by Shawn Wyatt
A glare of light caught her attention, and the girl stared at the rip that had appeared before her. A man stood in front of a monster, his sword wreathed in flame. She could hear no sound. These rifts never made any sound.
But she could see.
She watched as the man wielded the sword with a skill that seemed to surprise even him. She watched as he taunted the monster and cut it down, limb by limb, until he drove his blade through the monster's wooden heart and destroyed it with flame from within.
And she watched as a single tear rolled down the man's face after the battle ended.
The rift closed, and the man with it.
Another skeleton appeared in the distance, its movement stilted and awkward. The girl sighed and hefted her sword once more.
"Don't worry, Bastion. I'm coming."
<<<<>>>>
Author's Note
Hello, and thanks for reading Perla Online! I hope you enjoy the adventure as much as I enjoyed creating it. When I first discovered LitRPG, it struck me as a dream come true: a combination of fantasy, science fiction, and video games. As an avid MMO player myself (and diehard fan of Sword Art Online, Log Horizon, Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls In a Dungeon?, and so many other LitRPG-style anime), the opportunity to create an enormous world and journey through it with Ren, Evey, Bastion, and Wish has been incredible fun.
Before I get into the finer details, I want to acknowledge a few people that have been instrumental in the creation of this world. My girlfriend Maggie, who listened to far more hours of excited blabber than anyone should have to; my friend Sam, for helping me balance out character abilities and to work out the minutia of the world; my mother and my aunt, for being my go-to editing team and for the endless support and encouragement; and finally, countless friends and beta readers along the way that have encouraged me to keep writing, even when
no Cure spell would cleanse me of the Writer's Block debuff.
In the back of this book, you will find a list of character abilities up to level 20. You'll also find additional information about the world. Check it out, and let me know what you think! I am always happy to hear feedback from my readers.
If you would like to be a beta reader for my next title, just sign up for the mailing list or drop me a line at [email protected].
You can also find me on Facebook.
Don't be afraid to reach out and let me know what you think of the story. I'm always happy to hear from readers, and I'm always looking for people to play vidya with.
Cheers!
Shawn
Appendix
Want to know more about the world of Perla Online and its class choices and abilities? Here you go.
Classes and Subclasses
Blade Guardian
Blade Guardians are great generals, political leaders, and defenders of the truth. This class specializes in drawing attention away from the weaker members of the group and keeping the enemy’s attacks focused on itself. A combination of towering shields and deadly one-handed weapons grant the ability to both attack and defend and earns Blade Guardians a respected position in almost every group.
Light Guardian
Light Guardians may carry weapons, but their arms have more ceremonial purpose than practical application. The Light Guardian lives to help those in need, doling out healing and bandages whenever necessary. Light Guardians can close heinous wounds, mend broken bones, and purge the body of toxins. Whenever adventurers set out on a new journey, a Light Guardian is sure to be somewhere nearby.
Spartan Olympian
A Spartan Olympian protects those closest to them through overwhelming power and speed. Before an enemy can raise their arm to strike, the Spartan Olympian will be there parrying the blow and answering with one of his own. A master of small shields and spears, the Spartan Olympian favors speed and mobility over full-coverage shields.
Beserker Olympian
Few foes live to tell stories of a Beserker Olympian’s rage. Having trained their whole lives through for the thrill of battle, a Beserker Olympian’s bloodlust is a palpable thing. These warriors are masters of martial weapons; fighting with great axes, broadswords, and other types of weapons comes as easily to them as breathing does to the average person.
Prophet of Truth
Prophets of Truth serve the greater pantheon that put the stars in the sky. These men and women of the clergy tend to the injured and hungry, providing care so desperately needed in the farthest frontiers of Perla’s shore. Most travel with little more than a robe, a stave, and the protection of their god—but as anyone who has encountered a Prophet of Truth will tell you, little more than that is necessary.
Prophet of Deceit
The Prophets of Deceit shun the weak and the wounded, setting aside their empathy and channeling darker forces. A Prophet of Deceit is a force to be reckoned with—a lone caster capable of paralyzing an enemy’s body and slowly whittling away their life with a variety of awful spells. Though some Prophets of Deceit may use the overwhelming power of the pantheon to fight, others turn to darker blood magic to obtain greater, greed-driven strength.
Nature Terrawalker
Nature Terrawalkers hail from the lush realm of Toris, a vibrant world of towering trees and windswept savannahs. Nature Terrawalkers commune with the spirits of the land and take on their forms, a seamless shift from their original form to that of a beast and back again. This transformation takes an enormous amount of energy. Younger Nature Terrawalkers can only beseech the spirits once or twice per day, but more experienced Terrawalkers can shift almost as often as needed.
Cosmic Terrawalker
Cosmic Terrawalkers split from their more nature-focused brethren and turned their gazes upwards to the stars. Astral Terrawalkers harness the power of the cosmos and nature itself to channel powerful magic through their veins, calling down lightning, manipulating water, and encouraging the growth of plants to fight for them. These powerful beings have access to unique magics that no amount of arcane study can reveal.
Dervish Djinn
Djinn Dervish appear and vanish as quickly as the spirits from whence they take their name. Entities of shadow, Djinn Dervish train in the magical arts and use illusion and misdirection to distract their enemies—seconds before sinking their blades into unsuspecting spines.
Dervish Dancer
The Dervish Dancers are known for their beautiful displays of agility and speed. Dervish Dancers are masters of stealth and blade, able to land a dozen strikes before their opponents have a chance to react. If caught before they strike, Dervish Dancers simply drop a smoke bomb, strike their enemies with a paralyzing dart, and slip away into the shadows once more to try again another time.
Marauder Duelist
The Duelist is a close-range gunslinger, preferring dual pistols or a single high-powered shotgun over distance. Capable of firing Caster shots imbued with a variety of magic, Duelists move around the battlefield with a grace that belies their deadly nature.
Marauder Sharpshooter
If anyone can rival the assassination abilities of a Dervish Dancer, it is a Marauder Sharpshooter. These gunmen take aim for extreme distances and let fly a bullet that all but spells certain death for its target. Should the target survive, by the time it reaches the position the bullet was fired from the Sharpshooter will be long gone and ready to take another shot.
Oracle Spellweaver
Spellweavers use the power of the elements to rain destruction on their foes. Masters of fire, ice, and lightning magic, Spellweavers are a terrifying force on the battlefield, but are vulnerable at close range.
Oracle Invoker
Invokers rely less on their own power and more on that of their familiars. Invokers specialize in summoning creatures to fight for them, and these creatures often take on forms that strike fear into the hearts of those that behold them.
Beast Tamer Keeper
Any foe that finds a Beast Tamer Keeper alone in the forest should be wary. A Beast Ta
mer Keeper is never caught off-guard, and Keepers always have an animal companion somewhere nearby. A creature lies hidden among the trees to strike down unsuspecting foes while the Keeper fights from afar, their arrows flying true.
Beast Tamer Wanderer
Wanders choose to forgo the safety and security of their treetop villages and live in isolation from the land. Their foes find themselves trapped, bound, and unable to move as the almost-silent twang of a bowstring signals their end. Wanders lack the animal companionship of Whisperers, but master the arts of tracking and archery.
Harmonist Swashbuckler
Swashbucklers would rather be the heroes of their own story than sing the praises of others. Masters of two-weapon fighting, Swashbucklers carve a path of blood through their foes, humming to themselves as they go. Their voice can close wounds, purge poisons from the body, and sometimes even summon storms on command.
Harmonist Balladeer
A King once chose to forgo his guards in lieu of a single Balladeer. Before the assassins could strike, they found their feet bound to the floor, though the woman did nothing more than strum her harp. Balladeers are masters of music and magic. Though their offensive abilities are limited, Balladeers can improve morale before a fight, cause friends to forget about their injuries, and banish fear from the mind.
Abilities
Marauder Ability List
Level
Ability
Description
1
Desert Bullet
Marauders are most at home in the desert world of Horus. Desert Bullet fires a Caster Shell on your next shot, dealing 150% weapon and fire damage. The amount of damage increases by 1% per level.
1
High Noon
You are the fastest draw in the realm. Once every minute, you fire a shot that always strikes first and deals 100% weapon damage while stunning an opponent for 3 seconds.
Duelist Subclass Abilities
10
Freezing Shot
The Marauder fires a Caster Shell imbued with ice magic.
10
Lightning Shot
The Marauder fires a Caster Shell imbued with shock magic.
15
Splinter Shot
This bullet breaks apart upon contact with a target and strikes other nearby foes. Each subsequent strike deals 20% less damage.
20
Bombardment
You love the smell of burnt Kobold in the morning. Firing multiple shots skyward at an angle results in a vicious explosion, damaging all targets in a 30 foot radius.
Beast Tamer Ability List
Beast Tamer
Level
Ability
Description
1
Fae Aim
The Beast Tamer whispers a plea to the spirits of nature and they envelop the tip of the Tamer's arrow, lending truth to their aim and increased damage.
1
Heavy Draw
The Beast Tamer draws their bow as far as it will go and lends additional damage and penetrative ability to their arrows. This ability takes longer to use, but has a higher critical hit chance.
1
Forest Walk
The Beast Tamer can move through the underbrush or the trees without sound.
1
Tame
The Beast Tamer coaxes an animal to become their partner. To do so, the tamer must prove their worth and survive the attacks of the beast for twenty seconds. Only one beast can be tamed at a time.
Beast Keeper Subclass Abilities
10
Improved Tame
Beast Keepers can command more than one beast at a time. Keepers can gain another companion at level 20, one at 30, one at 40, and a final companion at 50.
10
Anchor Shot
The Beast Keeper fires an arrow that roots the target to the ground for three seconds and deals 200% weapon damage.
10
Sworn Foe
The Beast Keeper designates one enemy as their target and deals 50% more damage per hit to that target. Sworn Foe applies to only one enemy at a time but can be switched every three seconds.
15
Tri-Arrow
The Beast Keeper knocks and fires three arrows, hitting up to three enemies or a single enemy three times.
20
Bestial Rage
Rage overwhelms the Beast Keeper and their pets, increasing damage dealt by 25% for 10 seconds.
Prophet Ability List
Prophet Abilities
Level
Ability
Description
1
Holy Light
Strikes an enemy for 200% damage or heals a friendly target for 15%.
Prophet of Truth Subclass Abilities
10
Brace
Heals target for 20% and another 15% over 20 seconds.
10
Flash Mend
Heals a target for 50% HP at the cost of 30% mana.
10
Penance
Deals holy damage (INT*2+5) to a target and slows their movement speed for three seconds.
15
Prayer of Healing
Heals all allies within 30 feet.
20
Holy Shield
Places a shield worth 50% of target's HP on self and all allies.
Oracle Ability List
Oracle Abilities
Level
Ability
Description
1
Arcane Bolt
The Oracle taps into magical leylines to fire a blast of pure arcane energy at an enemy, dealing 150% of weapon damage. Damage increases by 0.5% per point of INT.
1
Invoke Familiar
The Oracle makes a temporary pact with the spirits to summon a partner that fights alongside them. The spirit is often an imp, goblin, or sprite.
Invoker Subclass Abilities
10
Spellshard
The Invoker blasts a bolt of arcane energy that deals 200% weapon damage. Can be charged to inflict more damage.
10
Invoke Fury
The Invoker calls on their pact with the spirits to summon a creature with high-damage capabilities.
10
Invoke Might
The invoker calls on their pact with the spirits to summon a creature with high-defensive capabilities.
15
Spiritbind
Arcane tendrils wrap around the target and hold them in place for 5 seconds, slowing them for 3 more.
20
Frostfield
A cold wind blows from the spirit realm, slowing targets within a 30 ft radius.
Perla Online
Book Two: Shella
Coming soon!
