(Vol 2) Chapter 9: Bound to Find a Place

“Estara, I am greatly looking forward to the day I can meet you in person too, but I had to save the bacon of the high priestess who did not have a relic handy. So… I’m in Geirkos, and, sadly, I can’t just appear wherever I want. I’m limited as of now.”

The former servant girl couldn’t hide her disappointment. “Oh. Well. I understand. Needs before wants. That’s alright.” After a pause, where Sammy was once again wincing, Estara continued, “I’ll just have to come to Geirkos!”

Sammy more or less mentally sputtered at that. “Pfst-! Estara… I need a foundation up that way. You’re it. Along with Dax and Carlisle, and… well, we have work to do with Merril, still. But I don’t want to centralize literally everyone. If anything, I’ll come to you. When the time is right.”

Once again, Estara seemed a bit deflated. “As you command, Your Majesty. But I’m counting on you to. I will await the day. Don't forget about it!”

“I certainly will not, my priestess. So, when will you arrive at Mot Mekess, then?”

“Tomorrow. We’ve made good time now that we’ve hit a proper road. My muscles have never been sorer for it, but everyone says it’s good for me if I want to be a proper rider. I’m really looking forward to relaxing a little somewhere.”

“I actually find riding very relaxing. But then again, I guess I can’t feel the burn, nor are we moving fast.”

“Lucky you! I wish I was in a nice, hot bath right now…”

“I could assist you with a buff if you like.”

Estara had a sense of temptation to agree, but she stubbornly, reluctantly, resisted. “Thank you, Your Majesty, but the men expect me to toughen up! I should get used to it on my own for the day-to-day expectations. Supernatural aid is for exceptional circumstances.”

“Well, I’m proud of your grit, Estara. Safe travels, hmm?”

“You too, Your Majesty! Thank you for everything! Love you.” She sent a hug.

Sammy grinned in the real world as she returned it. “Love you, too,” she sent back before disconnecting.

The casual warmth, refreshing as always. Family for sure.

She spent the remaining time in the day split between simply enjoying the green countryside and farmlands passing by, scouting for Zadkiel as best she could, and tinkering with what options she had for items.

Scouting was more of the same, though she did find a significant group of knights moving out southward from Galseria. Among them were a few wizards in gray robes. It was something to pass along, at least.

Her [Bound] weapon was one key thing to think about. She already knew she wanted a staff, as it was iconic so far within her group on a number of occasions… and she intuitively felt a connection to wizardry. It was either that or a scepter, so she could use a shield. A scepter was essentially just a mace in practice.

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Bound (Special Enchantment)

This indicates an item which cannot be separated from you by any means. You may banish it to nowhere at will, and summon it the same, with a moment of concentration. Both banishing and summoning in short succession requires an action.

Tied to your soul, the item has a level equal to your highest relevant class. By default it is considered [Minor] at levels 1-3, [Major] at levels 4-6, [Artifact] at levels 7-12, and [Legendary Artifact] at levels 13+. It has one free enchantment per category. At level 10, you may change all enchantments, if desired.

At [Major] level it obtains a general +1 Effective Levels to use, or +2 at [Legendary Artifact]. At [Artifact] level it obtains Armor Penetration 1, or Armor Penetration 2 at [Legendary Artifact].

The item also obtains the ‘Durability’ enchantment equal to the category above (this starts at High Durability). This only matters for each summoning — it returns to full capability with an action (equivalent to a banish and summon).

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Neat. It gets a boost again at level 4. I’ll always have something to thump enemies with. And Bast. Hee hee…

On that note, she noticed an enchantment she was immediately drawn toward:

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Knockout

Only available for [Crushing] weapons. This weapon suffers no penalty to strike the head. If it does so successfully, it deals no lethal wounds, instead causing ‘virtual’ ones which can result in stunning, incapacitation, or full unconsciousness. A malus to further actions persists just as if dealt real injury. Dealt injury weakens the target to further attacks.

Counts as having Armor Penetration 2 against the head.

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I think this is fairly powerful. Armor Penetration is like extra levels against a lot of enemies. That’s in addition to being useful for not murdering everyone I fight.

With a stupid little smile, she sent to Dart, “Hey, Dart. I’m thinking the Knockout enchantment is really up my alley. Get it?”

“Why, because you’re a knockout?”

“Yeah!”

“Ha! Damn right, you saucy bitch!”

Lame humor satiated, Sammy tinkered with the look of the staff for entirely too long. That was exactly what happened to her in games with a complex character creation avatar selection screen. How the hell were you supposed to choose something when you have an infinity of options?

In any case, she had no pressing need to pull the trigger on the staff, so just left it ‘ready’ for creation.

Briefly, she considered the Accessory as well… she really wanted some sort of magic shield with a mirror… or something… sadly, she’d been staring at screens so much her inspiration on such things had floundered. She also had some doubts about whether she should take the ‘use’ or give it to someone else.

Is it selfish? Eh. It is probably better to have some kind of durable mirror I can utilize more easily. That would benefit everyone due to my Reflect Force ability…

The day died to travel and deliberations, for her and her Followers elsewhere. As the sun was still up but falling into the late afternoon, Azure fell back from the lead she’d taken and said, “Your Majesty, it’s time to begin looking for a place to stay. If you can assist via your senses, that could ensure we find a farm in time.”

“On it!” Sammy began digging for the closest mirrors available beyond their vicinity, and pretty soon she got a hit westward some few kilometers. She related this to Azure, who nodded and picked up the pace for them to reach it in a decent time frame.

Less than an hour later, they were nearing it, a windmill visible on a rise ahead. Sammy hopped off of Dart, who elected to become a parrot, and then flew up onto her shoulder.

Parrot Dart craned his neck down to look at her with smug eyes. “Now who’s riding who? Ha!”

Sammy rolled her eyes as she began walking toward the mill. “You just did that so you can bark out random obscenities and make me look bad.”

“Ugh, you know it’s not nearly as fun when you just call it out beforehand like that.”

“The ‘I know you too well’ goes both ways with us, bud!”

“Unfortunately.”

Azure dismounted so she could walk the horse the rest of the way. By its constant attempt to snag grass in its mouth as it walked, it had worked up quite an appetite. Azure patted its neck upon seeing this and promised he could eat soon in her rather cutesy ‘horse talk’ voice.

Now that’s just adorable.

They approached the farmstead over a field of short grass and weeds, perhaps land only used for occasional, or discontinued, crops. There was plenty of activity in other fields rounding out the end of proper daylight. There looked to be a lot of some type of pale orange squash harvesting being conducted. Three separate houses and two barns could be seen in the center of it all.

‘It just so happened’ that the edge of the land by their approach had five sun-tanned and sweaty young men leaning on pitchforks and loitering around a low, ancient, and deteriorating stone wall. One of the men smiled wide and nodded to them. “Good day, good ladies a’travelin’. Help ya with anything?”

“Good day to you as well, honorable men of the soil,” Azure declared with a smile as they paused some distance from the wall. “We happened upon your farmstead near to dark and thought we might humbly request someplace to lay our head, if you have the room. If not, it’s no bother. But we’re happy to offer a little coin, and perhaps a song and story. I have a bit of bardic talent.”

The eyes of the men were already glued to her, and the mention of a bard caused a few exclamations and murmurs.

The ‘leader’ cleared his throat loudly and said, “Much appreciate your respect, ma’am. I’m thinkin’ that’s probably fine, but I’ll check with my ma and pa first. I’ll let ‘em know you’ve a polite way about ya, though. You can come around. Henry, lead ‘em up, I’ll run to the house.”

“Thank you kindly, young man, that sounds agreeable!”

The one that spoke and the apparent youngest jogged in the direction of the house, the younger racing ahead with the other calling him an idiot for it, which was retorted with something involving ‘slowpoke’. They were either brothers or close cousins.

The other three shadowed them on the other side of the wall until they came to a simple gate for the horse to pass through.

“Where ya’ll from if I can ask?” Henry queried as he and the other two led them toward the houses.

“Of course,” Azure said with a comfortable ease, “We’re coming up from Geirkos, but before that, Weirtoss. We want to see Traesh, namely the amphitheater. The storied Silver Pillars, so beautiful even the Dominion could not bring themselves to destroy them. Anyhow, I’m Glaysha, and this is my girlfriend Kallio.”

“Sorry, but there are a ton of young, impressionable men, here, Your Majesty,” Azure sent. “Our chances of approval with the woman of the house, maybe the man too, will improve if I make it clear that we’re together.”

“Roger that.”

There was no special reaction to ‘girlfriend’ but then, it was probably a common word among women for actual friends, anyway. Sammy smiled politely and waggled her fingers in greeting.

Henry’s eyes widened a bit. “Traesh, wow, wish I could! Can’t blame ya for the trouble.”

“I’m Janny,” a boy maybe sixteen or seventeen said, while glancing at both women (and the parrot) curiously and trying not to stare. He looked as if he wanted to ask about 5 things at once. “Miss Kallio, that’s a very pretty eyepatch, I’ve never seen its like. Sorry about your eye, though.”

The third boy punched Janny in the shoulder. “Don’t bring something like that up to a lady, ya idjit!”

Sammy laughed and waved it off. “It’s alright! I can actually see, it’s just th-... that it is very sensitive to light, that’s all.”

All three men were watching her as she spoke, as if thankful for the excuse to. Their tongues weren’t lolled out or anything — it was polite appreciation — but it was obvious why. Sammy felt herself swallow as she kept a thin smile on her face.

So this is what it’s like to be hot. Okay then. Nope, not used to it yet.

As dusk approached, they came to the front porch of a large, if simple and utilitarian house. A cluster of people were spilling out of the door, of multiple generations no less, with the youngest carried on a hip by a young mother. The man and woman at the head could’ve been fifty or sixty, but the kind of older that was like a tough, old oak. Sturdy — and appearing just as ‘worked through the day’ as the younger gathered.

The old man, standing atop the porch looking down at the visitors, had a pipe in his mouth, which he took out as he nodded to them. His face split into a friendly grin flanked by a trimmed gray beard and mustache. “Hello there, ladies of the road. I hear you’re seeking hospitality. Welcome to the Mestok and Okapole family farmstead.”

47 Daily FE gained.

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Samantha, Virgin Goddess of Mirrors & Illusion
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Goddess Level 2 [11/20]; Minor Deity

Domains (3/4): Mirrors, Illusion, Fate
Faith Energy: 322/2500
FE (Mirrors): 6 ; FE (Illusion): 9 ; FE (Fate): 10
Followers: 34 (Daily FE Gain: 43 [47])

Devout: 6
Priests: 3

Brute: 0
Rogue: 0
Wizard: 1 [13/20]
Bard: 0 [5/10]

MP: 8/26

Special Skills: First Aid, Tarot Reading, Priestly Ordination, Holy Relic Investiture, Create Servitor, Read Runes, Spell Construction, Detect Magic

Special Traits: Token User, Immortal, Demiplane Domain, Conceptual Body, Fueled By Faith, Avatar (Samantha; Core)

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

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

Status: Token User Promotional Bonus (8/30), Free Minor Divine Enchantment (Accessory; 1-use)

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Note: There was also 4 Devout prayer FEs, excepting Azure and Estara.