Sabre
Spells
Improved Minor Healing (IV)
Effect: Heals 40 Health per casting. Target must be in contact during healing. Cooldown 60 seconds.
Cost: 20 Mana
Improved Mana Missile (IV)
Effect: Creates four missiles out of pure Mana, which can be directed to damage a target. Each dart does 30 damage. Cooldown 10 seconds
Cost: 35 Mana
Enhanced Lightning Strike
Effect: Call forth the power of the gods, casting lightning. Lightning Strike may affect additional targets depending on proximity, charge and other conductive materials on-hand. Does 100 points of electrical damage.
Lightning Strike may be continuously channeled to increase damage for 10 additional damage per second.
Cost: 75 Mana.
Continuous cast cost: 5 Mana / second
Lightning Strike may be enhanced by using the Elemental Affinity of Electromagnetic Force. Damage increased by 20% per level of affinity
Greater Regeneration (II)
Effect: Increases natural health regeneration of target by 6%. Only single use of spell effective on a target at a time.
Duration: 10 minutes
Cost: 100 Mana
Firestorm
Effect: Create a firestorm with a radius of 5 meters. Deals 250 points of fire damage to those caught within. Cooldown 60 seconds.
Cost: 200 Mana
Polar Zone
Effect: Create a thirty meter diameter blizzard that freezes all targets within one. Does 10 points of freezing damage per minute plus reduces effected individuals speed by 5%. Cooldown 60 seconds.
Cost: 200 Mana
Greater Healing (II)
Effect: Heals 100 Health per casting. Target does not require contact during healing. Cooldown 60 seconds per target.
Cost: 75 Mana
Mana Drip (II)
Effect: Increases natural health regeneration of target by 6%. Only single use of spell effective on a target at a time.
Duration: 10 minutes
Cost: 100 Mana
Freezing Blade
Effect: Enchants weapon with a slowing effect. A 5% slowing effect is applied on a successful strike. This effect is cumulative and lasts for 1 minute. Cooldown 3 minutes
Spell Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 150 Mana
Improved Inferno Strike (II)
A beam of heat raised to the levels of an inferno, able to melt steel and earth on contact! The perfect spell for those looking to do a lot of damage in a short period of time.
Effect: Does 200 Points of Heat Damage
Cost: 150 Mana
Mud Walls
Unlike its more common counterpart Earthen Walls, Mud Walls focus is more on dealing slow, suffocating damage and restricting movement on the battlefield.
Effect: Does 20 Points of Suffocating Damage. -30% Movement Speed
Duration: 2 Minutes
Cost: 75 Mana
Create Water
Pulls water from the elemental plane of water. Water is pure and the highest form of water available. Conjures 1 liter of water. Cooldown: 1 minute
Cost: 50 Mana
Scry
Allows caster to view a location up to 1.7 kilometers away. Range may be extended through use of additional Mana. Caster will be stationary during this period. It is recommended caster focuses on the scry unless caster has a high level of Intelligence and Perception so as to avoid accidents. Scry may be blocked by equivalent or higher tier spells and Skills. Individuals with high perception in region of Scry may be alerted that the Skill is in use
. Cooldown: 1 hour.
Cost: 25 Mana per minute.
Scrying Ward
Blocks scrying spells and their equivalent within 5 meters of caster. Higher level spells may not be blocked, but caster may be alerted about scrying attempts. Cooldown: 10 minutes
Cost: 50 Mana per minute
Improved Invisibility
Hides target’s System information, aura, scent, and visual appearance. Effectiveness of spell is dependent upon Intelligence of caster and any Skills or Spells in conflict with the target.
Cost: 100 + 50 Mana per minute
Improved Mana Cage
While physically weaker than other elemental-based capture spells, Mana Cage has the advantage of being able to restrict all creatures, including semi-solid Spirits, conjured elementals, shadow beasts, and Skill users. Cooldown: 1 minute
Cost: 200 Mana + 75 Mana per minute
Improved Flight