Morning comes, and the rising sun wakes me from my sleep. I must have fallen asleep sometime during the night, exhausted from grieving my family.
I rub my eyes, they're sore from all the crying. Getting up, I make my way back to the cave where I was born.
The forest floor is still stained red, still the remains of goblins litter it. All that's left of Blue is a blackened stain on the ground. I pause in front of it before tearing up the soil to make a hole. As I work on gathering up the various body parts that lay around, I consult World Knowledge about Grim, this so-called Envoy of Death.
*Grim, the Envoy of Death, is the highest ranked of the eight Divine Envoys. His combat capabilities are unrivaled, as he is able to inflict instant Death upon anything he touches with his right arm.*
Oh, so if I had decided to fight him I'd be dead.
*By the way he addressed you, he seems to have no intention of ever fighting you, additionally, analysis of the Chain of Events reveal tampering to it. There is a high probability that Grim used the Divine item Fate's Spindle to ensure the best resolution to the situation.*
Wait what? Fate's Spindle? Best resolution? MY FAMILY ALL DIED, HOW IS THAT THE BEST RESOLUTION?!
*Analyzing... Collecting leftover Consequences... Finalizing...*
*Grim had multiple choices during the Chain of Events, when to intervene, where to intervene, how to intervene. The results of his choices were displayed before him before he acted due to the secondary effect of Fate's Spindle. His goal seems to have been to ensure the death of the goblin Blue, your survival and additionally engineering a way to fast-track your Evolution.*
So... The complete wipe-out of a goblin tribe was the way to fast-track my Evolution?
*Shamans that live in stable tribes rarely have any need to evolve further. It seems to have been his desire to make you evolve.*
But why?
*Unable to Answer. The Will of the Divine are known only to them.*
Ugh...
I finish gathering the remains of my tribe. I deposit them into the hole I created earlier. I then pour the soil I excavated back into the newly made grave.
I stand before the grave for a while.
Heading into the cave, I check my stats. I haven't done that in a while, have I.
Unnamed
Species: Goblin Shaman (Goblinoid) (Uncommon)
Gender: Female
HP: 75/75 *MAX*
MP: 120/120
SP: 55/80 *MAX*
Attack: 25
Armor: 75
M.Attack: 80
M.Armor: 150
Speed: 55
STR: 25 *MAX* (240)
CON: 50 *MAX* (295)
INT: 80
WIL: 125 *MAX* (200)
DEX: 50 *MAX* (133)
Skills:
Language Comprehension: Goblin (Great)Â -Â Â Innate World Knowledge (True - Unique)
Power Osmosis (True - Fated - Unique) - Condition Resistance: Poison (Lesser)
Condition Resistance: Disease (Lesser) - Teamwork (Lesser)
Leadership (Lesser)Â -Â Wide-Casting (Lesser)
Guard Share (Lesser - Unique(Goblin Shaman))Â -Â Elemental Affinity: Dark (Lesser)
Elemental Affinity: Light (Lesser)Â -Â Elemental Affinity: Fire (Lesser)
Spell-Casting Affinity: Bolster (Lesser)Â -Â Spell-Casting Affinity: Weaken (Lesser)
Language Comprehension: Kobold (Great)Â -Â Sharp Claws (Great)
Damage Resistance: Fire (Great)Â -Â Damage Resistance: Heat (Great)
Condition Resistance: Burn (Great)Â -Â Condition Resistance: Overheat (Great
Hardy Digestion (Lesser) - Cellulose Digestion (Great)
Strong Bite (Normal) - Elemental Affinity: Life (Lesser)
Hidden Space (True - Unique) - Spit Attack: Paralysis (Normal)
Damage Resistance: Physical (Lesser) - Regeneration: HP (Lesser)
Condition Resistance: Paralysis (Great) - Tongue Action (Great)
Great Swallow (Great)Â -Â Glide (Great)
Fire Breath (Great)
Crafting Skills:
Weapon Crafting (Apprentice) - Weapon Twisting (Apprentice)
Magic Tool Crafting (Apprentice) - Trapmaker (Novice)
Spells:
Heal (Normal) - Cure (Normal)
Blind (Lesser) - Dark Bead (Lesser)
Light (Lesser) - Radiant Beam (Lesser)
Shield (Lesser) - Shell (Lesser)
Empower (Lesser) - Weaken (Lesser)
Fracture Armor (Lesser) - Disrupt Will (Lesser)
Fireball (Lesser) - Red Hot Claw (Normal)
Social Titles:
Compassionate - Makeshift Midwife
Runt Defender - Big Sister
Lifesaver - Innovator
Sole Survivor
*Evolution possible, please confirm and select from the list of available choices*
Oh man, it's getting cluttered. Also I need to find and fight some more intelligent things. Its my lowest stat. I enter my room. One last sleep here before I leave forever. Show me the evolution options, please.
*Displaying List. Please select a species you'd like to know more about, then select it again to confirm.
- Imp (Goblinoid) (Rare)
- Winged Imp (Pseudo-Dragonoid) (Unique)
- Little Monarch (???) (Unique)
- Hobgoblin (Goblinoid) (Uncommon)
- Hopkins Goblin (Goblinoid) (EXRare)*
Oh, I got more choices this time! I look the list over. I can switch my species completely with all of these. I pause when I look at the "Little Monarch". Its classification is unknown? Also... Grim called me that... Hm... I'm pulled towards that choice, but I want to know a bit more about the other choices first. Can World Knowledge list the creature bios for me?
*Affirmative.*
*Imp*
*The Imp is a monster hated by most civilizations, as the tragedy that birthed them has instilled into them a relentless need to make others miserable. Specializing in offensive spells and debilitating debuffs, humanoids employ specially trained stealth units to hunt and kill them*
*Rank: 4 Stars*
*Winged Imp*
*An unique variant of the normal Imp. Sports incredible agility in the air, and is oddly enough considered as a kind of Pseudo-Dragonoid. It is largely unknown, as they're so rare, some believe they never really existed at all.*
*Rank: 6 Stars*
*Hobgoblin*
*A more advanced evolution of Goblin. Usually the result of a tragedy that fractured the tribe, or left the hobgoblin exiled from it. Boasts superior strength and intelligence compared to goblins, some larger tribes adopt Hobgoblins to serve as defenders of the nest.*
*Rank: 3 Stars*
*Hopkins Goblin*
*A bizarre kind of goblin. Seemingly impervious to damage, they enter humanoid villages to scare and confuse the inhabitants, before retreating and vanishing. Due to their rarity, very little is known about their ecology.*
*Rank: 7 Stars*
*Little Monarch*
*The heir to the title of "Ruler of Monsters". The experiences they have and choices they make as they grow affects their very being.*
*Rank: ?*
Oooh... As much as I'd love to be a little creep that's immune to damage, I honestly have no choice, have I?
*You do not.*
... Okay, that's disturbing. But I guess that settles it. When even my tutorial skill says to pick Little Monarch... I select it. The specifics of what I'll gain upon evolving is shown.
*Little Monarch*
Changes to Stats:
+175 Max STR
+150 Max CON
+50 Max INT
+75 Max WIL
+125 Max DEX
Skills Obtained:
- Elemental Affinity: All (Lesser) - Compounds existing Elemental Affinity skills into this one, does not teach new spells for new elements obtained.
- Malleable Body (True - Unique (???)) - Any skills can be used. Skills that require specific body-parts cause needed body-parts to generate. User can to some degree change form and function of body-parts.
These Skills will be disabled until conditions are again met:
Teamwork
Leader
These Social Titles will be lost:
Runt Defender
Big Sister
That's... that's it? I mean both of those skills are super good! and my max stats increase to 200 across the board! But I lose two skills and two social titles. Is it because they conflict with my new species?
*Affirmative. However, the skills will be reactivated once you fulfill their conditions, which are: Being allied to at least two other entities that have the Teamwork Skill.
In addition, requirements for the equivalent Social Titles are lowered*
Aha. Overall, the Little Monarch seems like a good option. Although...
I cast a longing gaze at the Hopkins Goblin option. Oh how I'd love to be almost immune to damage. But can't I just collect enough skills to make that happen? Yeah!
My lingering regrets vanish. I select the Little Monarch option again.
*Starting Evolution*
I get sleepy, and soon fall unconscious as a warm light envelops my body.
When I next wake, the sun is setting. I yawn and stretch, and feel something unfurl at my back. Wha-??
Startled, I turn around to see what it was. My view is partially blocked by a pair of leathery wings, but behind them I can just make out a long bushy tail. So I got wings and a tail now.
I try to get up, only to immediately lose my balance. The anatomy of my feet has changed also. Instead of the human-like feet Goblins have, I now have something resembling the front feet of a Tapir, but above that its like the hind leg. The toes are prehensile, and will probably be excellent for rough terrain.
I try walking on my hind legs again. Its difficult, and I am very unsteady. Seems I'll have to work on that, so for now I'll just move around on all fours, I guess.
Inspecting my hands, they have paw pads on them for gripping, and retractable claws. By tensing a tendon in my arm I could make them move into ready position, relaxing it made them retract. I am momentarily distracted by the softness of my pads.
Next, my fur is now not unlike that of a medium long-haired cat. The color is a blackish-blue with cream white patterning on my hind legs and tail.
I beat my wings, generating a light gust of wind. They aren't big enough to carry me in active flight, but I should be able to use the Glide Skill with them.
Having inspected the parts of my body I can actually see, I should probably try to find somewhere to see my reflection. The river flows too fast to get a good look with. I walk outside. Oh right, it's night by now. But if I move quietly I should be able to hide from the worst things?
Or do I wait it out... I honestly don't want to stay here any longer than I have to.
Besides, I'm much stronger now, even if there's a fight I should be able to win.
Having reasoned with myself, I head out into the night. Maybe by following the river down-stream I'll find a lake or something? Let's try that.
I head to the river. Moving quietly and pausing at every noise, it took a lot longer than it usually takes. Once I reach it, I make my way down the riverbank to get something to drink. The river has swelled a lot since the heatwave, but it still isn't as fast flowing as the first time I saw it.
Having drunk my fill and stocked up on some water, I climb back up the bank before turning south to follow the river down-stream. I quickly decide to move a bit away from the river though, and rather stay within the treeline after I saw something big flying in the distance.
Making my way to the south, the forest slowly start to thin out slightly, and I spot the road on my map. It seems to cross the river and continue to the west, towards the kingdom of Parshura. Just beneath where the road crosses the river, the band of blue turns into a big blob of blue on the map. A lake!
As much as I want to hurry, I still keep the slow pace I have kept until now. I really don't want my impatience to get the better of me and land me in trouble. By the time I get to the road, the sun is rising.
It is a simple packed dirt road with grass growing in the middle of it. A carriage road, I guess. The part where the road crosses the river is a sturdy-looking stone bridge. Moss and lichen covers most of it, suggesting its very old. I scurry over the road and towards the lake.
The lake is more of a big pond actually. There's giant lily-pads floating on it, the flowers still closed for the night. Carefully making my way to the waters edge, keeping a vigilant lookout for any monsters, I study my reflection.
My face is more dog-like now. Big floppy ears hang down on each side of my head, and on top of it there's two bumps. I guess they're baby horns? I inspect my teeth. Still the general omnivore design, though more pointy and sharp. My canines are longer than they used to be.
My eyes haven't changed much, perhaps they're slightly smaller? Or is my head bigger? Oh well.
Content with knowing what my face looks like, I head back to the road and cross the bridge. This will be the first time I am on the other side, how exiting! Now what should I do next?
I really want to go to the kingdom as soon as possible to deliver the Tear of Ashala. But how to get it to the ruler? I'd not trust anyone but myself to get it there... The issue would be to gain access to the ruler, when I'm a monster. Is there any skills that would help? Like a "I'm friendly!" skill or a skill that makes me look harmless?
*Scanning Database...*
*Results: Complex Shape Body (Grand - Unique (Doppelganger)), Simple Shape Body (Great - Unique (Celluloid)), False Data (Grand) and Charm (Great)*
*All of these are Skills that would aid in the mission. The Simple Shape Body skill is held by Celluloids, a classification of monster that includes the Slime. Complex Shape Body is unique to the Celluloid species Doppelganger. A number of Celluloids and some Chimera class monsters hold the False Data skill, most notably the Mimic. Charm is usually held by domesticated monster species, such as the Fenhound and Cat.*
Oh! So I should seek out Celluloid type monsters. Seems Simple Shape Body can become Complex Shape Body? Also why is there all these fancy monster names and then just... Cat.
*Unlike the Cat found in your original world, the Cat is a Chimeric hybrid between a Cait Sith and an Ahool.
In addition; the skill Simple Shape Body can indeed become the skill Complex Shape Body. Normally, this would happen when a Celluloid monster with Simple Shape Body (Great) evolves into the Doppelganger monster, but for you, you'd just need to increase the skill expertise over the needed amount to change it.*
So it's like, a cat-bat and combining that just makes cat. I see... But it seems the easier way to do this would be to hunt Slimes? Can you tell me where to find them? Or is this free information all I'm getting?
*Celluloid class monsters mostly inhabit Dungeons, a kind of magical anomaly. Do you want to search for the nearest Dungeon?*
Oh! You're being very helpful. It's almost suspicious. I mean, when I asked about the heat wave weather you were being like "oh you don't know about that yet, I can't tell you".
*...*
*Scanning for Dungeons*
*Complete... Updating map*
A bunch of dots appear around the edge of my map, with a distance meter next to each. Seems the closest one is... around five kilometers (~3.1 miles~) from here! I chose to ignore the response my skill gave me. It's helping me, so I guess I shouldn't be too upset with it? But I do wonder why it suddenly became willing to share info I hadn't encountered yet with me...
I shake my head and start heading towards the closest dungeon.
On the way there I try my hand at hunting. I never got the chance to try it with the hunter group, mostly because I was afraid the Shaman would think I was trying to muscle in on his role. That being said, solo hunting is hard! I'm too clumsy still to try to sneak up on prey, and since there is only me, I can't set up and ambush. Or can I? Using my claws for grip, and my tail for balance, I make my way up into a tree.
*Skill obtained: Climb (Lesser)*
-Enables the rapid ascent of most steep terrain, provided it has texture for hold and isn't slippery*
Oh, neat. Once I'm poised on a branch, I take out my spear and wait. Before long, one of the crystal-antlered deer I've seen here and there is walking nearby. It doesn't seem to notice me yet, but it's too far away for me to land a hit with the spear. I inspect it.
Unnamed
Species: Quartz Deer (Mammaloid) (Common)
Gender: Male
HP: 50 (100%)
MP: 45 (100%)
SP: 55 (100%)
Attack: 45
Armor: 40
M.Attack: 50
M.Armor: 45
Speed: 90
STR: 45
CON: 35
INT: 50
WIL: 40
DEX: 80
Skills:
Focusing Horn (Normal)Â -Â Keen Hearing (Normal)
Keen Smelling (Normal)Â -Â Elemental Affinity: Light (Lesser)
Spells:
Light (Lesser) - Radiant Beam (Normal)
*Quartz Deer*
*The Base form of the Mineral Cervinae family of Mammaloid Monsters. Both genders have antlers, which grow in size as the monster ages. The antlers are composed of quartz, but it is currently unknown to science how the Deer produce these, as none has ever been seen feeding on stone and nothing in their diet contains the mineral.
The antlers are sought after as wand tips, as the perfect structure of the crystals greatly improve accuracy and concentration for Beam or Ray type spells.*
*Rank: 1 Star*
Quartz Deer, huh. So I guess there's such horrors as Ruby Moose in this world? Or some other mineral Moose... As I ponder the nature of this hypothetical monster, the Quartz Deer moves closer to me. I sit as still as I can, barely daring to breathe.
*Skill obtained: Hiding (Lesser)*
-As long as the user is obscured from view and not moving, makes it harder to detect.*
It's close now. It stops and sniffs the air, am I discovered? I can't let it get away! It should be close enough if I use the Glide skill. Just need to keep it from running away... Would blinding it work?
The Deer is still smelling around. It then looks up and spots me. Shit!
I cast Blind, and launch myself towards the Quartz Deer with my spear at the ready. I stretch out my wings and use my tail to steer. Seems blinding it made it freeze in fear? A deer in the headlights so to speak?
Once I'm within striking distance, I tuck in my wings and swoop down onto the neck of the Deer, plunging my spear into it. It lets out a frightened "Mreeeh" as the poison takes hold. It collapses on the forest floor. I quickly take the spear out of its neck, and taking proper aim at the jugular vein, sever that with a slash. Blood gushes out of the wound in rapid pulses before slowing to a trickle. With a few final spasms it breathes its last.
*Power Osmosis Activated*
*Osmosis Successful, Displaying Stats*
*+45 STR, +35 CON, +50 INT, +40 WIL, +80 DEX*
*Skills Obtained:
- Focusing Horn (Normal) - Increases M.Attack of Beam and Ray type spells by 10% before M.Attack Vs M.Armor calculation.
- Keen Hearing (Normal) - Widens the hertz range of audible noise, also makes it easier to pinpoint origin of noise.
- Keen Smelling (Normal) - Makes it easier to differentiate smells from one another. Also makes it easier to follow scent trails.
- Elemental Affinity: Light (Lesser) was compounded into Elemental Affinity: All (Lesser) and converted into Skill Expertise.*
*Spells Obtained:
- Light (Lesser) converted into Spell Expertise, Light (Lesser) becomes Light (Normal) - Brightness increased.
- Radiant Beam (Normal) replaces Radiant Beam (Lesser), replaced spell converted into Spell Expertise. - Damage increased.*
*Updating Stats. Successful.*
My head itches where the horn bumps are. I feel my head. The bumps are now bigger and more angular. I guess getting the Focusing Horn skill made my Malleable Body Skill activate? I store the spear and retrieve the Razorback Dagger before getting to work dressing and dismembering the Quartz Deer.
Shouldn't I be able to cook this now with either the Fire Breath Skill or Fire magic? I should try it at least. The deer is at least two times my size. It'll provide lots of food, even if I make some of it inedible by turning it to charcoal on accident...
Once the Deer has been cut up, I store all but one of the front legs. I also store the antlers.
So, how does this work then... I hold the hunk of meat before me. Do I just exhale whilst thinking of fire? I open my mouth to try. I feel something loosen in my throat, and searing heat rises from my mouth.
Ack! Its hot! But it doesn't seem to hurt?
I take a deep breath before exhaling onto the hunk of meat. A gush of fire comes out of my mouth, so intense I almost inhale it in surprise.
As I hack and cough from my shock, I eye the meat.
Its... very well done, at least on the outside. Charred and smelling rather foul. I take a test bite.
So the good news is that behind the charred bit, its more or less medium rare, bad news is that burnt meat tastes terrible. Maybe I should try using my Fire Breath to light a fire, instead of roasting it directly? Lets try that next time.
I finish eating the meat. Even the bits that were still raw. I've eaten raw meat up until now, I see no reason to stop, even though the cooked deer meat brought tears to my eyes with how amazing it tasted. If only I had salt or some other spices. Oh well. I stretch my body before resuming my walk towards the Dungeon.
On the way to the Dungeon I saw more Quartz Deer, but I have plenty of meat and I don't feel like hunting more today. I also saw some more Kobolds, but as they didn't notice me, I didn't start a fight.
Before long, I got to the Dungeon. I didn't really know what to expect just from the word Dungeon, but oh man does this look like a Dungeon all right. Located a good distance from the road stands a decrepit ruin. Its hard to tell the function it once had.
Could have been a fort, or some rich guys folly. I lean more towards it being an abandoned fort though, who on earth would willingly live around here? Most of the walls are leaning in on themselves, the wooden supports long since rotted away.
Here and there lay the scattered remains of walls that seem to have more or less been tossed haphazardly by some event. A monster taking out some anger on the walls? Who knows.
As I approach the Dungeon, my map zooms in, and gives a detailed show of the layout within. How useful. Another display comes up also.
*Abandoned Keep*
*Difficulty: 3*
*Predicted Inhabitants: Celluloids, Mammaloids, Insectoids*
*Dungeon Boss Inactive!*
So, difficulty three. Where on the scale is that? Also this dungeon doesn't have a boss?
*Difficulty is rated in a similar manner as monsters, on a scale from 1 to 9. In the case of Dungeons it shows the average difficulty of the monsters present. Not all Dungeons are home to a Boss, an abnormally powerful version of a normal monster, but this one has one, it has just been recently slain, and a new one hasn't been born of the Heart of the Dungeon yet.
The Heart is the center of the Magical Anomaly that creates the Dungeons. A tragic event, ideal positioning or tampering with magical energies are some of the ways a Dungeon Heart may be created. The intense magic in a dungeon causes harm to humanoids if exposed to it for long periods of time, and may twist and deform monsters that live there, leading Dungeons to be the only place where you can find certain monsters.*
Oh so this is like, easy medium. and lucky me I don't have to tangle with a Boss. Not that I planned to anyway. I hope I can get the skills I want quickly, I don't want to get messed up by the magic in this place...
I make my way to the entrance of the Dungeon. First Dungeon dive, here I go!