Second Skin Omnibus

by M Damon Baker

  . . .

  Experience gained – You have gained 73 XP.

  You have gained a level! – You have earned sufficient experience to advance to level 30.

  You have gained three Attribute points. Two of your points have been automatically assigned to CON and CHA. You may assign the remaining point to any other Attribute as you see fit.

  This was a huge level for me. I knew I would gain not only Attribute points, but a new Spell and Ability as well at level thirty. My hands practically shook with eager anticipation as I slid the stat point into Strength and the next menu popped up.

  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.

  Focused Fire – Your next arrow causes increased damage if it hits. Cost – 20 Endurance.

  Long-Range Shot – Increase the effective range of your bow. Cost – 30 Aura.

  Companion’s Aegis – Advanced Ability – Provides additional armor for your companion animal. The selection of this Ability provides a permanent boost to your familiar’s armor rating.

  Siphon – Advanced Ability – On a successful hit, your arrow bleeds health from its target, transferring a portion of the damage back to you in the form of restored Health. Damage and restoration rates are dependent on proficiency. Modifier – Constitution. Cost – 100 Aura.

  Your choice is final and must be made now. Choose wisely, as you will now only gain a new Ability every five levels.

  Siphon could be a life-saver, but my mind was practically made up before the option even displayed in my vision. I selected Companion’s Aegis without hesitation, comforted knowing that it would protect Bane from harm. I smiled to myself, happy with the choice I had made as the next menu appeared.

  Having reached level 30, you can now choose a new Spell. You must choose one of the following:

  Muffle – May be cast on self or ally. Dampens sound in a radius around target. Cost – 20 Aura.

  Detect Life – Casting this spell allows you to detect the essence of nearby living creatures. Cost – 20 Aura.

  Restore Health – May be cast on self or ally. Heals a small amount of damage. Cost – 30 Aura.

  Silence – Surround target with an aura that cancels all sounds. Cost – 40 Aura.

  Stone Skin – May be cast on self or ally. Hardens skin, increasing effective armor against attack or certain effects. Cost – 30 Aura

  Flare – Throw a ball of fire at your enemy, which may set combustible items ablaze. Cost – 40 Aura.

  Shard – Hurl Shard(s) of rock against your foes. Cost – 40 Aura.

  Spike – Launch Ice Spike(s), delivering bonus cold damage on a successful hit. Cost – 40 Aura.

  Summon Creature – Summons a creature to aid you or fight by your side. The type of creature summoned depends on the environment. Modifier – Charisma. Cost – 100 Aura.

  Shield – May be cast on self only. Manifests a forward-facing barrier against incoming projectile attacks. Duration and resistance of the barrier are based on proficiency and modifier value. Modifier – Constitution. Cost – 80 Aura.

  Your choice is final and must be made now. Choose wisely, as you will now only gain a new Spell every 10 levels.

  I was still inherently drawn to the Summon Creature Spell, but the limits of its utility stopped me from selecting it outright. Shield, on the other hand could be very useful. I had already seen Tási’s reflection spell save our lives more than once. Although the description said I could only use it on myself, I could easily see how it’s added protection might allow me to swing the balance of a fight. After weighing my options, I picked up the Shield spell, and waited for the menu to close.

  Experience gained – You have gained 73 XP.

  . . .

  Experience gained – You have gained 73 XP.

  Quest Completed – Vengeance of the Black Hand. You have defeated the assault of the Black Hand tribe. Not only did you fend off their attack, but you destroyed the entire tribe in the process. In addition, you managed to earn the respect of the few survivors with your act of restraint. For completing this quest, and the bonus achievements, you have been rewarded with 27,500 XP. Note: This quest supersedes the repeatable quest, Defender of the Realm.

  You have gained a level! – You have earned sufficient experience to advance to level 31.

  You have gained three Attribute points. Two of your points have been automatically assigned to DEX and CHA. You may assign the remaining point to any other Attribute as you see fit.

  Strength was still my best bet, so I slid the point into that stat as I read over the quest message. The bonuses I had received for the total destruction of the Black Hand tribe and freeing the handful of survivors had obviously provided enough added XP to boost me one level higher. I found it ironic that the two actions were diametrically opposed to each other. One was an act of slaughter, the other a gesture of mercy, yet both of them had been rewarded. The messages ended once my point was assigned and I immediately opened my personal sheet.

  Dreya Dae

  Sintári Female

  Title: Sintári

  Level - 31

  424325/431200

  Health - 341/341 Aura - 725/825 Endurance - 341/341

  Sintári – Sintári interact with their surroundings in unusual ways. The effects of these interactions can be unpredictable

  Class – Warden – Wardens gain a 10% bonus to skills associated with nature or which have natural effects

  Specialization – Protector

  Mastery –

  STR - 38 (+3)

  CON - 29 (+2)

  DEX - 25 (+2)

  INT - 25 (+2)

  WIS - 23 (+2)

  CHA - 46 (+4)

  Abilities

  Ignore Armor – Your next arrow will ignore a portion of the target’s armor. Cost – 20 Aura. – 36%

  Stun – Your next arrow has a chance to stun its target on hit. Cost – 20 Aura. – 35%

  Block – You may attempt to use your bow to parry a single melee attack. Cost – 20 Endurance. – 20%

  Swarm – Your next arrow duplicates itself in flight. Cost – 20 Endurance and 20 Aura. – 47%

  Flurry – Perform three rapid strikes with a bladed weapon. Cost – 30 Endurance – 25%

  Parry – Chance for your blades to block next melee attack targeted at you. Cost – 20 Endurance. – 23%

  Hamstring – The next arrow fired has a chance to cripple your opponent. Cost – 20 Aura. – 32%

  Hilt Bash – Stun your opponent with a successful hilt strike from your bladed weapon. Cost – 30 Endurance. – 23%

  Blood Price – Your arrow inflicts a damage-over-time bleed effect. Cost – 30 Aura.-37%

  Blind – Your next arrow has a chance to inflict blindness on a successful hit. Cost – 30 Aura. – 37%

  Achilles Strike – Cripple your target with a slash of your bladed weapon. Cost – 30 Endurance. – 25%

  Penetrator – Advanced Ability – Your arrow pierces through armor easily. With increased proficiency it may penetrate through even greater barriers. Modifier – Strength. Cost – 60 Aura. – 20%

  Disable – Advanced Ability – A successful strike of your blade to an extremity renders the affected limb completely useless until healed. Modifier – Strength. Cost – 60 Endurance. – 7%

  Shockwave – Advanced Ability – Your arrow explodes on contact, dealing minimal damage but generating a stunning Shockwave in a radius around its detonation. Size and scope of this effect increase with proficiency. Modifier – Strength. Cost – 120 Aura. – 17%

  S
intári Abilities

  Natural Affinity – The Sintári’s unique connection with the natural world may manifest itself in random ways at times. While these effects are generally beneficial they are also typically outside the direct control of the Sintári. Modifier – Charisma.

  Control – Effect varies, applies to all Sintári Abilities. – 37%

  Protector Abilities

  See Truth – Once per day, the spoken words of your target become visible to you, allowing you to see the truth held within them. Strength and duration of this effect increase with proficiency. Cost – 60 Aura. Modifier – Wisdom. – 21%

  Spells

  Enhanced Sight – May be cast on self or ally. Improves visual acuity of the recipient in dark or obscured conditions. Cost – 20 Aura. – 47%

  Create Trap – Place a magical trap upon an area. Size, type and trigger of traps is determined by your proficiency. Cost – 40 Aura. – 53%

  Elemental Arrow – Your next arrow is imbued with elemental energy and causes additional elemental damage accordingly. Cost – 30 Aura. – 28%

  Bolt – Release a Bolt of pure Lightning at your target(s). Cost – 40 Aura. – 24%

  Find Weakness – Highlights vulnerable points on the target. Modifier – Intelligence. Cost – 80 Aura. – 10%

  Summon Elemental – Summons an Elemental creature. If you succeed in binding it to your will, the creature will serve you faithfully until the spell’s expiration. Modifier – Charisma. Cost 100 Aura. – 18%

  Shield – May be cast on self only. Manifests a forward-facing barrier against incoming projectile attacks. Duration and resistance of the barrier are based on proficiency and modifier value. Modifier – Constitution. Cost – 80 Aura. – 1%

  Skills

  Bow – 54%

  Critical Hit – 42%

  Blades – 34%

  Long Sword – 37%

  Short Sword – 29%

  Dagger – 26%

  Critical Hit – 29%

  Two-Handed – 30%

  Pole Arms – 14%

  Spear – 23%

  Armor – 32%

  Medium Armor – 37%

  Perception – 45%

  Environmental – 46%

  Identify Enemy – 48%

  Identify Person – 39%

  Combat Dodge – 25%

  Subterfuge – 30%

  Stealth – 35%

  Find Trap – 11%

  Disarm Trap – 8%

  Set Trap – 10%

  Manipulation – 38%

  Persuade – 50%

  Barter – 31%

  Survival – 24%

  Tracking – 26%

  Identify Creature (Beasts) – 19%

  Skinning – 16%

  Field Dress –15%

  Alchemy – 19%

  Herbalism – 31%

  Potion Craft – 27%

  Lore – 3%

  Identify Magical Item – 5%

  Gaining four full levels from the battle was pretty astounding. The Commander’s Bonus meant I was going to receive an incredible amount of XP from any battles we engaged in. While I hoped to limit just how many of those we were forced to fight, it wouldn’t take too many of them to elevate me to a truly high-level status. Even now at level thirty-one, I was well-beyond the lower levels and comfortably within the mid-tier range, and I was already beginning to almost abandon some of my original talents in favor of focusing on my more advanced skills. As I closed the window to my personal sheet, I wondered idly over the possibilities of the even more powerful talents I might uncover in the future.

  You have chosen the armor bonus for me, Sintári. Why did you do this? I thought we discussed this before?

  ‘We did, Bane,’ I sent back to him. ‘But my other options were not as compelling this time.’

  He started to glare at me, and I responded by stroking his head and neck while pressing him back down to lay upon my chest. He gave in reluctantly and resumed his soft purring after only a moment of hesitation. After the incredibly taxing day, Tási had already fallen asleep and Bane and I soon followed her into slumber’s soft embrace.

  9

  The next week seemed to pass in a flash as we not only continued our repairs, but also began the important work of establishing our community. Ilvain put together a team of carpenters and began building homes and farmsteads within the valley. His efforts were aided immensely due to his foresight in bringing all the necessary equipment for a small sawmill with him. The tools allowed him to quickly process the huge pile of timber Ridge had gathered and that our logging teams continued to add to.

  A group of dwarves had also ventured into the valley to inspect the caverns Tási and I had discovered there. When they reported finding plentiful metal deposits within both of them, two separate mining teams were dispatched to begin harvesting the resources. Although Hilgreth and Renn still had plenty of metal to work with for now, the supply of scrap we had obtained after the battle would eventually be exhausted. Having our own mines would be invaluable for us to maintain a ready supply of material for their forge.

  For their part, Hilgreth and Renn worked tirelessly to reforge not only the parts needed to create a new drawbridge, but to also fashion a new portcullis to replace the badly warped and damaged one we had lost during the battle. I tried to inspect their progress repeatedly, but the two of them insisted that I wait until the project was completed before they would reveal their work to me. They had done so much for our community that I was compelled to abide by their wishes and stopped trying to sneak a peek over their shoulders—or at least I did after Hilgreth caught me the first time.

  Ridge’s repairs only took him a day or so, as the damage was not as bad as we had feared. Once he had restored the stone passageway, he began constructing the additional above-ground barracks for our non-dwarven defenders. The two buildings took longer to complete than I would have thought, but I realized why when I reviewed the plans.

  The structures were not merely housing facilities, but they also contributed to the garrison’s defenses as well. The roofs of both buildings needed to be heavily reinforced as they were designed to serve as platforms for a pair of catapults. The weapons supplemented the ballistae on the walls and in the towers, adding their incredible firepower to our defenses. When it was completed, the armory’s roof would also be home to a defensive weapon, in its case, a trebuchet that could fire large projectiles high over our walls and into the midst of any approaching force.

  The array of weaponry was impressive, but would not be the end of the enhancements that our first line of defense was destined to have. The elf King’s plans called for a pair of watch towers to be added atop the cliffs, providing a commanding view of the entire countryside. Alongside those towers, and well outside the reach of any opposing force, would be a battery of siege weapons that could rain death and destruction down from the lofty heights. Those defenses were a long way from being built, however, as were any of the plans involving the additions on the plateau high above us, but once they were added, I doubted anyone would be foolish enough to assault our position again.

  Ridge had almost completed construction of the second barracks, and the stonemasons were smoothing out the rough edges on the first by the last day of that week. Most of the elves had retreated into the valley, moving their temporary camp to the green lands they found so much more comforting than the rocky confines of the canyon. Many still remained behind, however, honoring their commitment to share the hazardous responsibility of manning our defenses. I was heartened to see my people taking their shared responsibilities so seriously, and it gave me hope for the future.

  Between rushing about and following up on all of the details that the construction and improvements required, my companions and I might have had little time together. However, once I saw how well our first day went, I insisted that we halt our errands in the late afternoons and spend the rest of each day together. We were no longer under any imminent threat, and our citizens were more than capable of ov
erseeing much of the work themselves, and I refused to let the opportunity to be with each other pass without seizing upon it.

  We spent our time together training and talking about the various issues of that particular day. Our discussions not only helped coordinate our efforts but also reinforced the bonds of our friendship. Between our physical separation and the demands on our time, we had spent too much time apart, and the simple sharing of our days with each other quickly brought us all back together again.

  The time spent practicing my talents was also extremely helpful for me as well. During that week, I was able to raise all of my proficiencies to the maximum limit of 20% that training allowed. The advancement put me in as good a position as possible for the next challenge we might face, and I truly appreciated my companion’s willingness to help me get there.

  The days flew by, and I realized that our celebration was rapidly approaching. Tási and I had agreed to wait until after the party was over before delving into her in search of whatever lay dormant inside her, but before either of those events, there was one urgent task that I was determined to see to.

  Early one afternoon, I surprised Venna as she was organizing her makeshift infirmary. The last of the wounded had long ago been healed, and she was simply making sure the place was generally in order. I passed her the large basket I was carrying before taking her by the hand and leading her outside.

  “Where are we going?” Venna asked, glancing at the basket and then back at me again in confusion.

  “Lunch,” I smiled back at her. “Just you and I.”

  We walked through the canyon and into the valley beyond. As I guided her to our destination, we passed a few of the elves who were busy planting the first few crops and building their new homes. The sight of my people starting their new lives brought smiles to both our faces, and we continued on our way happily.

  With no impending threats, we had taken to wearing just our simple clothing and carried only a pair of daggers between us. In our light garments, the slight afternoon breeze kept us cool and made the long walk pleasant.

  Eventually, we came to the peaceful offshoot of the valley where we had discovered the elf King. I had declared the area off-limits to anyone but my companions and myself and knew that we could spend our time there undisturbed.