Second Skin- Fractures
Page 22
Experience gained – You have gained 260 XP.
Experience gained – You have gained 260 XP.
You have reached 20% proficiency in the Stun Ability. Proficiency gains slow after achieving 20% proficiency. Note that combat skills cannot be self-trained beyond 20% proficiency. Any proficiency gains beyond 20% can only be obtained via actual combat, through training with a mentor possessing sufficient mastery, or by certain magical means.
Quest completed — You have completed the hidden quest Seera’s Revenge. Enduring weeks of depravity at the hands of her captors, Seera constantly beseeched Nentai, Goddess of Vengeance for her aid. You have brought fitting justice to her tormentors and have been rewarded 208 XP.
I had no idea that there were hidden quests. The reward meant that I hadn’t just gotten the XP from killing those two scumbags, but also a bonus for fulfilling Seera’s plea for vengeance. I would probably try to kill any rapist piece of shit I ever came across, just as a matter of principle, but it was nice to know that I might get some additional rewards for performing what I considered to be a public service. I wondered how close the XP gains had gotten me to reaching my next level, so I pulled up my sheet to find out.
Dreya Dae
Human Female
Level - 3
4600/4700
Health 140/140 Aura 310/310 Endurance 140/140
Class – Warden – Wardens gain a 10% bonus to skills associated with nature or which have natural effects
Specialization –
Mastery –
STR - 14
CON - 14
DEX - 16
INT - 14
WIS - 12
CHA - 18(+1)
Abilities
Ignore Armor – Your next arrow will ignore a portion of the target’s armor. Cost – 20 Aura. - 10%
Stun – Your next arrow has a chance to stun its target on hit. Cost – 20 Aura. - 20%
Block – You may attempt to use your bow to parry a single melee attack. Cost – 20 Endurance. - 1%
Swarm – Your next arrow duplicates itself in flight. Cost – 20 Endurance and 20 Aura. – 8%
Spells
Enhanced Sight – May be cast on self or ally. Improves visual acuity of the recipient in dark or obscured conditions. Cost – 20 Aura. - 9%
Skills
Bow – 21%
Critical Hit – 18%
Blades – 13%
Short Sword – 15%
Dagger – 13%
Critical Hit – 9%
Two-Handed – 5%
Armor – 10%
Medium Armor – 12%
Perception – 22%
Environmental – 22%
Identify Enemy – 7%
Identify Person – 3%
Subterfuge – 18%
Stealth – 19%
Find Trap – 5%
Disarm Trap – 4%
Set Trap – 7%
Manipulation – 7%
Persuade – 9%
Barter – 8%
Survival – 12%
Tracking – 11%
Identify Creature (Beasts) – 3%
Skinning – 7%
Field Dress – 6%
Alchemy – 1%
Herbalism – 1%
It turned out that it was really close, and I resolved that the next day would definitely be a hunting day. I figured that four decent boars or similar game would push me over the one hundred XP that I needed, especially considering my current 4% XP bonus.
My proficiency gains were really adding up as well, and I realized that I could stop practicing Stun, and focus on Ignore Armor and Swarm since only combat usage would improve my Stun Ability any further. I would also have to start working in some practice time with my blades—my close combat skills were lagging far behind, and I was soon going to be at a point where training with my bow would cease to provide me with any benefits. Then there was the elephant in the room that I had been ignoring.
I had fully intended to sell the Minor Token of Grace back in town. I didn’t really need the bonus it provided to Charisma, especially with any added attention it might bring, but the simple beauty of the piece had been growing on me. I had been taking it out at night and admiring the elegance of the pink ivory, and its streaks of red added an additional element of depth and beauty to the delicate rose carving. Beyond the beauty of the trinket, I had also become somewhat sentimental about it. The tale I had woven of how the kobolds must have taken it from some poor hapless traveler had wound its way around my heart. Simply put, despite the hazard it presented, I no longer wanted to be rid of it… I had claimed it as my own and would not give it up willingly.
Besides, I reasoned to myself, I was traveling with my hood up anytime I encountered people, so whatever tiny impact the single additional point of Charisma might have, it shouldn’t even come into play with my face so concealed. I settled the issue of the Token with myself and moved on to determine a plan for the next day.
I decided to track the bumbling drunk and see where he had wandered off to in the night. I had no idea how far away his camp or whatever would be, so I would hold off working on any proficiencies that would give away my location until after I had found it. The decision of whether to attack or simply sneak away would have to wait until I knew what I was up against, which meant that all that was left for me to do was to wait for dawn.
When the morning sun finally began to shine enough light for me to track by, I started off following the trail of the late-night bumbler. It wasn’t a difficult task at all—the stumbling fool left clear footprints, enhanced with drag marks and all manner of broken foliage. I probably could have tracked him while blindfolded.
I followed the trail for over an hour before coming to a gentle rise in the land. I traced my quarry’s tracks as they led up the small hill, and when I crested the top, the remnants of a ruined structure came into view. I assumed it was the destination of the drunken traveler, so I ducked under cover to observe before proceeding any closer.
The dilapidated building appeared to have once been two or more stories; however, everything above the first floor was a fallen ruin. Blocks of stone lay strewn across the ground around the base of the building, marking where the collapsed upper floors had come to rest.
The fall of the structure must have occurred some time ago, since the forest had grown over and around most of the fallen stone. Only the vertical walls of the still-standing first floor kept the intruding foliage at bay.
The small path leading to the entrance was only barely visible, as it was mostly overgrown as well. The muddy trail of prints heading inside confirmed for me that the ruin had indeed been the destination of whomever I had followed there.
The two corpses that were nailed to the walls on either side of the entrance also told me that, whoever the residents were, they were not likely to be very friendly. The bodies had apparently been left there so long that they were reduced to mere bone, as the flesh had rotted away long ago. They were still clad in bits of armor, however, and their skeletal hands somehow uselessly gripped their weapons, almost giving them the appearance of guarding the home of their killers. The sight was warning enough for me to tempt fate no further, and I was about to leave when my Enhanced Sight picked up movement coming from just inside the entrance of the ruins. My curiosity got the better of me, and I remained for a moment to see what it was.
Before whomever it was came fully into view, I realized that it was the drunk I had been following. Although he managed to not fall over, his gait was clearly faltering. But as he finally stumbled into the daylight, I realized that all my observations and conclusions up until that moment had been completely wrong. Very, very wrong.
The figure that emerged from the dark was not drunk—it was dead. Profoundly dead. Broken ribs protruded from a gaping wound in his chest, and bits of rotten flesh and congealed, black blood dripped from within the gaping cavity. As the animated corpse shuffled around, the two bodies I had thought were simply nailed
to the wall turned to regard its passage before resuming their silent guard duty.
This was not the den of a drunken band of criminals as I had thought—this was the haunt of the undead. I had not been tracking a drunk through the forest, but rather I had been following an animated corpse… a zombie.
Bandits were one thing. In small numbers and under the right circumstances, I could handle them. But the undead?! I was completely unprepared for that type of encounter. The faded memories of the dead man told me that the undead were most vulnerable to blunt force and either magic or blessed weapons, and I had none of that. My arrows and blades would do little damage to the undead abominations—this was a challenge I was not prepared to face.
I backed away slowly and marked the lair on my map. I knew that I would not be taking on skeletons and zombies that day, but someday, when I was stronger, perhaps I might return.
When I had retreated far enough away to feel safe, I checked my map and set off again towards the next town. It was one of the two I had decided might serve as a potential substitute starter town for me, as both were far away from anything busy enough to warrant the regular attention of the Bloody Hearts, and also sufficiently distant from the false trail I had left for them to follow. While I traveled forward, I trained my various proficiencies and received a couple of notifications as a result.
You have reached 20% proficiency in the Subterfuge sub-skill, Stealth. Proficiency gains of non-combat skills will slow after achieving 20% proficiency.
You have reached 20% proficiency in the Subterfuge skill. Proficiency gains skills slow after achieving 20% proficiency.
The skill gains were nice, but I was getting frustrated by the lack of any game. I only needed a few kills for my next level, but there was absolutely nothing for me to hunt. I found it quite odd until I realized that the undead had probably either killed or driven off any living thing that was even close to their lair. I hoped that things would improve once I got farther away from the nest of undead.
Fortunately, my theory appeared to be confirmed when I came upon a small herd of deer a short while later—the sight of the animals after going so long without having seen anything living was reassuring. However, I didn’t think they were challenging enough to provide an XP reward, so I let them pass unmolested. Luckily, I didn’t have to travel too much further before an even better opportunity presented itself.
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Goblins. They were foul little creatures, cruel and vicious. They would attack on sight anytime they felt they had the advantage, and as repulsive as they were, they were also the source of a lot of low-level XP and quests. And right then, I was looking at three ugly little piles of XP.
The three goblins appeared to have set up a temporary camp. One of them was obviously wounded, and another was tending to his injuries. The third was keeping watch, but inattentively. After observing for a while and not detecting any more of the little brutes, I felt confident that I could take them.
I carefully adjusted my position and took aim at the goblin on watch—both shafts of my Swarm arrow took him in the throat, and he went down instantly. I pivoted to my next target and aimed a second Swarm-enhanced shaft at the goblin that had been tending his companion. The little goblin reacted quickly and attempted to dive out of the way, but unfortunately for him, he had moved too soon.
I was able to follow his attempt to dodge and aimed my shot just slightly ahead of him before I released the arrow. The shaft of the Swarm arrow flew straight and split into two missiles just before slamming hard into his torso.
The wounded goblin was now the only one left for me to deal with. But while I’d taken on his companions, he’d risen shakily to his feet and raised his hand to point a crude wand at me. Before I could react, the goblin quickly uttered a few strange words, and a bolt of electric energy shot forth from the wand and pounded into my chest.
The force of the impact threw me backwards several feet, and my Health bar dropped precipitously as I rolled in the dirt. After a moment of confusion, I rose slowly and shook my head to clear out the cobwebs.
I hadn’t been hit by a magical attack before, and the sheer power of it was both incredible and frightening. After a quick glance at my status bars, I knew that I was not likely to survive another hit like that.
I had been sloppy—I had taken for granted that the wounded goblin presented the least threat. He might have been… had he not been a caster. Unfortunately, in my haste, I hadn’t examined him closely enough to realize that. I had assumed he was just another grunt—it was a stupid, stupid mistake.
With the element of surprise gone, and the goblin ready and waiting for me, I couldn’t simply approach again from the same spot where he had just blasted me. I knew that I needed to come at him from a different angle if I wanted to survive this fight.
I crossed the forest and slowly circled the makeshift goblin camp before closing in on my quarry from the opposite side. When the camp came into view through the brush, I saw the wounded goblin was still there, waiting for me to come back at him. Fortunately, he was staring in the opposite direction, anticipating that I would come at him from the same place I had before. I drew back again and let loose another Swarm-enhanced arrow aimed at the center of his back. The shafts struck him hard and flung his already weakened body forward roughly, and the icons that flashed in the corner of my vision confirmed the kill for me. With the combat ended, I paused and took a moment to check my UI.
The bolt of electricity that the goblin hit me with had caused a great deal of damage, and my Health bar was significantly lowered. I could feel my injuries, the tingling in my limbs and the aching of my battered body were a testament to the power of the bolt that had struck me, even though there were no outward signs of them. I waited for a moment to see if I would need a potion or crystal for them to heal, but after a minute or two, my Health began slowly filling back up again. I was certain that more severe injuries—broken bones, arterial bleeding, and the like—would require the aid of potions and crystals, but it was reassuring to know that even major losses of health would heal on their own if there weren’t any complicating factors.
After a quick glance around to ensure that I was still alone, I began opening the notifications.
Experience gained – You have gained 52 XP.
Experience gained – You have gained 52 XP.
You have gained a level! – You have earned sufficient experience to advance to level 4.
You have gained 5 Attribute points. Three of your points have been automatically assigned to CON, WIS, and CHA. You may assign the remaining points to any two other Attributes as you see fit.
Your choices are final and must be made now.
I sighed deeply when I realized that the fates were still pumping up my Charisma stat, but since there was nothing I could do about it, I focused on deciding where to put my two discretionary stat points instead.
After a bare moment’s consideration, I dumped the points into Strength and Intelligence. It wasn’t much of a choice, really—I needed Intelligence to boost my XP bonus, and my encounter with Nedd had made me understand that an adequate Strength stat was vital for my continued safety. Once my selections were made, the prompts continued.
You can now choose a new Ability. You must choose one of the following:
Rapid Fire — After firing an arrow, your follow-up shot takes half as long as normal to be fired. Cost — 10 Endurance.
Seeker – Your next single shot has an increased chance to hit. Cost – 10 Endurance.
Body Blow – Your next dagger attack, if it lands, will cause your opponent to suffer an Endurance penalty. Cost — 20 Aura.
Impale – Your dagger inflicts a damage-over-time bleed effect. Cost — 20 Endurance.
Hamstring – The next arrow fired has a chance to cripple your opponent. Cost — 20 Aura.
Flurry – Perform three rapid strikes with a bladed weapon. Cost – 30 Endurance.
Focused Fire – Your next arrow causes increased dama
ge if it hits. Cost – 20 Endurance.
Long Distance – The distance of your arrow’s flight is increased. Cost – 20 Endurance.
Power Attack – Your next attack with a bladed weapon causes increased damage. – Cost 20 Endurance.
Your choice is final and must be made now.
This was also a fairly easy choice. My bow skills were doing well, but I was completely lacking any Abilities with my blades, so I didn’t hesitate in choosing Flurry. With my decision made, the level-up menu closed, and I received my final notifications.
Experience gained – You have gained 78 XP.
You have reached 20% proficiency in the Bow sub-skill, Critical Hit. Proficiency gains slow after achieving 20% proficiency. Note that combat skills cannot be self-trained beyond 20% proficiency. Any proficiency gains beyond 20% can only be obtained via actual combat, through training with a mentor possessing sufficient mastery, or by certain magical means.
I was disappointed that I hadn’t gotten any new spells with my new level. It shouldn’t have come as too much of a surprise though since Wardens weren’t primarily casters, but I still wanted more magic, dammit! With another level gained, I decided it was time to look over my progress again.
Dreya Dae
Human Female
Level - 4
4782/7200
Health 150/150 Aura 330/330 Endurance 150/150
Class – Warden – Wardens gain a 10% bonus to skills associated with nature or which have natural effects