Perhaps the single greatest loss in terms of the technology of the pre-System area was in the field of communications. Long-range communications have not been re-established, despite the ubiquity of the short-range Squad Comms. With the inherent limitations of the Comms, many other methods have been utilized for short or mid-range communication.
Signal flares, mirrors, light and illusion Spells – these are all widely used to alert nearby towns and travelers to various forms of danger. For complex messages, and even music, radios can transmit over distances of several miles or more. Yet, unlike in pre-System times, the signal fades unpredictably as it passes through varying mana densities and gradients. Additionally, the transmission equipment is exceptionally bulky and expensive.
As an example, Lost Angels’ own K-RAD radio tower, the most powerful known in the region, reliably reaches a radius of only ten miles from their 100-foot transmission tower and requires several large rooms of equipment to operate. Portable radios are an ongoing topic of research at EULA, but breakthroughs remain scarce.
- Rufus Veres, Level 37 Verbose Historian, A Brief History of the System
I picked up my pace and passed Raylan and Zaire, moving to walk on Mason’s right, opposite Hassan.
“What do you want to know? Right now, I have Shotguns, Speed Loading, and Tactical Reposition. I haven’t picked my Level 3 Skill yet, I wanted advice on what I should take,” I said out loud.
“We can definitely advise you. What are your Skill options?” Mason asked.
“PAST, show me my Skill options for Level 3.”
Class Skill Selection – Level 3:
Instant Replenishment: Immediately refills your bandolier to full capacity.
Type: Active
Cost: Same as standard replenishment
Cooldown: 5 minutes
Variable Load: Enables your bandolier to conjure different types of shotshells.
Type: Active
Cost: Variable
Cooldown: None
Ricochet: Your projectiles ricochet off the first non-enemy surface they hit. Slightly increased chance for projectiles to deflect towards an enemy.
Type: Passive
Cooldown: 30 seconds
I read the options out loud and explained that I’d already turned down Instant Replenishment in the Tutorial. Mason grunted and looked at Hassan, deferring to the Archer.
“All three are common Skills for any projectile-based Class. Some people base their entire build off Ricochet and end up with a Class like Trick Shot Artist. The Skill can be pushed to an absurd degree with enough Levels and supporting Skills. However, it’s very difficult to use at low Levels. I see a lot of beginners take it thinking that it will make it impossible to miss. Quite a few of those end up dead or injured,” Hassan said, the disdain in his voice clear at the end.
“Instant Replenishment isn’t useful at first, you’re right about that. But in the future it can improve in interesting ways, and it will start saving you mana as you Level it. I know Archers with the Skill, and it gives the arrows it conjures bonus effects, like increased stability in flight or additional damage.
“Variable Load sounds like the choice that would benefit you the most right now. Though, I’m not sure what the options are for your ammunition. For Archers and Arbalists, you might get the option for barbed heads in addition to standard broadheads to start, while at high enough Levels you can even get things like exploding, flaming, or acid-tipped arrows.
“My recommendation is either Instant Replenishment or Variable Load.”
I considered it as we walked. I was still convinced Instant Replenishment wasn’t a very good use of a Skill. It might not be the same thing, but I could keep training Speed Loading. With my Dexterity increasing by two points per Level, I was sure my reloading speed was just going to get faster and faster. I was much more worried about my reloading speed than my bandolier refilling speed.
Honestly, I kind of want Ricochet. Some of my pellets are likely to miss unless I’m right next to my target. It would be awesome to have those bounce back and hit my target from behind or something! But, he’s probably right that it would take a long time to train it… That leaves Variable Load. Exploding shots sound fucking awesome. Also, I’m not sure if this is a thing or not, but it sounds like it would mesh with my Aspect of Versatility, like always having the right tool for the job.
Mason was unsure when I asked about Skills impacting Aspects.
“The most important thing for the growth of an Aspect is your Class Evolution or Refinement when you go up a Tier. I don’t know if there is a direct line between Skill choices and your Aspect. But it is commonly believed that your Skill choices can impact the Class options you get at the next Tier – so then it follows there would be some relationship between Skill choices and Aspects.”
“Thanks, Mason. I think I’ll take Variable Load now, though I think Ricochet could be very good with my shotgun.” I looked at Hassan. “Even if I become a really good shot, there are probably going to be pellets that miss my target unless I’m at point-blank range. Ricochet could make some of those pellets hit, right? Hopefully I’ll get a chance to take Ricochet again later.”
Hassan sighed. “I suppose that makes a bit of sense. I detest the very idea of planning to miss, however, it may be the best you can do with such an inelegant weapon. Perhaps you should stick to fighting large monsters only.”
I definitely did not stick my tongue out at him in response. I selected Variable Load, but I didn’t feel anything change, so I tried Inspecting my bandolier.
Item: Gunner Class Ammunition Supply
Type: Bandolier
Capacity: Six Shells
Mods: None
Condition: Excellent
Primary Ammo: 4BK x 30, 1325 fps
Damage: Medium
Penetration: Low
Ammo Cost: 3 mana per shell
Fill Time: 18s
Alternate Ammo: BB x 71, 1325 fps
Damage: Medium-Low
Penetration: Very Low
Ammo Cost: 2 mana per shell
Fill Time: 12s
I groaned, causing both Mason and Hassan to suddenly look more interested, those jerks.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
“Not what you wanted?” Mason asked.
“I was hoping for something with more penetration, but instead my new ammo has less – very low instead of low. It looks like it has a lot more pellets, so I guess they’re smaller. The only benefit I see is that it only costs two mana instead of three per shell and I can refill the bandolier faster.”
I was also reminded that I’d never figured out what the ‘fps’ meant, so I asked Hassan.
“That means feet per second, which tells you how fast the projectile is traveling when it leaves your weapon. A starting Archer might be around 150, while with some decent Levels and a few Skills, it can get much, much faster.”
“I think my ammo started at 1250 and it’s going up.”
“Yes, and rifles shoot even faster than that, but the weight of your shot is much lower than my arrows, and they deal damage in different ways. Also, you said your starting ammunition costs 3 mana to conjure? When I was Level 0, I could already conjure an arrow for 1 mana.”
“Nothing for nothing, I guess…” I replied.
Mason nodded in agreement. “That’s the way the System works for sure. Nothing is free. But you need to look past first impressions and find the positive side. Consider your new ammunition – you’re unhappy with it at first, but when training, you’ll be able to shoot more times before you run out of mana. That is a real benefit.”
I nodded thoughtfully. “That’s a great point. It just won’t help my major issue right now, which is that I’m weak against armored opponents.”
From behind me, Raylan spoke up. “You’re not fighting alone now though. Mage Zaire here is strong against individual enemies and at range, but weak to swarms. As for me, if I can get close to a monster I can probably find its weak points, but if it can attack me from range I’m in trouble.”
I looked back with a smile, “Thanks Ray, I appreciate that.”
“Don’t call me Ray, please, it’s Raylan,” he replied with a scowl.
I shrugged, “Sure thing, boss. Can I ask what your Classes are?”
“Gunner Az, I am an Earth Mage,” Zaire responded.
“You can just call me Az, you know,” I told him with a smile.
“It is not our way,” he replied seriously. “Among my people, only life-bonded and blood relatives address each other so informally.”
“I hope I won’t offend you by asking,” I said slowly, “but can you tell me who your people are? Honestly, I knew other races existed but they really didn’t teach us much about them in Sunland. It’s all humans there as far as I know.”
“Are you not aware of Sunland’s reputation, Gunner Az?”
“I didn’t know anyone from more than twenty miles away had ever heard of it, I suppose…” I trailed off. “I’m guessing it’s not good? The place is kind of a shithole, to be honest.”
My comment drew a small smile from Zaire. “I suppose that depends on who you ask. Sunland is known to my people as a place that should be avoided. I would not have come except with the Guild, and I spent most of my time there in the inn to be safe.”
“Because of people like that guard we passed on the way out?”
“Yes. I am surprised you seem so open-minded, Gunner Az. When I heard you were raised in a church, I feared the worst.”
I laughed lightly.
“I rarely paid attention to Sister Mercy’s sermons. I was usually daydreaming about killing monsters and seeing the world… I’m not sure what the CLA thinks of other races, honestly. I know they think mana corruption is a sign that someone doesn’t fear and worship the angels. They believe someone can be cured of corruption if they repent and join the church…”
Mason’s voice was cold as he responded.
“That’s a load of shit. Corruption can’t be cured or treated. It’s a one-way street. Something that every Delver will be touched by eventually. The only sure way to avoid corruption is to leave a quiet little life in the safest place they can find, while people like us do the fighting and dying to keep them safe.”
“I guess it’s the price of getting strong then, right? Hard to get strong if you never leave town,” I agreed.
I slowed down a bit to walk next to Zaire. I had noticed that he’d never told me about his background, but I decided not to pry into that right now. I didn’t really need to know. But if we recruits were supposed to be a team, I did need to know more about how he fought.
“So, you’re an Earth Mage. What modifiers can you use? I learned Force from a Spell gem I found in my Level 3 System reward chest, but I’m not sure what I can do with it without a modifier. I have a weapon mod that should let me imbue Force into my shots, and I can’t wait to try that out!”
Zaire’s forehead wrinkled and I guessed he would be raising his eyebrows if he had any.
“A Spell gem at Level 3? That is truly a blessing from the System. In my case,” he held out a hand and a long, wooden staff appeared in it, “my staff imbues the modifier Spike when used.”
He pointed his staff at a patch of dirt to the side of the road and concentrated. No more than a second later, a spike of rock – nearly the length of my leg and several inches thick – erupted from the ground. Fascinated, I walked over and touched it. It felt completely solid, and the point was quite sharp – maybe not as fine as a spear point – but more than sharp enough to penetrate flesh.
“Awesome! That looks like it could kill a monster with just one hit.”
“Indeed, Gunner Az. With my bonus Skill, I can switch the imbuement on my staff with any other modifier I have learned. So far, I have succeeded in adding ‘Wall’ to my capabilities.”
This time he stopped walking, closing his eyes for a few seconds. When he opened them, he pointed his staff at another patch of dirt. Instead of a spike, a thick sheet of stone pushed out of the ground. The wall was about half a foot thick, and roughly four feet wide and tall. My eyes widened.
I bet that counts as cover! Tactical Reposition should be able to trigger from that…
“Zaire, sorry, I mean Mage Zaire, I think we’re going to be very good friends,” I grinned widely. “Let me tell you about my bonus Skill…”
I haven't had a chance to check out Habitat 7 yet, but the author also wrote the very popular series on Amazon! I'm betting it's worth a read!
- FROM RUNNING THE BLOCK TO OWNING IT -
- [SURVIVE] - [BUILD] - [CONQUER] -
