(Vol 2) Chapter 40: The Great Oak

Samantha lay back down in her spot to continue her meditations for as long as it took. She did check in with Azure and make sure she took advantage of the fresh meals and such, while also congratulating her on level 1 priestess, which she was plenty jazzed about. She had never gotten spells out of Bard and the concubines were certainly never allowed to peruse runebooks on the island.

Nonetheless, she had snuck a few in while also squeezing a bit of exp from quests, so intended to finish Wizard 1 one day. Samantha was all for it, and mentioned Bast brought quite a few runebooks along.

“Wait, so, what is your full list of classes if I may?” Sammy asked her mentally.

“Of course you may! Aristocrat 2, Bard 2, Sailor 1, Rogue 1, Priestess 1. It was hard to specialize as a concubine.”

“So Aristocrat and Bard can combine to 3 for a lot of social matters, then?”

“That’s right. Aristocrat is just Noble without the training necessary for fighting capabilities to be unlocked. I wasn’t really offered that. Not a surprise for concubines. Plus, it’s far easier to skip it. Actual blueblood leaders tend to multiclass in Noble and Knight. Both contribute to sword-use and such.”

“Could you get the training now?”

“I’d think so. Various dueling type training with those with Noble for the style and techniques.”

“Easy-peasy — we got three at the least.”

“It would take a while, but maybe. A long-term thing. That would be a level 0 stuff they begin very early. I obviously have a leg-up — I can already use a saber via Rogue — but surely it would take months and months. Meanwhile, I can use daggers at level 3 through Bard and Rogue.”

“I see. Well it’s up to you, then.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. I appreciate it. As I appreciate the check-in. Athos is a very studious guard dog. I haven’t seen him nap even once!”

Sammy laughed. “Excellent. See you soon, Azure.”

She soon went back to basking in the mana under the tree in the dark, Dart lying around next to her protectively. The sounds of the forest insect population were like a blanket draping over her. If any insects crawled over her during the process — and they probably did — she never noticed. Hours and hours passed by.

Mana increased permanently by 1 through meditation.

The quest “Honing the Will” is complete. 2 exp gained in [Wizard]. Special Skill [Meditation] added.

[Wizard] level 2 reached. +10 MP added. Special Skills [Ritual Cast] and [Draw Mana] added.

Once again, her mind was blazed through with information gain and mental expansion, automatic invoking of the class gifting her something almost opposite to the Goddess class, like a counterbalance of cold, hard, mathematically-precise lines for the filling to pour into. The frame of reality, the runic constructs, like code behind the screen.

Instantly, her existing absorption of runic epiphanies by training and observation blossomed new extensions and retroactive expansion because the information remained quite new. From the Alarm spell to the Firewall of Zadkiel, each thing made a little more sense and served as potential foundations. Further, each contributed to the ward spell she was working on. She felt an itch to formulate more on it almost immediately.

She reminded herself to invoke Wizard more often. Being level 2 made it all the more significant to absorb things she otherwise wouldn’t. Everything she experienced could contribute to research…

She drew up her new skills, still somewhat in meditation, eyes closed.

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Ritual Cast

You may cast spells directly out of a spellbook designed for such — you do not need to have your own runic form in memory to do so. Ritual spells require a minimum of 1 hour per base level of the spell, in preparations (this can be shortened by additional wizards assisting, to a total minimum of 10 minutes per level), and add 10 minutes to casting time, or double casting time, whichever is longer.

Ritual spells always require expendable material components and/or valuable material foci to perform, custom to the design within the spellbook. Exceptions or substitutions beyond what is listed are impossible.

Ritual spells cost, at base, ½ the MP of the spell, rounded down, if it were memorized. Multiple wizards may participate to add caster levels to the effect or contribute MP. Added caster levels increase the MP cost by a certain multiple listed below (which can be shared as desired among participants, dictated by the primary caster).

Level 1 or higher wizard helpers all contribute the same. Trained level 0 Apprentices may contribute MP if they possess any, but do not count as casters.

Caster level bonuses operate on diminishing returns as followed (listed as total casters, including primary):

2 casters: +1 caster level (x2 cost)

3 casters: +2 caster levels (x3 cost)

7 casters: +3 caster levels (x5 cost)

12 casters: +4 caster levels (x8 cost)

33 casters: +5 caster levels (x15 cost)

77 casters: +6 caster levels (x30 cost; maximum)

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Draw Mana

On a 48-hour cooldown, you can strain your mind and spirit to draw mana more quickly into you from the ambient surroundings. Over 1 minute of concentration, add 10% of your maximum MP, rounded up,  to your current MP (not to exceed actual maximum MP). Enhancements from local mana sources amplify as normal.

This is an overt act that counts as a spell of your level +5 for Detect Magic purposes and lasts as a detectable aura for 2 hours (base).

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I think there are a few ritual spells in some of my books, but not many, as they take up way more space than basic runic constructs for spells. Ugh. More scary shit that groups of wizards can do. And Draw Mana is like a last resort sort of thing… Then again, one of those manastones would be better for emergency use, technically.

She opened her eyes finally, ready to tell Dart about her successes — of course the useless, dumb lizard was sleeping — but her head immediately snapped up to the branch above her. A large raven was sitting there, head turned to eye her, blacker than the night surrounding it.

As soon as their eyes met, there was a ping-like recognition — it was no raven at all, but a spirit.

“Don’t smite me or anything!” a musical, vaguely masculine voice echoed into her mind anxiously, as the raven hopped a little further away. “I am no threat! Honest-to-goodness! Just curious. Nice dragon. It won’t eat me or anything, hmm?”

Sammy had already half gotten up on instinct. “Er, no. Not unless I ask him to. Who are you?” She also quickly sent a ping to Dart to wake his lazy ass up. Dart soon craned his neck over curiously.

“I’m Jacka,” the raven sent. “And you?”

“Dymonei, or Dym. I doubt that is your real name.”

“I doubt likewise! Or is it opposing? What I mean to say is, that is not your name!”

“Yes it is.”

“Oh. Well. It just doesn’t sound right for a goddess.”

“I’m no goddess, just a mere traveling witch of special capability.”

“Oh, snarf stiggles and fiddle faddles! You speak nonsense. As if spirits can’t detect their own in an avatar!”

“If anyone asks, I am merely a traveling witch of special capability.”

“Ah, right! Certainly. And I am merely a raven. Caw, caw!”

“What manner of spirit are you, then?”

“The very minor kind — barely worth mentioning!”

“So it is worth mentioning, though?”

“So barely worth mentioning, it’s not worth mentioning!” The raven bobbed its head at her.

Sammy smirked and shook her head. Outloud, she said, “It seems we’re at an impasse of trust, Jacka the Supposed Raven. What do you want?”

“Visitors out here are terribly rare, especially new ones. It is not easily found, for by the subtler glamours does it slip away from mortal minds. It’s all just very interesting! And now I’ve found a goddess in these lands again! Which explains things nicely.”

“And the last was Redberry, hmm?”

“Quite. Sadly, I think she’s dying rather than sleeping like my friend here.”

“Not exactly dying. Slowly withdrawing.”

“Same thing.” The raven hopped closer. “You know her?”

“Maybe. You?”

“Yes, but we aren’t close.” There was a significant pause. “May I ask why you’re here? Did you stumble upon it randomly?”

“I was seeking out a place to meditate. The magic concentrated here… it feels nice.”

“That it does. It’s… very nice for those that are barely worth mentioning.”

“You mean independent fae without their origin source to draw from any longer?”

There was a long silence in answer as the raven stared at her.

Sammy laughed. “It’s alright, you know. I am a friend to all fae. You see the sort of dragon I’ve brought? Perhaps not something directly familiar, but one day I hope such beings will be the new protectors of… those barely worth mentioning.”

“I am rather large and in charge,” Dart said cockily.

“It’s nice to dream.” It was very… neutral or polite in intent. But a bit of bitterness was detectable. “I suppose you’ll be taking the wood?”

“Should I not?”

Jacka seemed surprised by the question. “Isn’t this the sort of thing you’d find profitable to exploit?”

“Of course. But I’m asking you if it would offend you, the other locals… the tree?” She shrugged, unclear whether that made sense.

“How polite! No, dead wood is there to be salvaged, as it’s been for aeons. That’s perfectly natural for handsy beings especially. But what of the tree? The still-growing branches?”

“Cut the tree?! I wouldn’t dare do such a thing!”

“That’s good. He wouldn’t like it. Would stir him. If he woke in time to see, he’d be especially angry. But even if not, he’d probably uproot and leaf.”

“Leaf?”

“Leave. Hehe.”

Sammy affected a deadpan glare. “Damn you…”

“Well, as long as you’re being generous, I’d ask you to leave a quarter of the dropped branches at least. That was the old druid custom. I forget why. Perhaps for natural processes.”

“Not a problem. I’ll leave a third at worst, and I’ll not harm the tree whatsoever. That is my promise. I’d like to befriend him — even if he is asleep — and you and all the local fae who may be in the area. Let there be peace, discretion, and good conduct between us. If you can speak for them… are we agreed?”

This time the raven’s voice was audible as it hopped. “Generosity from a deity!”

It flew down toward the ground — as it did it grew into a black-furred creature she’d never seen before, with a wizened, animalistic face, yellow eyes, and tall rabbit-like ears. It was the size of a small human and overall gave off slightly goblinish airs. It hopped over to her, eyeing Dart somewhat nervously, but held out its long-fingered hand for a shake.

She sat up more so she could take it and shake.

“Agreed,” Jacka declared, sounding like a bit of tension had been relieved.

The hidden quest “Treaty of the Great Oak” is complete. 11 FE gained. 1 exp gained in [Goddess].

New Quest unlocked: “Spiritual Inroads” — Establish and persist in (until completion) good relations with 7 distinct factions of spirits/gods, to a grading of 4+.

● Rewards: +50 FE, 6 exp in [Goddess], 3 exp in [Bard], [Diplomacy] special skill granted.

Interesting. Do my deific connections count, I wonder?

Jacka pulled his hand away and sat backward further away, eyes and ears twitching around in a general cautiousness and nervousness that seemed a part of his nature. “Remember the discretion part, yes? I prefer no mention of myself or my location to a certain nature goddess. She likely knows this place exists but I’d rather it not be reminded to her. Also, if you could avoid waking the old tree spirit, that would be wonderful!”

“I’ll do my best, in any case. I’m pretty sure he’s not interested in waking up. So, Jacka, how many are here? Of the fae.”

“Not many. Those too stubborn to get further away from civilization. Or too attracted to mortals. But those are the more integrated types. Personally, I do rather poorly as a mortal!”

“Tell me about it, brother!” Dart exclaimed. “Their stupid faces, always going ‘nyuuuh’ and the weird noises and whatnot. Ridiculous.”

“Precisely! And they frown when you piss in a perfectly good street, where everyone would smell the odor! That’s the point, idiots! And heaven forbid you growl at a runt who stares. Or drool on a table!”

“Right?! That’s what the table is for! Hypocrites!”

“Ninnies!”

They both laughed at the absurdity of the ‘stupid mortals,’ as Sammy endured it with a flat glare at them both that they never noticed.

I asked for this, didn’t I?

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« (Vol 2) Chapter 39 | Table of Contents | (Vol 2) Chapter 41: Making the Grade »

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Samantha, Virgin Goddess of Mirrors & Illusion
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Goddess Level 3 [1/30]; Minor Deity

Domains (3/4): Mirrors, Illusion, Fate
Faith Energy: 224/3000
FE (Mirrors): 5 ; FE (Illusion): 14 ; FE (Fate): 7 ; FE (Light): 81
Followers: 41 (Daily FE Gain: 56 [62])

Devout: 10
Priests: 5

Brute: 0
Rogue: 0
Wizard: 2 [0/30]
Bard: 0 [7/10]

MP: 40/40

Special Skills: First Aid, Tarot Reading, Priestly Ordination, Holy Relic Investiture, Create Servitor, Read Runes, Spell Construction, Detect Magic, Ritual Cast, Draw Mana (1/1)

Special Traits: Token User, Immortal, Demiplane Domain, Conceptual Body, Fueled By Faith, Detection Ward, Split Prediction, Avatar (Samantha; Core, Mental Res 1, Magic Res 1, PFE: 44/70)

Spells: Identify (5 MP), Icebolt (3 MP)

Powers: Faith Energy Utilization, Grant Prayer (Illusion), Grant Prayer (Fate), Mirror: (Sense, Communication, Maze, Walk, Other), Intuition, Alter Fate, Create Illusion, Grant Invisibility, Dazzling Spectrum, False Auras, Mirroring Duplicates, Reflect Force

Status: Token User Promotional Bonus (10/30)