Power Allocation:
Normal Skill and Magic options
Skill choices available
Apprentice healing meditation- cost 3 (1/3 credited)
Bigger they are- cost 2 (0/2 credited)
Fast critical decision- cost 5 (3/5 credited)
Home defender- cost 1 (0/1 credited)
Master discerner- cost 10 (7/10 credited)
Magic choices available
Apprentice Force Magic- cost 3 (1/3 credited)
Apprentice Portal Magic- cost 3 (1/3 credited)
Journeyman Mind Magic, ConMod + 2 - cost 9 (3/9 credited)
Journeyman Spirit Magic, ConMod + 2 - cost 9 (3/9 credited)
The next section Joe began to go though were skills and magic options made available because he had met people or entities with those respective abilities. Before he had met Rook, the list was rather modest. Now, it was pages upon pages of text, much of it unreadable. Why would he choose a selection he did not understand? What if he chose a magic that was dangerous to him? Would it mean he would have to restart his character? He might risk it eventually, but for now Joe would to pick options he understood, or at least could reasonably guess at. He narrowed his choices down to his top twelve. He was happy to find that the system brought them together so that he could keep them displayed on his HUD while making his choice. He couldn’t be sure, but it had appeared that the HUD was becoming more user friendly the more he interacted with it.
Options available through Empathetic Learning Gift
Skill choices available
Chameleon, ChaMod + 1 - cost 3 (0/3 credited)
Color of deception, IntMod + 4 - cost 10 (0/10 credited)
Innate courtly etiquette, ChaMod + 2 - cost 2 (1/2 credited)
Multi-plane hands- cost 5 (1/5 credited)
Power in balance, WisMod + 6 - cost 15 (8/15 credited)
Unrivaled vocalist, ChaMod + 4 - cost 10 (0/10 credited)
Magic choices available
Novice Entropic Magic- cost 1 (0/1 credited)
Novice Fire Magic- cost 1 (0/1 credited)
Novice Illusion Magic- cost 1 (0/1 credited)
Novice Life Magic- cost 1 (0/1 credited)
Novice Summoning Magic- cost 1 (0/1 credited)
Novice Time Magic- cost 1 (0/1 credited)
29 points of power available. Allocate all points.
This time he had more choices then he had points, and the options were becoming more expensive. He was going to have to make some decisions and choose a path. Throughout his whole life he had struggled to choose a specialty. His interests were so diverse and far-reaching that he had ended up a jack of all trades and a master of none. His late wife, Elora, had been lovingly supportive of him as he had passionately pursued the various endeavors throughout the years. In thinking of her, his mind went to one of her heroes. As an American-born citizen, she had remained stubbornly free of political alignments, but she had a warm fondness for one of its earlier leaders. Abraham Lincoln, the Great Emancipator, had been a formidable statesman, famous for giving stump speeches. He put forth truth in a way that people could hear and understand it. Having deeply loved Elora, Joe had researched this man long ago and discovered that he had also been notorious for his grappling. After every set of speeches, whole towns would have wrestling matches. Lincoln had around 300 official matches and it was said he only lost once. One time, after a win, he challenged the whole crowd by saying, “I’m the big buck of this lick. If any of you want to try it, come on and whet your horns.” Joe felt inspired by his memories of this man’s history. He had been a man who could sway a crowd with a speech and take on any opponent with his bare hands. Joe understood that combat was important in this game, but he had also been charged with protecting and gathering a people, and this would require the skills of a diplomat.
Once again, he realized he had lost focus. He needed to spend his points. Part of him cringed at spending so many points on non-combat skills, but he had a good feeling about building his statesmanship qualities. Narrowing down his decision on the skills was difficult as he could not afford all he wanted, but there were a few he felt he could not live without. The rest would have to wait. When Joe had faced Rook, the fake god had backhanded him across the cavern. Joe wondered if this ability had come from multi-plane hands, as Joe had not been in physical form but the being of contention had still been able to affect him. If it was what he anticipated, it would vastly widen Joe’s combat options. Making these choices meant he would not be able to have all the magic he wanted, but he was reminded of what a clever young lady had once said, “You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit.” Joe began to assign points of power.
Apprentice Force Magic (2 points allotted)
Apprentice Portal Magic (2 points allotted)
Chameleon, ChaMod + 1 (3 points allotted)
Innate Courtly Etiquette, ChaMod + 2 (1 point allotted)
Journeyman Spirit Magic, ConMod + 2 (6 points allotted)
Multi-Plane Hands (4 points allotted)
Unrivaled Vocalist, ChaMod + 4 (10 points allotted)
He had used 28 points and wanted to make the last one count. He had six different magical choices at the top of this last list. He wanted one that would not only be useful in its early stages but that might eventually become a game changer. Over and over his mind was drawn to the idea of entropy. The strength and ability to break something down was enticing. With entropic magic, would he be able to degrade other magicians’ spells? What would the upper limit of this magic be? He wasn't sure. He thought he had made his choice and therefore, began to pick Entropic Magic.
The moment before his mind clicked yes, he stopped. His body and spirit rebelled. He doubled over in pain and fell off of the box he was sitting on, holding his gut with his one uninjured arm. He was dry heaving. Apparently, choosing Entropic Magic was the wrong choice. Joe didn't understand this game. Why would it offer a choice that, if picked, would carry dire consequences? In the split second before choosing the magic, Joe had been given a possible insight into his reaction. His spirit and personality were the very antithesis of entropy. He didn't believe in destruction, but rather creation. It wasn't that things should never be destroyed, as much of creation required demolition first, but entropy was not just destruction, it was the eventual decay into heat death, into nothingness, the abyss. Perhaps if he had chosen Entropic Magic, it would have slowly worn away who he was. And it would have been his own doing.
Each time Joe absorbed a skill or a type of magic it became part of him. These powers became his to command, but even the most skilled military commander is influenced by his troops. Although he believed himself to be playing a game, Joe was still an incredibly self-aware individual. This time it had saved his life.
Kneeling on the ground, holding his gut, Joe lifted his head and looked up at the metallic box where the basket with Spooky lay. There was frustration in his eyes. This game had too many uncomfortable elements. It was supposed to be a pleasant retirement, not one filled with vomiting and nausea, or extreme pain. He had dealt with enough pain in his real life. Role-playing protocols or not, Spooky was going to answer some questions when she woke up. But for now, he still had one point left and it was his to allocate. He definitely didn't need a micromanaging computer telling him what to do, especially not after that vomiting experience.
Looking at the list again, Joe began to lean toward picking Illusion Magic. Before he could pick it, his elbow began to itch on his uninjured arm. Without much thinking, he began to scratch his elbow. The muscles in his injured arm were not healed yet, he felt pain. Quickly, he changed his mind. Life Magic it was. No more of this relying on others to heal him. It was time to become self-sufficient. A magical orator with a right jab so powerful it could punch the stink off a skunk. Now that all the points were accounted for, a system message popped up.
Confirm Skill and Magic Choices? Yes/No
Warning: Body Modification Point Allocation!
&nbs
p; Once confirmation is made changes are permanent.
Joe froze, remembering the last time he had made body modifications. It turned out okay, but he'd rather not get forcefully ejected from his body. At least this time it didn't say large body modification. What modifications had been chosen? Was it the Chameleon skill? Joe closed his eyes. Meditating, he began to lower his receptivity to pain. He didn't turn it all the way down, but far enough to dull it. He then confirmed his choice using the HUD to mind-click yes.
Joe braced himself, preparing for his skin to feel like it was on fire, but he only felt a small tingling in his skin, like a minor case of hives. For a second, he began to laugh, thinking this time he had dodged the bullet. But the laugh caught in his throat. The main body modification he had chosen was not from the Chameleon skill, but rather the Unrivaled Vocalist. It was a skill that required powerful expansive lungs, strong and perfectly tuned vocal cords, perfect and straight posture, a dexterous tongue and a flexible soft palate that could rise high enough to create a cathedral in the back of one's throat. These were just a few of the changes that had to happen if Joe was going to be able to sing like one of the greats. Joe held onto his ears as the small bones inside were reformed to give Joe perfect pitch. His head ached as a new brain structure was built, pathway by pathway. Music, like any complex language or math, required its own dedicated space in the human brain to be understood and interpreted. Normally these pathways would form over months and years, so the growth would go unnoticed. The pathways in Joe's brain required a great deal of growth because, though Joe did not realize it, his whole life he had been tone deaf.
This time, his body had all the nutrients it needed to make the changes. It didn't take long and the pain subsided. His body had become fully modified. He stood up and noted how his chest was even larger than it had been before and his lung capacity had greatly increased. He wondered if it would make it easier for him to run, as well as sing. The body modification had not been the only change he received after clicking yes. He had also gained several new spells. In looking over the new spells, Joe noticed that he still did not have a portal spell, despite obtaining the apprentice level in that magic. This bothered Joe, but you get what you get and all that. Joe noticed one spell that he would be using immediately.
L1 Lesser Healing- Heals small amount of damage. With an infusion of life, things seem brighter because they are. Cheer up, life is all around you.
As Joe cast this spell, a white light began to glow around him. He felt his body grow warm and his injured arm begin to heal. The subtle pressure changes throughout his arm felt like a soothing massage. The spell ended and Joe relaxed. His shoulder was still injured, and seeing he had plenty of mana left, he began casting the spell repeatedly. Little by little, the muscles began to knit back together. Before long, he neared depletion of his mana and was feeling miserable. Exhausting one's mana reserves was not something one did lightly. Joe immediately felt compelled to sit down, and did so, on the only place he could, the metallic box. The moment his backside made contact with the box, he felt mana begin to flow into him. The exhaustion and tiredness began to lift as he watched his mana bar slowly fill back up. It didn't take long before he felt well enough to cast the Lesser Healing spell again. A short time later, he removed the wrappings that had bound his arm to his body. He was at full health. Not only was his arm no longer injured, but all of his cuts and abrasions had also healed completely. Even the wound on his stomach was now smooth skin.
Joe meditated and, in so doing, raised his pain receptivity to a normal level. Once this was done, he stood up and prepared to try out his Unrivaled Vocalist skill. He looked around the domed cathedral that surrounded his bind point. It was the perfect venue for him to reveal himself. Standing tall, like Pavarotti himself, Joe took a deep breath and then let out a single crystal clear note. The note stopped short due to Joe’s own shock and amazement. He had been aware he was about to sing, but in that moment he realized that he had never truly heard music before. He had believed that he could hear it, but he had been wrong. It was as if he had been locked in Plato's Cave. He had only experienced the echoes of music, and never engaged with the beauty and truth that came from one perfect note.
He thought of his wife and her veal and passion for singing. She had known true music. Everyone had always raved about her warm and alluring alto voice. He had loved to listen to her, but in singing that solitary note, he recognized that there had been a part of her he had never truly known until this moment. He began to sing. This time, more softly. He sang of lost love. Tears rolling down, he thought of loss and he remembered his joy.
“I sing this song for you,
though you have long since passed.
My love for you was true,
and even now it lasts.
Despite how well I sing,
you can’t hear the music ring.
How can there be song,
if you're not here to sing along.
Though before the music I could not hear,
through all the years you were my cheer.”
His voice was melodic and compelling. If he had sung the dictionary, people would have wanted to listen. For brief moment, Joe began to wonder if this was all real. He had just been healed from tone deafness. A game couldn’t do that, right? How could someone experience sensory input in a game when they had never experienced it in real life? When spells were performed here, it was just colors and vibration. So, to be able to differentiate notes in music for the first time seemed implausible. If it was possible, surely he would have read about it. Wouldn't he have? No… No. The neural implants were bypassing his ear canals. That had to be it. This confirmed he was tone deaf, but the flaw or birth defect must have been in his ears not his brain. That had to be the case. This simply demonstrated that the game itself was good and designed well. Except, of course, for all the pain.
Moes appeared, climbing up the stairs toward him. “What's up, Moes?” Joe asked as he made sure his tears were all wiped away.
“Where did you learn to sing like that!? I've never heard anything like it. It was as if I could feel your loss as my own. Admittedly you have talent, but no one should have to feel that kind of loss. When did you lose her, the one who loves Christmas lights?” Moes asked.
“A long time ago. How did you know she liked Christmas lights?” Joe asked.
“How else? Your winged associate. What about the singing, where did you learn that?” Moes asked.
“My winged associate? That's an interesting way to phrase that. The singing is a skill that I recently chose. I had not been able to sing like that until today. I wonder if the magic in the skill influences other people's emotions.”
“So you just picked the skill and then you were able to sing like that? Just as you had been able to get magic. If you weren't on our side, I would say it was really unfair. A bit of a cheat,” Moes said.
“Never forget the most important army maxim, ‘If you ain't cheatin, you ain't tryin.’ Speaking of which, my arm works again!” Joe said as he moved it around. Moes had a solemn expression on his face.
“That reminds me. There's something I have to tell you. Give me a second, I have to say this just right. Okay. I'm really serious about role playing. Sorry! Sometimes it makes me forget that not everyone is so hardcore. That is all I will say about that,” Moes said in a monotone voice, showing no emotion. “Well, glad that’s done. Congratulations on your new magical abilities. I see that you have somehow acquired Life Magic. The ability to heal yourself and others changes everything. I believe you may actually be able to do what you say. Good luck. I've got work to do. If you're going to sing, though, please sing something happy. Grork and Bork looked like they might kill themselves near the end of that last song.” He then exited down the stairs.
It appeared that his singing could greatly affect how people felt. That might come in handy. Just before Moes was out of sight, Joe saw something flicker above Moes’ head.
Beta Player, Moes<
br />
Halfling Mage
Joe tilted his head in puzzlement. He hadn't clicked on Moes, so why did his name and status flicker above his head? Right now it didn't seem important, so he let it pass.
Joe mind-clicked himself, as he hadn't done since allocating his points.
Level- 41
Character- Joe
Race- Human Machine Hybrid
XP- 41,068
Mana- 390
Hitpoints- 1,015
Weight- 2,350 lbs
Height- 7ft 8in
Charisma- 36 + 14
Constitution- 31 + 41
Dexterity- 18 + 4
Intelligence- 27
Muscle/Gears- 27 + 1
Wisdom- 13 + 1
Luck- 28
Gifts
Empathetic learner
Sight of the encourager
Skills
Chameleon, ChaMod + 1
Creative mechanic: Level 7, GearMod + 1
Grappler: Level 80, ConMod + 8
Innate courtly etiquette, ChaMod + 2
Mind-click: Level 2, WisMod + 1
Multi-plane hands
Penetrating steel silver claw
Pierce
Rock eater
Rock-woven skin, ConMod + 5
Sapphire vision, ConMod + 2
Space-age alloy big-boned, ConMod + 15
Stryker: Level 41, DexMod + 4
Unrivaled vocalist, ChaMod + 4
Magic
Novice Life Magic
Apprentice Force Magic
Apprentice Mind Magic
Apprentice Portal Magic
Journeyman Spirit Magic, ConMod + 2
Contracts
Defend capital castle
Lender to Rook
Protect yeti children
Servant of Rook
Contend evil
Contend Rook
Achievements
Aura of Benevolence. Rank 1 ChaMod + 1
But Death is Not Forbidden Page 6
