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Chapter 17 – Mutually Assured Destruction
Been unwell. Feeling better. Will try to get caught back up as soon as I can. I'm still keeping track of where I need to be (word count wise). Hope this chapter feels worth the wait.[Previous] [Next] [World Map]I processed Victoria’s words, but more importantly, I understood the unspoken message. If I tried to ex...
Chapter 16 – Red Spider (Parts 5-11)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]The rest of us enjoyed our dinner in peace. It turned out that not only was Torra’s Skill capable of substituting for butter and milk to make the mashed potatoes, but he was also able to make something that passed for gravy once I described it to him. It was white, and glowing, but the fl...
Chapter 16 – Red Spider (Part 4)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]“They’ve probably just been building this nest for years,” Grant said dismissively. “Anyway, that’s why we have a scout. Right, Jay? Go in there and get us a count.”Jay gave a single, precise nod. “On it,” he said.“And nothing risky this time,” Grant warned. “Keep your...
Chapter 16 – Red Spider (Part 3)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]“Ah, don’t start that pity-the-revenant crap,” Alloha complained to Torra. “Or the next time one wanders up to our camp at night, I’ll let you greet it.”“There’s really no way to kill them permanently?” I asked.“A lot of things have been tried,” Alloha said. “They al...
Chapter 16 – Red Spider (Part 2)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]While we walked, I struck up a conversation with Alloha about how adventurers made money. She told me it was usually only the bronze ranked or higher that earned enough to adventure full time, but that the Beast Breakers made most of their money between fledging seasons by doing annual sea ...
Chapter 16 – Red Spider (Part 1)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]When I woke up, the first thing I remembered was that conversation I’d overheard the night before. The crisp morning air had my mind much less addled than it had been when I was dozing off. I wondered if this entire contract was some kind of trap. Apparently, Grant had either directly or ...
Chapter 15 – A Suspiciously Straightforward Adventure (Part 11)
Reminder to Bronze and Steel tier patrons that this month's side story poll has closed. Final votes are as follows:Fayden's Demise: 1 voteMikael's prompt: 3 votesMarcus's Story: 6 votes [WINNER!]I'll be getting started on that story soon (but it will probably be just one entry in a longer side serie...
Chapter 15 – A Suspiciously Straightforward Adventure (Part 10)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]“Well, North of the Espriss you’ve got to keep a look out for pursuers,” Alloha continued. “They scratch up trees to mark their territory so it’s rare to just wander up to one, but most of them range near the Maw. That’s why nobody goes out that way. That’s also why there aren...
Chapter 15 – A Suspiciously Straightforward Adventure (Part 9)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]“Nobody’s going to hunt you!” Alloha quickly covered. “I mean, you have a Skill, but you look like a young rissian so I don’t think anyone will turn you over to the Brokers for a bounty. Ogres are usually good to have around. Some farmers will feed them just to scare away goblins....
Chapter 15 – A Suspiciously Straightforward Adventure (Part 8)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]“What’s a video?” Alloha asked. While studying her own surprised expression.I clicked the record button. “You don’t really have the vocabulary I would need to explain what video is… think of it as a memory you can watch later.”“But I already have memories,” Alloha said. ...
Chapter 15 – A Suspiciously Straightforward Adventure (Part 7)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]Jay waved his arms. Despite supposedly being liquid, they didn’t waver and flow like I would expect real water to do. “What do you think?” he asked. “If I’d been watching you, you never would have seen me. When I’m not moving, I can smooth out the edges.” He demonstrated the m...
Chapter 15 – A Suspiciously Straightforward Adventure (Part 6)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]“Don’t worry about Jay,” Alloha said. “He’s like that sometimes.”“He just needs to cool off,” Torra rumbled in his deep tenor. “He’ll get over it.” He busied himself chopping potatoes.“I’ll talk to him if he doesn’t get back before dinner,” Grant promised.“Bu...
Chapter 15 – A Suspiciously Straightforward Adventure (Part 5)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]“Do you know why total resurrection is taboo?” Alloha asked.She didn’t sound like she was getting ready to chastise me, so I bit. “Not really, but I assume this Fayden guy had something to do with it?”“Not something, everything,” Torra corrected.“He tried to make a world wit...
Chapter 15 – A Suspiciously Straightforward Adventure (Part 4)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]Torra chuckled. “You know, the church doesn’t like when you use that phrase. Makes it sound like you’re using us to get ’round their restrictions.”“That is precisely what we do,” Victoria commented. “And the church knows it.”“It’s not a loophole,” Torra countered. ...
Chapter 15 – A Suspiciously Straightforward Adventure (Part 3)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]“It is sweet!” Alloha exclaimed when she tasted the red berry. “And you say you can tell because it’s a special kind of green color?”“That’s one way of putting it,” I said. I handed her the other handful of berries I’d separated. The ones that were all red. “Here,” I s...
Chapter 15 – A Suspiciously Straightforward Adventure (Part 2)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]“It isn’t that simple,” Victoria said. She still didn’t even turn around while talking, which created a feeling of distance. “Ferrith couldn’t get steel ranked contracts if he wanted to. He’s never around.”“Never around?” I asked. “Why would that matter?”Alloha volun...
Chapter 15 – A Suspiciously Straightforward Adventure (Part 1)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]On the way out of Haemir, we passed by a town crier standing on a pedestal, shouting out the news. I didn’t recognize the names used in any of the reports, so it wouldn’t have stood out to me as anything more than a curious way to pass information if not for the report about Oxenraith....
Chapter 14 – Friends and Enemies (Part 7)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]“Wait. So your Skill just makes a glowing… residue?”“Eh,” Torra said, shrugging. “I know. They aren’t all useful. The important thing is I know how to handle myself with a blade. I might not get all fancy like Victoria, but I can wield a great sword.” He tapped the well-worn...
Chapter 14 – Friends and Enemies (Part 6)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]I decided to give a half truth. It would be hard to hide my massive MP bar for very long, so it was better to hedge out troublesome questions early on. “Well, I don’t know much about fighting, but my Skill gives me extra MP.” That seemed as non-specific as I could probably get away wi...
Chapter 14 – Friends and Enemies (Part 5)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]Grant brought me to his table where the rest of his party was waiting. There were two women and two men, as I’d noted earlier. They looked decently young to me, though I was all too keenly aware of how they must see me. Even the two women were taller than me. Grant made his introductions....
Chapter 14 – Friends and Enemies (Part 4)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]“Okay, I’ll explain it,” Grant said. “Contracts are separated into tiers based on difficulty. That steel rank you want? That doesn’t make you special. Everyone wants steel. It’s the highest rank. It starts at wood, then goes stone, iron, bronze, and then steel. You rank up by co...
Chapter 14 – Friends and Enemies (Part 3)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]I didn’t try to insert myself into that conversation, even though I was the one that had created the chips. Instead, I sidled around the crowd and found a quiet corner to sit and wait for things to die down. The sounds of crunching chip-eaters filled the room, everyone having forgotten th...
Chapter 14 – Friends and Enemies (Part 2)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]The other adventurer tentatively grabbed a single chip, licked it, then popped it in his mouth. “S’good,” he said with crumbs speckling his lips. He reached into the bag for more.“Have as much as you want,” I encouraged. I held up another bag. “Anyone. Come help yourself. Free f...
Chapter 14 – Friends and Enemies (Part 1)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]By the time I arrived back at the Adventurer’s Guild, my new backpack had half a dozen potatoes in it. Conjuring potatoes was slow going. They only cost 4 MP each, so I would have to conjure another hundred before I got my MP down to normal levels. The only thing stopping me from doing th...
Chapter 13 – An Embarrassment of Riches (Part 10)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]I shrugged. “A little should be fine. I’ll show you some human junk food. It doesn’t have any nutritional value anyway, so this will actually be better. Just… how exactly do I activate a Brand?”“With your mind, of course,” Gora explained. “You may use a gesture if you wish, ...
Chapter 13 – An Embarrassment of Riches (Part 9)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]“Nothing serious,” Gora assured me. “We are required to hold a record of who the seller was for any items that—”“Never mind,” I said. “Forget it.”“Forget what?” Gora asked.“Forget the daggers. That price isn’t enough for me to sell. I’ll just keep them. You said ...
Chapter 13 – An Embarrassment of Riches (Part 8)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]Gora nodded, offering a sympathetic frown. “Pursuers are a unique threat around Haemir. A few of the parties operating out of New Kamenor occasionally encounter pursuers, but Haemir is the largest city close to their territory. You are in luck. I get similar requests quite frequently.” ...
Chapter 13 – An Embarrassment of Riches (Part 7)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]“Of course,” Gora said easily, “you may change your mind any time before purchase. What about a weapon? I’d hate to send you out adventuring without one. The starter pack comes with a knife, but it is designed merely for cooking and survival.”“No,” I said flatly. “No weapon....
Chapter 13 – An Embarrassment of Riches (Part 6)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]Gora gestured to the couch across from him. “Please. Sit. Make yourself comfortable. Tell me, are you liking your Information Overlay Brand? Not wanting to return it, are you? There are so many features you can unlock with it, if you’re clever enough. Even one or two which the church do...
Chapter 13 – An Embarrassment of Riches (Part 5)
[Previous] [Next] [World Map]The hunter with the daggers grunted. “Fine,” he said. “But you still can’t take ‘em inside. Tell the receptionist you have weapons you wanna sell. We’ll bring ‘em in to get appraised. Nobody touches a weapon what doesn’t work for the guild when they’re inside the building....
