RinoZ
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BoD B3C6 - Fumbling
🕑 Added 2023-05-24 04:13:42 +0000 UTCTyron stepped out of the backroom and came face to face with Cerry.
“Oh, hel -,” he began.
“Oh good goddess!” she gasped, a hand flying to her chest. “Master Almsfield? You look like death!”
The Necromancer blinked and noted that his eyelids felt as though they scraped over sand as he did so. He blinked rapidly a few more times, trying to moisten his eyeballs.
“Do I really look that bad?” he croaked.
“Oh, I wouldn’t say… you look… yes. I’m sorry!”
He waved her apology away.
“No need to say sorry. I got caught up with a few things. I haven’t slept in…. I think… what day is it?”
Cerry stared at him for a long moment.
“It’s Selene’s day,” she said slowly. “I think you might need to have a rest, Master Almsfield. Respectfully.”
“I’m fine,” Tyron said, then paused and really assessed himself. If he were honest, he felt like shit scraped on mouldy bread. Five days without sleep… and he’d been working essentially non-stop. That wasn’t a good habit to fall into.
“You’re right, I think I will get some sleep. Can you do me a favour and pass these onto Flynn?”
He handed over a case of cores and Cerry took hold of it with wide eyes.
“Alright, I will!”
She toddled off, the padded box clutched tightly in her hands. Tyron watched her go before he stepped into the backroom once again.
He should go straight to bed. That’s what he should do…. Working any further in his condition invited disaster. He had no reason to be pushing himself this hard. He’d spent years constructing his position so that there was no need for him to furtively experiment in the middle of the night. He had the luxury of being able to take his time, consider his steps, make careful and thoughtful strides in advancing his craft.
Instead, he’d thrown himself into it like a drunk finding a new bottle, to the point he was barely keeping up with the demands of his shop. If people noticed he was short on goods for sale, they could reasonably be expected to start thinking about what he was doing with his time. Necromancy wouldn’t be their first or even fiftieth guess, but any undue attention at all was to be avoided, no matter the cause.
“I’ll just take a quick look,” he muttered to himself.
After another five days, the saturation of death magick within the skeletons had become too strong for him to suppress. To even get them to last this long, he’d had to devise a method to draw out and disperse the energy to prevent the bones from assembling themselves into wild undead.
Between that and working on his lens, there hadn’t been much time for further experimentation.
As he stepped into the basement, he quickly walked to his bench and picked up the lens. The craftsmanship wasn’t anything special. In truth, the frame he’d installed the glass into was ‘workmanlike’ and ‘functional’ if he was being polite, and straight up crude if he wasn’t.
But the real prize was the glass itself, the enchantments scraped into the cores embedded in each corner. The network of cores embedded into each corner.
Getting the lens to filter Death Magick so he could see it had been hard enough. Having it focus in and make it easier to see the minute levels of energy he was searching for had been a level beyond. It'd taken him three whole days to crack it, but he was exceptionally pleased with the results.
Of course, by that time, the level of energy in the bones was quite high and it’d been no trouble at all to see it, but even that inspection had proven fruitful.
Mapping the movement through the various bones had been an interesting exercise. There was sure to be a reason behind the particular, almost consistent paths the magick took, but he hadn’t been able to divine that. Even more important had been the moment he’d witnessed the transfer of energy with his own eyes, seeing the Death Magick vanish from one skeleton and reappear in another.
Naturally, he’d known it was happening already, but being able to see it as well as sense it gave him another avenue, another sense he could use to discover how and why it happened. He’d been buzzing ever since and probably spent too long poring over the bones with the lens, examining each and every little detail, even if he was confident they weren’t important or relevant.
“May as well do another pass,” he muttered, as he picked up the lens and began to peer through it.
He moved slowly about the room, checking each of the slabs carefully, scanning every stone, every cubic metre of space, until he was satisfied no Death aligned Magick remained in his workspace.
The bones themselves had been too dangerous to keep, so he’d disposed of them the night before. Of course, even dumping them in the sewer wasn’t safe, as the possibility existed they would find a way to pull themselves together, so he’d gone a step further and ground them to powder before tossing them into the sewage.
With a little luck, those bones were many kilometres away. The sewer connected to the river, after all, and the river went straight to the ocean. His only remaining concern was that no trace of arcane energy remained for a passing Mage to sniff out.
Measures had been taken to suppress and dampen the emanations of the Magick he performed down here, but nothing was foolproof.
When he was satisfied nothing remained, he reluctantly put the lens down on his bench and picked up his book of notes, idly flicking through the early pages.
The feverish scrawl that greeted him brought a smile to his face. When he had just been starting out, every idea he’d had seemed as good as the next. Frequently he’d found himself chasing multiple hares down multiple burrows, and the scrawl he’d packed onto these pages reflected that. Half-formed ideas, partially baked sigil sequences, one after the next.
He flipped forward and, gradually, some sort of order began to exert itself. Long hours on the back of that cart, scribbling away in this book, trying to find a way forward, had forced him to be more rigorous and focused. The influence of Dove also helped in that regard. As a person, the Summoner had been careless, frivolous and unreliable, but as a Mage, he had always taken his craft very seriously.
With a sigh, Tyron put the book down and made his way upstairs, being careful to ensure he wasn’t seen as he emerged from the basement and then went up to his room.
For now, his experiments would be on hold until he was delivered his next set of remains. It was frustrating, but he needed to be patient. If he dedicated himself to his enchanting work, then he should be able to build up a supply of goods he could draw on when he inevitably lost himself in his research again.
When he finally collapsed into bed, he was almost instantly asleep, and only awoke twelve hours later, in the dead of the night. He rose, scrubbed and dressed himself before he went hunting for something to eat. He was ravenous, and suddenly couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten.
He raided his pantry and found it limited, but devoured whatever he could find. Fed and rested for the first time in almost a week, he decided it was time to sit down and perform the status ritual.
Since he’d resumed his Necromantic activities, he hadn’t checked his progress, so he hoped to see some gains in the key areas he was trying to develop.
Despite it being the depths of the night and the shop being locked up, he wasn’t comfortable performing the ritual outside of the basement. He walked through the empty store, taking note of the immaculate conditions his employees had left it in.
I really need to be a little more careful….
Less reputable people could have robbed the place blind, given his erratic schedule and infrequent appearances. Leaving Cerry to lock up the store every night, a young girl who hadn’t even Awakened, seemed like putting a little too much on her shoulders.
Once in the basement, he grabbed a fresh piece of paper, nicked a small cut in his thumb and pressed it to the page.
Soon enough, the familiar text began to appear as his blood crept over the page. He leaned forward eagerly to see what progress he’d made.
His eyes ran down the page until he found what he’d been hoping to see.
Your use of and experimentation with Corpse Appraisal has raised proficiency. Corpse Appraisal has reached level 14.
He’d hoped for two levels, but he would settle for one. That meant the things he’d learned likely had practical applications. He simply had to discover what they were.
Interestingly there was another payoff as well.
Your use and exploration of Death Magick has raised proficiency. Advanced Death Magick has reached level 13.
More good news. His experimentation with the lens and observation of death aligned energy in the bones seemed to have taught him something. Hopefully after the next set of remains he could push both of these Skills higher.
Only when he was confident he was on track to reach level twenty in each would he begin to work on Corpse Preparation.
Several of his Enchanting Skills had also progressed due to his new and innovative application in developing new tools. A welcome development, since they were notoriously hard to advance.
Name: Tyron Steelarm.
Age: 22
Race: Human (Level 19)
Class:
Undead Weaver (Level 36)
Sub-Classes:
- Forbidden One (Level 24)
- Focused Arcanist (Level 40)
- None (Locked)
Racial Feats:
Level 5: Steady Hand.
Level 10: Night Owl.
Feat Selections Available: 1
Attributes:
Strength:
38
Dexterity:
101
Constitution:
122
Intelligence:
238
Wisdom:
157
Willpower:
110
Charisma:
43
Manipulation:
59
Poise:
59
General Skills:
Arithmetic (Level 5)(Max)
Handwriting (Level 5)(Max)
Concentration (Level 5)(Max)
Cooking (Level 4)
Sling (Level 3)
Swordsmanship (Level 2)
Sneak (Level 3)
Butchery (Level 5)(Max)
Engraving (Level 5)(Max)
Skill Selections Available: 3
Necromancer Skills:
Corpse Appraisal (Level 14)
Corpse Preparation (Level 13)
Advanced Death Magick (Level 13)
Bone Mending (Level 8)
Minion Commander (Level 6)
Undead Control (Level 4)
Minion Modification (Level 5)
Bone-Soul Melding (Level 5)
Bone Weapon Sculpting (Bow) (Level 4)
Death Infusion (Level 1)
Anathema Skills:
Abyss Tongue (Level 4)
Arcanist Skills:
Expert Magick Scripting (Level 29)
Channelling (Level 10)(Max)
Pliance Control (Level 10)(Max)
Expanded Sigil Formation (Level 15)
Core Linking (Level 10)(Max)
Advanced Fine Motor Control (Level 14)
Expert Network Formation (Level 23)
Advanced Conduit Magick (Level 17)
Advanced Core Sense (Level 15)
Expert Power Control (Level 24)
General Spells:
Globe of Light (Level 5)(Max)
Sleep (Level 5)(Max)
Magick Bolt (Level 5)(Max)
Necromancer Spells:
Raise Dead (Level 14)
Bone Animus (Level 14)
Commune with Spirits (Level 6)
Shivering Curse (Level 6)
Death Blades (Level 7)
Empowered Bone Armour (Level 5)
Minion Sight (Level 6)
Spirit Binding (Level 3)
Death’s Grasp (Level 5)
Anathema Spells:
Pierce the Veil (Level 5)
Appeal to the Court (Level 4)
Dark Communion (Level 1)
Suppress Mind (Level 10)(Max)
Repository (Level 6)
Fear (Level 3)
Glamour (Level 10)(Max)
Invasive Persuasion (Level 10)(Max)
Crone’s Shade (Level 1)
Charm (Level 10)(Max)
Necromancer Feats:
Skeleton Focus II
Magick Battery II
Bone Mastery
Spirit Mastery
Undead Specialist
Anathema Feats:
Repository
Wall of Thought II
Drain Life
Arcanist Feats
Magick Thread Control II
Compact Sigils II
Conduit Seal II
Core Networking II
Mysteries:
Spell Shaping (Advanced): INT +20 WIS +20
Words of Power (Advanced): WIS +20 CHA +20
Comments
Asas
I don't think that it was ever mentioned as a homemade. I don’t even think that in this universe a homemade skills and spells are a thing. All falls under the unseen and the system coming with it. If a remember correctly the the spell was of Dove's summoner class, but that shouldn't be an issue.
chris
the vision spell dove taught tyron is home made so its not a system skill meaning it doesnt show up. so old school spell work, just like the spells the god of magick used to create and refine, b4 he died. similar to how he resurrected dove into the skull except this spell he was taught. its why it hasnt appeared in previous status sheets. b4 the divines made and welched on their deal the system was crude and unrefined and u had to rely almost completely on urself iirc how it was described in their flashback. then with their new power the refined and adjusted the system to b easier and better under their control. so if the impossible were to ever happen and he forgot a part of the spell and made a mistake, he could go blind, his head could explode or w/e else.
Asas
With the new status, a few questions popped into my mind. - Does Tyron still have problems with the ocular enhancement spell he learned from Dove, and because of that, it doesn't appear here? - There seem to be two Forbidden one choices missing. True, he could have chosen to increase the level cap of two of his spells/skills, but there is normally a name change, so I don't think so. Does that mean that his Patreons are blocking his choices, or was it simply overlooked? - Have you decided to completely change the Skeleton focus III to spirit mastery?
Joakim Berube
In the lvl 30 status you wrote that Tyron had selected skeleton focus 3 for his 6th feat
Al
I think early on he said he wouldn't be a close quarters, fighty type, who negated the Necromancer minion master thing. So probably something into logistics, group buffs and tactics and the like. Not my preference mind you, but probably. Something like a specialized dimension mage or summoner of dark things would be interesting as well
Olavi Kaukamieli
Something with mass buffs or debuffs would probably be optimal.
Greyg
Dimensional/rift mage or something exotic like that in the mage classes
Greyg
Arcanist is an enchanter he literally carves onto monster cores
Thomasjp96
Isn’t Arcanist already an enchanter though?😅
Sly Lyon
enchanter would be nice.
Thomasjp96
Now the mystery of what the final sub-class will eventually be. A tank class to increase close quarters survivability? A Rouge or assassin to increase stealth and hide while skellys are fighting? Or maybe an offense mage class to increase ranged support to his minions? Or something absolutely insane? Tune in to find out!
Dmitriy Zaslavsky
If he is gonna siege the city... I would say he is going overboard
I am loving this series! Such a different vibe than Chrysalis, so refreshing. Call me bloodthirsty but since the leaders of the Empire have violated the unspoken social contract with Tyron, he is under zero obligation to play along with societal norms. Let it all burn
Also remembering that raising undead gives experience, and he is wanting to max out his foundational skills to get the most out of his next level milestone
Dragon Commands
His father had 6 beory had like 3
RinoZ
that's a good call. Status is getting a bit chunky these days
CentaureHeart
All the death energy produced is used to power the skeletons there is nothing he could siphon off though. Also he doesn't really have fragile health he's got an insane amount of Constitution for a mage
CentaureHeart
Yeah he could have worked with the bones first but I think he was surprised at the speed with which the bones would have animated. He should definitely use them in the future though
Sadly_streets_behind
Why is he only improving corpse preparation and appraisal? He could be improving bone mending, and bone weapon sculpting before destroying the bones. He needs to learn to power game skyrim style.
Zenty
Hm, with all due respect RinoZ, I think it's about time you start indicating what stats have changed, by how much, and what skills/feats that's been added/updated in the status since the last one. Something as simple as (+1) behind the skills that have increased or (new!) behind newly selected skills/feats. Because I'm starting to get slightly confused about what's changed from status update to status update and having to look back to previous chapters and comparing is getting a bit cumbersome... I still am not even sure exactly what skills/feats he selected from the choices he had in the epilogue..
Joakim Berube
You’re right i did not notice the 2 next to wall of thought
Nathan Quitugua
I mean it in the way that he can draw and use that to power other things, like his spells. Stuff he can pull from so he doesnt have to rely on mage candy and putting his already fragile health at risk. That and all I can think of is setting off death magick bombs and skeletons underneath the magister tower and unleashing a wild skeleton horde on the town as a unhinged half-baked revenge plan.
CentaureHeart
I don't think he will siphon off magic, he already said that with small cores he could get a 10% reduction on the cost of maintaining them. He could try and think of a method to increase that exchange so they could power themselves almost autonomously though. That would be something
Nathan Quitugua
Considering he has magick battery and repository...i'm kinda surprised hes not using the bones as like a death magick production. His problem has always been his magick capacity and this just seems like the natural way to go. Sets of bones that operate as magick generators that he siphons off excess energy to a array or container of some sort. They don't raise as wild undead and he gets a resevoir of magick he can pull from.
Wolven
His crafting mysteries will probably come on the back end, he has only spend 5 days on necromancy since the mountain
Seeker10
Mysteries are given for doing something exceptional for the level. Tyrions mother only had 5 or 6 can't remember and she was exceptional mage. I think that because other classes are so well known its harder to get mysteries. Later on with bigger levels it because easier to get as it is much less explored territory. Then it would make sense for Yor to keep information to herself about necromancy from Tyrion, and let him himself come up with everything.
Greyg
Repository, drain life, and two levels of wall of thought would be 4 feats
Olavi Kaukamieli
We know. Author said in discord.
Gonvas
IMO, it wouldn't make sense for him to choose one faction over the others.
Gonvas
Wdym by bent the knee?
LS
as far as we know it’s a hard cap
Moulfrit el Tieu
never enough i need more >_< thanks for the chapter ^^
David Burchfield
Do we know if 40 is a hard cap for subclasses or if it goes up (either with main clasz advancement or racial class advancement)?
LS
I suppose necromancer already is a death mage. Maybe juste mage?
Joakim Berube
I believe there should be a fourth anathema feat from when he reached level 20
CentaureHeart
I can already imagine a monstrosity of bones rising up down stream from some kind of overlooked death magic shenanigan
LS
Hard to pick. Maybe Death Mage?
Olavi Kaukamieli
Did he? Seems purely transactional relationship to me with how he and Yor acts. Doesn't change anything really.
LS
So he will need to soon choose a 3rd classe
fity0208
True, but he also made clear that he wasn't willing to pay the price, that why I'm surprised that he bent the knee in the end
Olavi Kaukamieli
No new mysteries? Bullshit. If this guy doesn't get crafting mysteries, who ever does?
Olavi Kaukamieli
Doesn't surprise me. He has been balancing it the whole time.
Rahsheem Reid
Him maxing out his sub classes is going too be a huge boon in the future and giving the right opportunities he might gain another mystery with his findings.
alt31415
Same. The Abyss has been the least outwardly malicious of... any of the great powers so far. But it makes sense that Tyron would go for the 'big risk, big reward' option.
David Burchfield
My thoughts as well, I was sure he had taken faceless based off how he was living/operating, but forbidden does promise more power if it doesn't kill him.
Askethil
Forbidden one serve the three faction. We might see tyron trying to please one without upsetting the other.
Grey Knight Lord
Forbiden One is the one where he does not choose one, but all three of his backers.
Askethil
Ah spirit mastery is a good choice and dark magic infusion is a new skill ! He also work hard on his third class and he soon will reach human lv20 and get another one...
dethrothes
Huh. So he chose forbidden one over faceless
kalada William-jumbo
Does this show which faction he choose to support? Is forbidden one the vampires?
fity0208
Im surprised that he went with forbidden one, being reluctant to bow, I assumed he'd go with the void
Amelgar
lol, no surprise he chose 'Empowered Bone Armour'
Drew Lim
First haha
