Farmstead
As Danny escaped the chicken-like creature to land on the coop, the creature watched him and puffed up its feathers in a threatening display. Flapping its wings, it ran back and forth across the ground a few times, as if it expected him to fall off the roof and was just waiting for a chance to get at him.
Level 8
EXP: 20%
As the Poltergeist looked around the farm with his Mana Vision, he found that the largest concentration of magic seemed to be coming from
inside the house, rather than any of the nature surrounding the place. The chicken and hog-like animals didn't seem as magically inclined as even the basic monsters from the forest and cave. From this distance he could barely make out Geir's mana signature, and the one that he thought to be Jason was...dim and flickering. Almost out completely. But it was moving away--just as a much larger source of Mana was approaching, accompanied by one that seemed...
unusual, somehow. And inside the house, visible through the windows, magical energy shone brilliantly. Was it a person? Or some kind of enchanted object?
As he meditated afterward, unable to do anything at the moment to help Jason, the blood on his chest chilled his skin as it dried in the night air...
Jason's ghostly form drained some of the light from Geir's spiritual body like liquid moving up a straw. However, there was resistance, like an especially thick milkshake. And the spirit didn't have enough strength to get closer and engage in another spiritual battle--nor did he have the time. Still, the ectoslime thought it somehow necessary to expend some of this Mana on a Telepathic message before he left.
He headed across the fields, just as Mira and Miiba were reaching Geir. He could hear the girl calling out to see if the young man was okay, but as he followed Danny's trail...his senses began to, slowly...fade...
The monochrome void began closing in on all sides. He tried to activate Meditation...but he was moving. An unpleasant buzz spread through his ethereal body. Suddenly he felt cold, and numb....
He could see Danny's soul with his Spiritual Awareness, slowly growing brighter as the Poltergeist meditated on top of the chicken coop. But could he...get there...before...
DANGER! YOUR MP IS VERY LOW!
Deep Forest
Nira could feel her magical energy flowing through her body when she meditated, like a second set of heartbeats and pumping veins. The sensation of it moving through her tiny, insect-like wings served to remind her how different this new body was, yet somehow carried with it the feeling of freedom. Despite the weakness of the Pixie body, it could still do something Humanity had only yet dreamed of in the Old World--free flight, at will. Though, perhaps the fact that it was called Lesser Flight meant there was still more to gain.
But her thirst was distracting. Her next attempt with magic, then, would be to try to create a sphere of water--a different element of Mana Orb. She had seen such things in fiction, and this world seemed to run on the same kind of fantasy. So she closed her eyes and visualized, in her mind, the sounds and sensations of water.
Her hands felt cool, but the breeze of the forest was dying down. It was a pleasant sensation, like dew on the morning grass. As her magic flowed, coalescing in her palms, the temperature on her skin seemed to drop further. When she opened her eyes, she saw an ever so thin mist gathering around her hands...the water droplet in her mind fell with a soft, tinkling sound, and the mist dispersed. She tried again, and this time watched the damp gathering in the ethereal clouds, so delicate that even her soft breathing dissolved them.
"Um... System, bring up skill list?"
Unspent Skill Points: 20
Current Skills:
Alert I (1.45)
Lesser Flight I (1.65)
Minor Heal I (1.0)
Muffle (1.55)
Shield I (1.05)
Mana Orb I (1.05)
Meditate I (1.0)
<UNUSABLE>
Crafting (0.1)
Keen Ear (0.2)
Mana Strike (0.1)
Meditate (0.7)
Point Strike (0.2)
Stealth Kill (0.3)
Suppress Presence (0.5)
Monster Analysis (0.3)
Smash (0.1)
Faster (0.3)
Magic Analysis (0.6)
Iron Gullet (0.2)
Charisma (0.9)
Charm (0.4)
Deception (0.2)
Pacify Animal (0.2)
Taming (0.1)
Plant Analysis (0.3)
Mana Sense (0.2)
Spell Chant (0.3)
Stronger (0.1)
Use Light Equipment (0.05)
(NEW) Mana Shape (0.2)
(NEW) Aqua Sphere (0.4)
For his part, Femus observed the other creatures in the clearing. The Bowhorn seemed peaceful, not much different from the herbivores they so resembled in the Old World. It seemed reasonable that their vitals would be behind the front shoulder and in their heads, the same as any deer back on Earth. However, they were very solidly built animals. It seemed quite unlikely that his Mana Orb, in its current form, would be able to take them down in a single shot.
You used Monster Analysis I!
---Bowhorn Deer---
This species of deer has absorbed magical energy from the forest and the plants, causing its horns to become more like saplings than bone. They're still plenty sharp and tough, but have an added flexibility that makes them valuable to bowyers and other craftsmen. As it grows older, sometimes the horns even sprout blooms or fruit of some sort, varying based on the creature's diet and habitat.
The Wisp took the edge off of his thirst for the moment by sucking on a leaf, and turned back to his magic. His line of thought seemed to be that it would be dangerous to explore in search of water or food without a powerful weapon to defend himself with. Considering the properties of his spell, Femus settled on an experiment. He "locked on" to a tree branch in his mind, and with focus he cast his Shock Round again. The electrical orb didn't hold its intended shape for long after it left him--though it continued to rotate, the dart shape he had tried to impose on it once again swelled out into a sphere. Like liquid in zero gravity, this seemed to be its most natural form. If it moved any faster, it wasn't clear if it was because of Femus's intent, or if he had just "thrown" it harder than before. Still, it did home in slowly on his target--and when it finally did make contact, with a bright flash and crackle it singed the twig badly enough to snap it from the tree. The sudden sound startled the Bowhorn, who looked up and stood stock still for several seconds. Slowly, they lowered their heads back to the herbs once more, save for the male who stood on lookout.
You used Magic Analysis II!
---Shock Round---
The lightning-themed version of a basic magical attack. With roughly the same power, range, and MP consumption as a Mana Orb, it has the unique property of being able to home in on a target, though it moves slowly and may dissipate after a few moments. Its homing tendency may be thrown off by certain conductive materials if they are within its range, such as metal. However, as an elemental spell, these same properties render it harder to use in certain circumstances. Elementally opposed targets, for example, will be much less effected. It is possible to alter the charge of an orb, which might affect its interaction with other electrical spells or magnetic substances.
His upgraded analysis skill gave him just a little more information about the spell, and combined with his observations he had perhaps progressed just a step or two more in his training.
"System." He thought as he began meditating to restore his depleted mana. "Please display unusable skills."
Current Skills:
<UNUSABLE>
Faster (0.3)
Harder (0.1)
Soil Manipulation(0.1)
Muffle (0.4)
Stealth Kill (0.1)
Charisma (0.3)
Mana Drain (0.8)
Iron Gullet (0.1)
Mana Sense (0.9)
Keen Smell (0.1)
Mana Dart (0.2)
Mana Burst (0.1)
Fireball (0.1)
Plant Analysis (0.9)
Keen Sight (0.3)
Wisp Flash (0.2)
Focus (0.9)
Spell Chant (0.3)
Mental Resistance (0.3)
People Sense (0.1)
Rabid Fit (0.2)
Poison Splash (0.1)
Material Analysis (0.2)
Keen Ear (0.1)
Minor Heal (0.1)
Now Femus tried to draw forth Mana from the Great Kao Tree as he meditated, while he considered what he had learned thus far. He did make an attempt to take the energy in as peaceable manner as possible...
But once again, the tree shuddered. Nira could feel it too, this time. And so could the Bowhorn deer, down in the field--once more they startled, and this time actually took a few steps back from the herb patch. The big male looked straight up into the branches, eyes wide, and chuffed through his nose. The doe and her two little ones immediately dashed for the treeline, and the male followed not long after.
Then it stopped, and the forest was silent. An unnatural, tense silence.
Skill Rank Up: Meditate I > Meditate II (1.95 > 2.0)!
Increase the amount of Mana recovered. Low background noises, movements, etc (comparable to the common room of an Inn, a busy street at the market, etc) will no longer decrease the effectiveness of this skill so long as the user maintains stillness and a calm state of mind. This skill still cannot be used while moving or in the midst of battle. This skill cannot be used in conjunction with other Active skills.
Skill Gain: Mana Sense I (0.9 > 1.0)!
You have sharpened your mental and spiritual senses as well as your physical ones. By focusing upon a single creature or object, you will be able to sense its magical nature in some fashion. Different creatures may perceive this aura in different ways--some may see a colored aura, others may catch unique scents, etc. This is not an Analysis skill, though it may Synergize with some of them. The range of this skill is limited to that of your other physical senses, though in some cases a mana signature may become easier or more difficult to detect depending on factors such as strength, amount, etc. By touching an object or creature, even if they are somehow suppressing their magical power, you have a chance to learn whether or not magic is present. At this rank, you must activate this skill in order for it to take effect. While active it will consume MP.
After several long moments, nothing terrible happened. No disaster fell upon them. And Femus, in true scientific fashion, returned to his magics. Now he thought about the nature of lightning itself. Positive and negative charge, reaching their limits before discharging energy in a natural arc. Femus concentrated on making his Shock Orb absorb these qualities, locking onto a target at a distance and then jumping instantly to strike it. But, something about that didn't feel right. So, he stopped and attempted to deactivate the spell without losing the mana. Instead, he reached out and focused on a patch of ground with no branches above it. Then he concentrated on making that place attractive to lightning, so attractive that the surrounding trees would have no effect on the bolt's path from the clouds to the ground and back again. Femus also focused his will into his words as he spoke in a tone of command. "Strike, Lightning Bolt."
The patch of ground he had been focusing on stood out in stark detail, the rest of the world fading into the background of his sight. As he spoke his short chant...a slight glow seemed to ruffle the grass. Femus felt a surge of Mana leave his body, and much like touching a doorknob he felt static electricity jump across his skin. And it was visible, too--a twisting yellow-white tendril that arced out from him into the empty air.
And immediately dissipated after traveling only a foot or so from him. The glow was gone, and it seemed he had used a bigger chunk of Mana than usual.
You used Magic Analysis II!
---Static Bolt---
You are attempting to develop the Static Bolt spell. By building up a charge, an electrical surge of energy can be discharged almost instantaneously. However, only an unmoving object or creature can be targeted, it seems, and it takes a lot of energy to build the charge.
While Femus recovered his mana and searched for water with all of his senses, he noticed that the Bowhorns had not returned, and he hadn't seen any of the Pixies or other Wisps flitting about either. The sounds of the forest had returned, dissipating some of the tension from earlier, but it seemed only the Mundane creatures were out and about now. Then again, it was getting close to mid-day. Maybe all the Goblins and other such things were having lunch or taking a siesta.
There didn't seem to be any pools or streams, at least not in the immediate vicinity of the Great Kao Tree. He might have to go searching, if not out of the area entirely then at least to places he hadn't been...like the ramshackle goblin camp, or that larger patch of green herbage further away from Nira's gathering place. Or maybe even the treeline around the forest clearing...
LEVEL UP! Your learning experiences have culminated in new power! You are now Level 7! You gain Skill Points to distribute as you please!
Unspent Skill Points: 10 [[OOC: 5 from normal, 5 from bonuses]]
Current Skills:
Monster Analysis I (1.8)
Mana Orb II (2.5)
Lesser Force I (1.65)
Levitation (--)
Meditate II (2.025)
Magic Analysis II (2.2)
Shock Round I (1.4)
Mana Shape I (1.2)
Shield I (1.05)
Mana Control I (1.4)
Alert I (1.1)
Crafting I (1.1)
Suppress Presence I (1.1)
Growth I (1.25)
Mana Sense I (1.0)
<UNUSABLE>
Faster (0.3)
Harder (0.1)
Soil Manipulation(0.1)
Muffle (0.4)
Stealth Kill (0.1)
Charisma (0.3)
Mana Drain (0.9)
Iron Gullet (0.1)
Mana Sense (0.9)
Keen Smell (0.2)
Mana Dart (0.2)
Mana Burst (0.1)
Fireball (0.1)
Plant Analysis (0.9)
Keen Sight (0.4)
Wisp Flash (0.2)
Focus (0.9)
Spell Chant (0.4)
Mental Resistance (0.3)
People Sense (0.1)
Rabid Fit (0.2)
Poison Splash (0.1)
Material Analysis (0.2)
Keen Ear (0.2)
Minor Heal (0.1)
Static Bolt (0.4)
Rat Party
You are experiencing a Fast Rate of Skill Progression.
You are experiencing a Fast Rate of Skill Progression.
Though they probably made an incredibly odd sight, bounding about in and out of the tall grass and swinging like a batter going for a home run, the two Rat Monsters' practice seemed to be paying off. Whether the two of them had ever been athletes or not, anyone who has ever done strenuous exercise knows that sweat, fatigue, and muscle soreness can never lie.
Ed found that, if he could get his entire body behind or under the Great Club, he could just about move it. Attempting a full baseball swing was beyond him--or rather, it wasn't that he couldn't do it, just that it was too slow. But if he choked up on the handle with one hand, and kept the other towards the base, he could lever it and push with his legs. Then he could let gravity do the work, but the strike was still fairly clumsy and it shortened the range of the big weapon considerably. Still, it was a club. It didn't require much skill--the primary shortage here was simply his strength and leverage. And considering the Rat Man was a good deal stronger than a Goblin, it might make him wonder if even Rattleskull would have had trouble swinging around this long hardwood thing, studded and banded with iron.
Asteria couldn't quite manipulate her tail with the exact same dexterity as a hand, given the different bone structure. And it lacked the sort of hydraulic motion to stab like a scorpion's stinger. Still, her improvised weapon could slash quite effectively--if her tail whipped out quickly, the strike wasn't incredibly accurate but could shear the long blades of grass with no problem whatsoever. With her enhanced speed, strength, and coordination, once she was used to the weight she could still run and jump and tumble in much the way any rodent can. If she were in a more enclosed space, something like parkour would be of little issue.
Mother Rat watched both of them, head turning back and forth. She scratched one ear idly with her hind leg, then yawned. This pack was, by far, the strangest she had ever been part of in her few years of life.
The road remained empty, as the sun rapidly approached noon. A slight breeze ruffled the grassy lands every now and then. Off in the distance, now that the light was brighter, they could clearly see the small smoke trails from the village they had passed. They could also see the treeline of the forest, much more distant now, and a gently rolling hill. Ed might remember the smoke he had seen coming from somewhere behind this hill not too long ago, before they hunkered down in the barrow...could that be where the Bandits had their camp?
[[OOC: If the plan's to just keep training and you don't need encounters, etc, feel free to continue back and forths or do collabs.]]
PixieSlime Party
The magic blast had knocked one of the stones in his makeshift shield away. The burning purple javelin left a dark stain on his red membrane, but he pushed through the pain. Asura managed to drag the Zomblin in the way of the two Mana Orbs, but its bone armor protected it from the majority of the damage at the cost of cracking one of the plates. The undead goblin snarled, black bile dripping from its jaws--just before they snapped shut as Asura's spike drove through the underside of its mandible. He pierced all the way through, and the undead creature jerked and stumbled back--
But it did not fall. Defying all zombie-fiction logic, the undead continued to move, albeit it with much more jerking and struggling.
Asura couldn't see behind him, but Ardur had left the group heading for the pool. Trent and the others caught up--but so did the other monsters hurrying to join the Zomblin's party! The two Ghost Wisps fired at Asura again--and began to fade away like dust in the wind. The Fanged Lizard squirmed back to its feet--only for a gooey glob of Steve's webbing to pin it to the ground! It still managed to fire off a Poison Spit attack, which Trent once again blocked with his shield before jumping up and coming down with both feet on the creature's spine. The human's greater weight, enhanced by his equipment, spelled doom for the possessed reptile.
Mother Slime rolled forward. There was enough room in the passage for perhaps four or five creatures to stand abrest. As she was moving to Asura's side, she lashed out with a pseudopod at the Zomblin, but the undead creature managed to duck away from the heavy blow.
And then, rather than attack, the creature snatched up the pile of poisoned javelins under its arm like so much firewood. It had a least a dozen left, and it now turned and fled while the other monsters pressed forward. Two assimilated Wisps and another Fanged Lizard filled the gap the zomblin left behind, opening mouths and gathering energy for their ranged attacks. From Asura's side, a new Skeleblin appeared--and like the Zomblin, this one was better armed than expected of such a basic undead.
Plates of a shell, similar to an armadillo's in appearance but bigger and thicker, had been fashioned into a primitive shield in the Skeleblin's left hand. In its right, a large leg bone with a rock tied to it made a sturdy club. The creature's jaw clattered as it swung at Asura's side, just as he finished dealing with the two Ghost Wisps' last attacks--!
Meanwhile, Ardur reached the dark waters of the pool. With no more sunlight filtering into the cave, the water looked pitch black. He could see none of the small fish, if they were even still down there. He extended his hand to the water's surface, reaching out with his will and his magic.
“Sword of the pool, its Ardur again. I have not returned with a hero but some day I will meet your requirements or find someone that does. For now we could use a hand destroying the dungeon core and purifying this cave if you can help.”
For a moment, nothing...then, he felt a tug against his magic. After casting the modified Fireball, Inspire, and now this, the Hipixie could feel that his MP was getting low. He might only manage one or two more spells before he was dry.
But the water rippled.
Something surfaced. In the darkness, he couldn't quite tell what it was...but there was a slight glimmer on the rippling water...
"The situation has changed in a way I did not foresee--and I suspect that one of your number is to blame, Ardur." Ardur heard the voice in his mind, but only as a slight whisper. He had to really concentrate to pick it out over the sound of battle taking place not far away.
"The Core's growth is too fast, and it seems to have increased its intelligence too much for its level. Its assimilated creatures have sealed the cavern entirely from light, and they have been gathering materials. There are more of them than I thought--some of these undead goblins are from generations ago. I thought I had enough power to destroy the core--but I don't know if I can withstand a battle of attrition with this many--Watch out!"Two bright lights alerted Ardur before the Wisps attacked, shooting Mana Orbs at him in rapid succession.
Ash
As Ash realized she had been...here...before, taking in all of the world rushing past her, she activated her newest skill. As she floated, between the world and the moon, she tried to commit this to memory. Was it because she did not want to forget it again? She wanted proof of this vision? Or because she wanted a clearer picture of what, exactly, she was looking at? Either way, as she gazed upon the world, she activated Memor Eyes.
I̶m̸a̵g̴e̴ ̶c̷a̴p̵t̸u̸r̶e̷d̵.̵
D̵͇͖̞̠̻͙̮̜̯̭̓̈́̈́̈̑̎̇̍̕̚͜͝͝ͅĄ̴̢̨̬̺͍̫̳̃͝N̷̡͎̲̤̱̗͎̥̩̝̍̄̿͂͑͘G̸̜̬͓͓̘̈͐͊́E̷̡̡̼̤̘̬̠̥͙͎̝̮̝̣̓̅͑R̵̤̥̗̚!̷̢̢̠̟̝̣̥̠͎̭̳̣́̉͑̈́́̋̕͠ͅ
̵̧̨͖̻͓̜̣͋̄͐̓͛̿̌̒̍ͅD̵̡̡͇̜̜̮̏̈̀̒́̊̀̓͑͆̄͘͝ͅA̴̪̺̰̓́͒̉́̊͜N̶̡̧͓̦̼͙̺̠̞͖̞̩̪̬̄͊̔G̸̡̧̢͇͚̗͕̖͇̪̳̒̿̌̔̽̀͜Ȩ̵̬̻͙̼̭̠̖̻͈̝̲̞̉͂̿̉̿̀́͂̃͂̎R̴̨̜̼͌̆̒͘͜ͅ!̴̡͙͚̘̘̦̬̭̦̝̩͙̔̒ͅͅ
̴̧̼͕͚͕̣̥͓̣̳̝͉͙̪͆͜D̶͍̻͒̍̽͆̈́̓̊̃̏͛̿͠Ả̷̢̧͍̝͍̜̟̗̲̤̂̇ͅN̶̡̢̢̯̺̠̜͓̝͓̾͆͒̓̚G̸̛̝̣̘̥̋̀E̷̺̬̝͈͖̒̆͛̿̉̂̕Ŗ̶̙̙̹̻̻͛̒͂͌͒̄̂͋̽́͌͒̕!̵̣͙̰̱̲̼̬̬̣̮̽̌̈́͐̊̚
Y̵͎̔Ő̵̯U̴̝̇Ŕ̷̙ ̷̲̓Â̴̫L̸̟͛E̴̝͛R̸̭͌T̸͕̀ ̷͈̅S̸̫̅K̸̯̋I̵̜̕L̸̢̓L̴̺͠ ̸̰̾I̶̲̿S̸͙̍ ̸̞͑Ŗ̷͠E̵̛̼Ạ̶̈́C̴̼͆T̵̟̕I̶͍̓Ǹ̸̝G̴̥̒ ̵̳̂S̸̜̚T̵͙͐Ṟ̴̊Ỏ̶͙Ṉ̵̾G̴̨̊L̶̡̑Ý̶͙!̴̡͝
̴͇̔Y̴̧͠Ò̸̙Û̶̺Ȑ̵̩ ̶͎͠M̸͔͛Ȅ̴̮Ņ̴́T̴͚̚A̶̜̒L̶̩̏ ̸̩͆R̴̘̾Ĕ̷̗Ś̴̼Ḯ̸͜S̷̩̍T̵̩̎A̴̠̓N̵̟̍C̵͙͒Ȅ̵̻ ̵̼̍S̴̩̈́K̴̙̄I̸̹͆L̶͔͌L̸̹̐ ̵̞̃I̴͇̐S̷͖̾ ̴̇ͅB̶̻͝E̷̳̋I̵͈̚Ṅ̴͈G̴̪͗ ̵̯̈́Ǭ̴V̶̧̅E̵̼̋R̵̫̔C̵̬͊Ō̷͖M̴̜͝Ě̶̖!̴̼͆
̸̤̎Ŷ̵̥O̴͍͘Ů̶̺R̵̻͒ ̸̡̋S̶̃ͅȄ̸͎N̸͕̊Ș̷̋O̷̥̎Ř̸̥Y̵̫͌ ̵̝̒R̶̭͐E̴̩͘S̶͇̓Ỉ̸͓S̶̜̋T̴͎̓A̶̠̚N̶̼̒C̶͔͗E̸͍̾ ̷̧̓S̵̛̰K̷̰̿I̴̝̊L̴̟͗L̶̗̒ ̷̺̆Į̷̓S̴̯̀ ̶̣͝B̵̪͌Ê̶̩I̸̡̎N̵̩̆G̴̰̎ ̴̈́͜Õ̴̢V̷͙͆E̸͖̚R̸͓̈́Ć̴̠Ǒ̵̱M̸̦̓Ë̵͚́!̵͕̄
Title Gained: Witness I
You have seen things. And they have seen you. At this Rank, functions of this Title are unclear.
As a sudden pressure--worse than what she had experienced when Zawisza had appeared before them in a clap of crimson thunder--closed in on her mind, Ash began to wriggle. What had started as a test of her range of movement, perhaps an experiment in what exactly this astral place allowed, suddenly became a writhing fit of panic. This dream had become a nightmare--and it was not her own.
As if she had been dropped into the sea, chained to a weight, Ash plunged back down towards the world.
She had only moved a scant few inches. But because of her distance from that spinning star below, even as she traveled straight down the arc of her angle increased dramatically. She would not be falling directly back into her body. Where was she going? A new fear gripped her.
But the weight suddenly relented. The nightmare was past...for now. Now she was traveling again, and the world blurred by. She stopped so suddenly, yet there was no sense of vertigo. She now floated several feet above the calm, deep blue surface of an empty ocean...and then something jerked her to one side, and now she was flying across the surface of the planet. A breaking wave rose up right in front of her--but as she passed through it, she felt no cold nor spray, and the water did not part for her.
At one point, she passed over...something. Enormous, deep, and dark, it breached the waves for only a moment. As it sank back in the depths, a whirlpool in its wake dragged hapless fish and all manner of sea creature down, down.
Now she could see land ahead. Icebergs, drifting sheets of white. One lone, enormous bear-like creature fishing on a floe. It might have been a polar bear--save for the enormous spikes on its back and head, and its armored hide.
A shoreline of black, jagged rock. A broken ship, long abandoned...or was it, as something moved in the ruined hull? A thick, dark forest of conifers and something that might have been ash or yew...except their trunks were twisted and black, and their needles seemed more like shards of obsidian. The ground choked with roots, yet somehow it seemed paths wound through this place--but they, too, showed no bare ground. Larger roots, gnarled and grasping, like the bloated body of a naked serpent, lead back to a central clearing--
Ash saw an eye. Long lashes, mascara the color of blood, skin as white as snow. The crimson iris held a single slit, but the pupil was gold rather than black. Delicate fingers, with long nails, reached out...and Ash realized she had slowed down like a bullet passing through gelatin.
Her spine tingled as that finger came closer, then something
yanked her through. She passed through darkness, through a round room of ancient tomes that spiraled up and down.
Then she had passed through the clearing, past that grotesque and bulbous tree bound by anchored ropes. Its scarlet leaves rustled with her passing. The finger had not, could not, touch her. The eye closed like one who could not stave off sleep any longer.
Faster now. Through the forest, across a plain of snow and ice. Another forest now, this one full of greens and muted grays as it should be, but still dark and foreboding. The animals were larger, hungrier. The mountains to the West were bigger, closer. She crossed a deep valley, through the white foam of a waterfall. Now the forest began to look familiar.
She saw Digbie, Oberon, and Torrent. She saw herself, dead gray skin and bloated, pulsing body.
Then she began to awaken. And everything, save that crystal clear image she had captured on her own...and a shivering touch, a long white finger pointing to the north and a vague red eye...
Save those two, everything was gone from her mind once more.
Dry scales peeled and leathery hide split. A pointed tail, longer than before but no longer tipped with a stinger or covered in hard chitin, instinctively thrashed to clear away the shedding hide. Digitigrade feet flexed clawed toes, and three fingers and a thumb slashed their way out of the hollow shell. Wings, with a glistening membrane, unfurled. A head, tipped with horns, twisted on a thin but flexible neck.
Her body was roughly humanoid, with a slight femininity not yet fully matured. She stood about three feet tall, though there was a slight crouch to her frame due to the shape of her legs. Very little fat padded her frame, though this weakness she felt reminded her more of days spent in the lab without eating, or illness caused by overwork. At this very moment, her head pounded and her breath hitched in her chest--the aftermath of a terrible nightmare, but why couldn't she remember it?
Then, as she blinked bleary eyes, the strange swirling marks upon her began to glow with a soft light...
TRANSFORMATION COMPLETE!
(Immature) Pygmy Drake > (Adolescent) Mystic [Winged] Kobold!
You have Transformed!
Your base speed stats have increased!
You have not reached your full Potential. The Skill Use Light Equipment's development is reduced. Skill is currently at (0.2 > 0.7).
You have gained access to the Job System at 0th Tier!
---Job System---
Creatures with a certain level of intelligence, sophistication, and potential for civilization often learn that specialized functions for different members make the society better. Specific forms of training, and specific mindsets, mean that those who undertake a "Job" are better suited for certain things than others with different "Jobs." When you take on a Job Type, the World System will allocate earned Skill Points in a way more favorable to your choice. Using a skill you are familiar with as an example...[Stronger]. By using your tail in addition to other parts of your body while muscle training, you also developed [Prehensile Tail]. You intentionally attempted to strengthen yourself, thus [Stronger] became the priority skill increased. Applying this principle, if you were in a magic based Job, points toward Spells Skills would be prioritized in any situation where more than one skill is being developed. And vice versa if you were in a physical Job like some type of warrior. Jobs may cost you versatility, and make it harder to learn skills you already have that do not fit the Job's perogative. However, they will speed up development of the more fitting skills. Jobs are not permanent choices and may be changed, however doing so will require a training period for the new Job.
Available Jobs for Kobolds:
0th Tier- Raider - Physical focus. Offensive focus.
- Air Raider - [Winged] Kobold only. Physical focus. Increased Offensive focus, Evasive focus.
- Skirmisher - Balanced focus. Defensive and Support focus.
- Voodooist - Magic focus. Offensive focus.
- Witch - Possess Alchemy above Rank I. Magic focus. Increased Utility focus, highly versatile.
- Bandit - Physical focus. Offensive and Defensive focus.
- Sneak - Physical focus. Evasive focus.
- Scrapper - Physical focus. Offensive and Evasive focus.
- Shaman - Magic focus. Offensive and Support focus.
- Drake Tongue - [Winged] Kobold only. Magic focus. Increased Offensive focus. Increased Support focus.
- Gatherer - Balanced focus. Support focus.
- Scout - Physical focus. Evasive and Ranged focus.
- Healer - Magic focus. Support and Defensive focus.
You may unlock other Jobs by fulfilling certain conditions. You may gather further information about Jobs by focusing on one at a time before making your choice.
---Job Tutorial Complete!---
You gained the Variance, Mystic!
Your Max MP has increased!
You have not reached your full Potential. The skill Mana Affinity has been reduced to (0.5).
You have not reached your full Potential. You already possess the Skill Mana Orb. Skill increase reduced. Total is (2.3 > 2.55).
Skill Change: Stun Stinger II has changed to Stun Fang II!
Skill Change: Poison Spray II has changed to Poison Spit II!
You are Famished.
You are Thirsty.
[[OOC: If you want to describe the specific shapes her swirling marks take, where they are on her body, her new scales' color or design, etc feel free.]]
Monster Party
You are experiencing a Fast Rate of Skill Progression.
Oberon "felt" the pebble yet again, and this time he seemed to have more control over this invisible limb. With more mana, and a specific vector in mind for the movement of the stone, the channeling process became smoother. As he watched, the pebble slowly shifted...then, in stops and starts, jerked towards him just a few inches at a time. The spell still hadn't triggered, but if the system was any indication he was getting close. It would probably only take a little bit more...
You are experiencing a Fast Rate of Skill Progression.
You are experiencing a Fast Rate of Skill Progression.
Torrent spent more time drawing in more Mana from the sunlight, the way Oberon had explained to her. A System Notice told her that her MP was full at some point. She gathered it up with the intent of compressing it, using her previous attemps with the various breath weapons and her mental visualization. When she released it she imagined a thin stream, a pressurized release, like the tiniest pin-prick in a balloon letting out all the air in one blast. To this natural release valve, she added her own Mana and intent, pushing forward with her will.
From the Lesserwurm's open mouth, a beam like a flashlight struck the water. She could feel the roof of her snout and her tongue growing somewhat warm. But...the water didn't boil or hiss, and the beam of light shrank quickly over time. It wasn't even a full minute before it died away entirely. But, part of her goal--some form of light magic, released from her mouth--had been accomplished. How could she make it viable for battle? Or, did she imagine some other use for it?
Skill Gain: Crafting I (0.9 > 1.0)!
Your knowledge and understanding of mechanics, workmanship, and other such things enable you to craft better items. The process of creating many items is still an unknown to you, but if you ever succeed in such a creation its Sub-Stat Enhancements will be higher than normal.
You used Crafting I!
You are Disassembling an Item!
Scrap Leather Boot (Below Average) + Stone Knife (Average)
Item Successfully Disassembled!
Obtained: Leather Strips (Poor) x4!
Fur Clothing (Bad) + Stone Knife (Average)
Item Successfully Disassembled!
Obtained: Dire Rat Pelt (Bad) x3
Obtained: Unknown Pelt (Poor) x2
Obtained: Hex Cat Pelt (Poor) x1
Filthy Underwear (Bad) + Stone Knife (Average)
Item Sucessfully Disassembled!
Obtained: Dirty Cloth Strips (Very Poor) x6
Level 8
EXP: 90%
As Digbie successfully analyzed the various items the group had gained, sorting them out and trying to think of which group member could get the most out of each piece, one might question his decisions. But at least he was generous with the loot, surely unlike any other Goblin they might have been working with if not for Guze. Breaking down the unusable, or just plain unwanted, pieces of equipment left him with some strips of cloth and leather that might be used for other purposes. Each strip was several inches long, through they varied in thickness and tensile strength. Cutting apart the dry-rotted vines and other cordage holding the fur clothing together left him with a small pile of pelts. He only recognized one of them as belonging to a Hex Cat once he saw its black color and touched the fur, and remembered the same creature that they had seen during their journey from the cave. He still wasn't sure what the other piece of fur could have belonged to, however--it didn't look like that deer they had seen, nor those dangerous badgers, and it certainly wasn't rubbery like frog skin.
The other three members heard the sound of something ripping open, and labored breathing from within the cave. It would seem Ash's second evolution was over--it had taken longer this time, too. If any of them chose to investigate, they would see that the Winged Kobold was very different from the Pygmy Drake--and probably much better suited to some of this equipment, now that Ash actually had opposable thumbs and a relatively humanoid anatomy.
