Chaos Unchained- The Mad Smith

by Brock Deskins

  Crippling Blow (Small Blades): Cripple your opponent by targeting vulnerable locations. Crippled body part suffers a debilitating injury that reduces functionality based on your skill in Small Blades. Current effect: -9.7% speed and damage for 9.7 seconds.

  Assassinate (Class Ability, Tier 1): Deliver a fatal blow to an unsuspecting enemy. Target must be in the same size category or smaller than the attacker and no more than 5 levels higher. Target must be vulnerable or unaware. Cost: 50 stamina. Cooldown: 5 minutes.

  New skills available at skill level 10.

  Arcane Skills:

  Dark Channeling: Level 8 Grade 3. As a Dark Mistress, you have learned to tap into dark forces and bend them to your will. Rank: Initiate.

  Known Spells:

  Gather shadows, Tier 1: Cloaks your body in shadows to increase your visual sneak ability by your Dark Channeling skill. As an initiate, you can extend the gathered shadow’s radius by your Dark Channeling skill plus Mind bonus in inches. Current area of effect: 18.3 inches beyond yourself.

  Life Leech, Tier 1: Syphon health from a living target and channel into yourself or another. Health leeched: 2 HP per second per target. Cost: 5 mana per second.

  Mana Leech, Tier 1: Syphon mana from a target and channel into yourself or another. Mana leeched: 3 MP per second per target. Cost: 5 mana per second.

  Stamina Leech, Tier 1: Syphon Stamina from a target and channel it into yourself or another. Effect lasts until target overcomes the spell or you run out of mana. Stamina leeched: 3 SP per second per target. Cost: 5 mana per second.

  All Initiate leech spells: Current simultaneous targets/recipients: 2/1 + self. +50% mana cost increase for each addition target beyond one. Maximum simultaneous Leech effects: 1. Effects last until deactivated or you run out of mana. Targets can break the connection with sufficient resistance. Once broken, you cannot attempt to establish another connection of the same type to the same target for 30 seconds. Range: Your Combined Mind score and Dark Channeling skill in feet. Current range: 28.3 feet. Increase effect and number of targets by increasing your Dark Channeling skill. Can absorb up to your combined Mind and Dark Channeling skill in additional health, stamina, and mana beyond your normal maximum. Additional energy dissipates at 1 point every 2 seconds.

  New Spells and Abilities available at Level 10.

  Noncombat Skills

  Stealth: Level 10 Grade 8. You gain a 10.8% bonus to your ability to avoid detection. Rank: Novice, +10% to stealth.

  Alchemy: Level 4 Grade 6. Create potions and poisons. Concoction strength based on Alchemy skill. Rank: Initiate.

  Unalloted Skill Points: 0

  Abilities and Traits:

  Advanced Perception, Tier 1: As an assassin, you are adept at identifying the skills, strengths, and abilities of your potential targets. Gain more details through continued study and increasing your ability level.

  Primary Equipment:

  High Steel Dagger of Bloodletting: Uncommon. Quality: Good, +10%. Durability: 30/32. Base Damage: 9. The dagger's serrated blade inflicts bleeding that is twice as hard to heal. Effect: Target takes 1 point of bleeding damage per second until bleeding is stopped. Can inflict multiple bleeding wounds based on your proficiency with small blades. Current number of bleeding wounds: 1.

  Steel Dagger: Common. Quality: Superior, +20% damage and durability. Base Damage: 8. Durability: 11/12.

  Stalker's Leather Chest, Set. (1 of 5): Uncommon. Quality: Good, +10% to armor and durability. Armor Rating: 8. Durability: 28/32 Improves the wearer's stealth skill by 10%.

  Stalker's Shadow Cloak, Set. (2 of 5): Uncommon. Quality: Good, +10% increase to durability. Durability: 13/16. Grants a 5% bonus to your Dark Channeling Skill.

  Throwing Knives x6: Common. Quality: Average. Damage: 6

  Shurikens x8: Uncommon. Quality: Good. Damage: 5. +50% range.

  Current Effects:

  Lesser Mortalitatis Amplecti. Effect: Player cannot respawn after death but may be resurrected with the use of a special item. Duration: Permanent.

  Satiated. Effect: Increases out of combat health regeneration by 2 HP per minute. Duration: 6 hours.

  “That is quite impressive,” Jandar said when he finished reading. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “It’s a hard class to get. Not many people even know the prerequisites to get it. I only know because I was on the beta team,” Nyx said. “OK, I showed you mine, now you show me yours.”

  Jandar shifted uncomfortably. “Uh, I don’t know how.”

  Nyx’s face darkened beneath her hood. “Are you serious? I thought you were supposed to be strong. Great, we’re trying to do this with a total noob. I hate having to carry noobs. You just open your character sheet and select share with party.”

  “I see it.”

  Nyx crossed her arms. “So do it already.”

  “I’d rather not.”

  “Are you freaking kidding me?” she shouted over the tavern din. “Don’t tell me you’re an asshole as well as a noob.”

  “Sorry. I don’t try to be.”

  “Great, it just comes naturally. This quest is fucked from the get-go. If you get me killed, I swear I’ll find you in the real world and kick you in what I assume is your gross, saggy balls hidden beneath an enormous front butt.”

  “Front butt?” Jandar asked, blinking in confusion.

  Nyx glared at him for several seconds in an attempt to figure out if he was joking or truly oblivious. “Don’t fuck with me. You want to be an asshole and act all mysterious, fine, but do not fuck with me. It’s bad enough I’ll have to carry your noob ass.”

  She leaned in and studied him. “I can tell your Strength is pretty high, and so is your Mind skill for a warrior class. That means you must have a magic subclass like me. Go ahead and keep your secrets. I’ll pry them out of you long before we reach the boss, I promise you.”

  Jandar set his jaw. This could become a problem if she were able to back up her threat. He knew she could be a formidable foe just by reading her character sheet. If she found out who he really was, he had no doubt she would attempt to collect the bounty on his head and might well succeed if she caught him by surprise. Short of killing her first, there was nothing to do about it.

  “Look, I’m not trying to be an asshole or keep secrets, but there’s some things I have to keep to myself or, as you put it, this quest is fucked from the get-go. You’ll just have to trust me that I’m doing it to protect myself, not to screw you over.”

  “Trust you? Not a freaking chance. And that’s coming from a Dark Mistress with an assassin template, so that ought to say something about my opinion of your trustworthiness.”

  Saefa spoke in an attempt to relieve the mounting tension. “Please, let us all swear that we will work together to complete this task and not betray one another.”

  “I’m not the shady fucker keeping secrets,” Nyx hissed.

  “Says the Dark Mistress with an assassin template,” Jandar countered.

  “Enough!” the Caprian snapped. “I am the leader of this quest, as you call it, and I demand you both treat each other civilly until it is completed. What you do once my people are free is not my concern.”

  “Fine,” Nyx replied.

  Jandar nodded his assent.

  “Good. Let us get some rest. We will meet near the tanner’s shop and leave before first light.”

  Chapter 12: Trail of Fears

  THE TANNER HAD APPRECIATED Jandar waking him before dawn less than Smokey had, but he was able to retrieve his weapons and armor before starting their journey across the desert. Accustomed to early work hours, he was the first to arrive at their designated meeting place. He waited for the others just beyond eyesight of the tanner’s shop. Saefa had insisted it was important that no one saw them leave.

  Jandar’s only warning was the touch of cold steel against the side of his neck. His right hand shot up and slapped the arm away while he swung his left in a swift backhand. As fast as he was, his attacker was f
aster. The dark figure ducked beneath his blind swing and rolled out of his reach. Jandar’s hand flashed to his belt and drew the steel war hammer Smokey had fixed up for him.

  “At least your reflexes are better than your situational awareness,” Nyx said as she sheathed her daggers.

  “I don’t have a spell to help me see through your shadow cloaking,” Jandar grumbled as he slid his hammer back into its loop.

  “Didn’t use it,” Nyx retorted. “Clearly didn’t need to.”

  Saefa emerged from the darkness, cutting off any reply Jandar was about to make. “Good, we are all here. Is everyone ready to depart?”

  “How are we going to get into Capria with the borders closed?” Jandar asked.

  “There is a smugglers path through the mountains. It is how I was able to get here. It is not an easy route, but we should manage.”

  “Unless you suck at climbing too.” Nyx looked him up and down. “I bet you suck at climbing.”

  “Nyx…” Saefa said in a low voice.

  “Fine,” she said and turned her back on both men.

  “Let us depart with all haste then.”

  Saefa led them through the dark forest, seemingly sure of his route. It took less than an hour to reach the base of the steep rock walls surrounding Crag Cross. A narrow path snaked up the mountain, cutting between a deep cleft. Jandar was glad the sun was rising and cast a pale light, as the trail was quite narrow and treacherous.

  “Hammers, huh?” Nyx said from behind him as they climbed the steep path.

  Jandar looked over his shoulder at her, sensing a judgmental tone in her voice. “Is that also a problem for you?”

  “No. It’s just an odd choice for a fighter who isn’t a dwarf. They tend to suck against armored opponents, except for headshots.”

  “They’ve worked well enough for me so far.”

  “You must like hitting people in the head.”

  “It’s growing on me more and more by the minute.”

  Hours later, as they rested on a large escarpment for lunch, Jandar looked out over the tiny valley at the patch that was Crag Cross far below. This was the farthest he had ever been from home, and he was soon going to be in another kingdom much different from his own.

  If Edison was to be believed, he had never truly been out of Whitbell and never would have had he not awakened. He felt that it was far too much change for a simple blacksmith’s apprentice. Then again, he was no longer simple or a blacksmith.

  “Hey, MC Hammer, you ready to test your climbing ability?” Nyx called out, breaking him from his reverie.

  “What is MC Hammer?” he asked as he returned to his group.

  “He’s an old one-hit wonder from back in my parents’ day.

  Jandar did not know what a one-hit wonder was. Perhaps it was a person who was adept at defeating a foe with a single strike. “What does MC mean?”

  “For him it stood for Master of Ceremonies.”

  “And for me?”

  “Major Cock. Can you climb or do we need to haul you up using the lift like a keg of bootleg rum?” Nyx asked, staring up at the crane system jutting out from the top of the cliff face eighty feet above them.

  Jandar looked at the ropes and iron rings bolted into the stone escarpment. “I can climb.”

  “Suit yourself, but I’m going ahead of you. There’s no way I’m catching your big ass if you fall, which I give about a forty percent chance of happening.”

  “Nyx, be civil,” Saefa said.

  “I was. It’s really closer to sixty percent.”

  They stacked their gear on the wooden platform attached to the pulley system overhead. Nyx grabbed a rope and scampered up the cliff face nearly as fast as Jandar had been able to navigate the trail leading here.

  “You should go next,” Saefa said. “I can help you should you have trouble.”

  “I’m not going to fall!”

  “All the same, you should go before me. Nyx is much less likely to cut the rope if I am still on it.”

  “You sure about that?”

  Saefa flashed him a grin. “Maybe only a little less likely.”

  “You ladies going to stand around gabbing all day?” Nyx called down, already halfway to the top.

  Jandar grabbed the rope and gave it a tug before hefting himself up. The iron pins and rings hammered into the stone gave him a place to perch a foot every so often and relieve the strain on his arms. It was a long and arduous climb, and there was a couple of tense moments where he thought he would fall, but he maintained his hold and made the ascent using as much muscle as he did determination in not giving Nyx the satisfaction of being right.

  Jandar pulled himself over the ledge and lay on his back taking deep breaths. He rolled onto his side and saw Nyx sitting against another shear face, clapping in a slow cadence.

  “You could have hauled up our gear instead of just sitting here on your boney ass,” Jandar growled.

  “Yeah, I’m more low blow than heave-ho.”

  He sat up and glared at the annoying young woman.

  “What? That lift ain’t gonna work itself,” she said. “Grab that rope and start pulling, Manuel.”

  Jandar took a deep breath and let it out. “Manuel?”

  “You know, Manuel labor.”

  “Is that another one of your one-hit wonders?”

  Nyx stared at him a moment, her impish grin turning into a scowl. “You have to be screwing with me. There’s no way anyone can be as oblivious as you pretend to be.”

  Jandar shrugged and began hauling up their gear. Saefa appeared a minute later and lent his strength to the task without prompting or comment. Once they were ready to continue, the Caprian led them along a narrow ledge cutting across the cliff. Jandar was not certain if he would not have preferred another climb than taking the goat path they were on now.

  He looked back at Nyx, who showed off by doing a cartwheel, ending it with a backflip, and waving jazz hands at him when she sprang to her feet. The girl could not even walk without being obnoxious.

  After an hour, the trail grew wide enough for them to walk two abreast, and Jandar decided to drop back and break the silence. “What can you tell me about our guide?”

  Nyx glanced up at Saefa’s back. “He’s pretty much your run of the mill NPC warrior template, but his stats and skills are decent.”

  “Does he know anything specific about what we’re facing?”

  “You mean the adventurers or the boss with the eternity stone?”

  “Both I guess.”

  “Based on what Saefa described, it sounds like they have a Templar, some kind of archer, a simian barbarian, a healer, and maybe a rogue. No idea of their levels. NPCs don’t have much in the way of perception skills. As far as the boss, legends say it’s a creature called a Shahmaran. It’s some kind of giant lizard with a woman’s head and snakes for legs and a tail.”

  “Any idea how powerful it is?”

  Nyx shrugged. “According to what I’ve read, the lowest level boss capable of dropping an eternity stone requires a level twenty group to take on.”

  Jandar nodded. “So we can assume the adventurers the shah hired are at least that level.”

  Nyx shook her head. “As far as I know, no one has reached level twenty yet.”

  “Then how do they plan on defeating it?”

  “Like Saefa said, by throwing bodies at it.”

  “I’m not an expert at this, but I did fight a pair of cave trolls, and this thing sounds a lot more powerful than they were. If that’s the case, it’s going to take a lot of bodies.”

  Nyx tilted her head and studied him. “You solo’d a pair of trolls and won?”

  “Solo’d?”

  “Would you stop screwing with me? You know damn well what solo’d means! You killed them by yourself.”

  “Ah, yes, I did.”

  “One should have eaten you for lunch.”

  Jandar grinned. “It was actually closer to dinner. Have you figured out what I am yet?�
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  “I know you can channel elemental magic into your weapons and your level is near the same as mine. I assume that’s how you were able to beat the trolls, because of the fire damage, but you still shouldn’t have been able to take on more than one.”

  “I got lucky.”

  Nyx snorted. “I doubt it. Your luck score is almost as bad as mine.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  She scowled at him a moment and looked away. “No. I’m going to find out what you are, so you might as well tell me.”

  “And ruin all the fun?” Jandar shook his head. “It wouldn’t be fair to you.”

  “You are such an asshole. I bet you’re lying about the trolls.”

  He shrugged. “Maybe.”

  “Well, are you or aren’t you,” Nyx called out at his back as Jandar lengthened his stride to catch up with Saefa.

  He raised his arms, palms up, and let them drop back to his sides.

  “Asshole!”

  “How much longer until we’re in Capria?” Jandar asked when he reached Saefa’s side.

  “We are technically in Capria now. We crossed over the border not long ago, but we will not get off the mountain before nightfall. Our progress is slower than I had anticipated.”

  Jandar did not reply, taking the inference that he was to blame for slowing them down. He looked back and saw Nyx walking on her hands, cartwheeling, and doing backflips. She ended each acrobatic routine by coming up with her daggers in her hands, slashing at invisible foes. He was surprised to find himself smiling at her almost childlike exhibition.

  Jandar returned his attention to Saefa. “Will we push on through the night?”

  Saefa considered it a moment before shaking his head. “No. The path gets treacherous soon. We will go as far as we can tonight and set up camp before leaving at first light. We should reach the basin well before noon and try to make up the lost time from there.”

  The sun was dipping below the horizon, casting the mountain pass in a dark grey shroud when Nyx bounded up to the two men.

  “Someone is following us.”

  Jandar snapped his head around and received a slap across the face.