Over and over Threadbare did this, with the patience of the inanimate. And eventually, he thought she got the message.

  CHA +1

  He handed her the scepter, and she toddled over to the shelf, and started trying to work it back and forth, using the little magical rod as a pry bar, scraping away at the floor and the trash.

  More words appeared.

  You are now a Level 4 Ruler!

  +3 CHA

  +3 LUCK

  +3 WIS

  Well, that was nice. Still didn’t help him much.

  No worries, though. Miss Fluffbear could take care of the way out. Now he just had to get off the hilt without dying. Somehow.

  Days passed, with only the sound of the little black bear scraping away at the obstacle in front of her. The embers above finally went out, and it grew cold, cold in the basement…

  …and one of Threadbare’s hitherto unused skills kicked in.

  Animalistic impulses surged, as his body saw that it was damaged, and he was in a good place.

  And so, Threadbare hibernated for the first time ever.

  He woke much later, to the continued sound of Missus Fluffbear’s scraping, and two messages flickering up past his view.

  You have healed yourself up to ERROR

  You cannot heal to full, due to foreign objects in your wounds.

  Your Hibernate Skill is now level 2!

  Your Dietary Restriction skill is now level 2!

  Due to keeping a flawless diet, all attribute pool maximums are increased by 4!

  The light was different now, outside. The black bear had dug a pretty good hole, he saw, but nowhere near what they needed to get through the tiny space.

  However, his wounds were indeed healed… up to a point.

  Well.

  More hit points meant more room to try to get free, didn’t it?

  Threadbare twisted and tugged, and worked more of his stuffing around the hilt, slowly getting free, one rip at a time. But he only made it another inch or so.

  Missus Fluffbear dropped what she was doing and came over to try to help, and again he had to convince her not to. It was harder to shove her away this time.

  He realized that scraping and digging had been increasing her strength, most likely. Though… just how long had she been at it, to get this strong?

  Eventually he damaged himself to the point where he couldn’t pull free any further.

  At which point his body took another look around, realized that he was still hurt and still in a cool, dark place underground, and it knew just what to do.

  Threadbare lost count of how many times he blacked out and regained consciousness, but the time came when he awoke to a racket. He looked around, saw that the basement was empty.

  The hole under the shelf, however, was big enough for a teddy bear to fit through.

  Threadbare angled, just managed to get a view-

  -and stared right into Missus Fluffbear’s face as she crawled back up the hole, toward him. She stretched out her arms, offering him the scepter, trying to plead, he didn’t quite know.

  And in the next second she was yanked backward, and at the very end of the hole, Threadbare got a glimpse of a black furry hand. And a wooden mask with the word ‘BUNY’ scratched on it.

  Well.

  Shit.

  It took several more times and even a couple of bear levels to work more of himself free, hibernate, and repeat the process. Finally he got clear of the now-rusted sword hilt. It left brown stains on him as he went, and he searched around the basement until he found what he was looking for. Caradon’s apron…

  …and the tailoring tools inside it.

  Once he was patched up he crawled through the tunnel, pausing at the exit. Nothing. Birds singing. Tree branches rattling in the wind.

  Gathering his courage, Threadbare pushed through and out, grimy and battered, smeared with rust, smeared with grime.

  The house was ruined, and creeping vines grew over it now. Birds called, and not a single soul was in sight.

  Threadbare patched himself up, raising his tailor skill, leveling as he went. Plenty of cloth to work with, though at one point he went in and snipped off the parts of the apron he could reach, getting as much material as possible.

  And then the little bear sat and considered.

  He had to save Celia. He had no idea how much time had passed, or where she was.

  He should probably save Missus Fluffbear, or find her at least. Maybe she didn’t need saving? He didn’t know. But she was young, he knew, and he remembered how hard, how very very hard it had been when he was young. So he would find her and help her.

  He would save his little girl, and everyone else he could. For them, he would never stop trying.

  But none of this would be possible unless he did something first. Something very important.

  Threadbare toddled down the path, walking faster as he went, past the overgrown remnants of a raggedy man, past the neat row of graves dug on the hill, unmarked with stones only saying “they fell in the line of duty,” and he kept on walking until he reached the river. There he stared into his reflection.

  It took him a long time, more tailoring levels, and an unlocked tailoring skill to figure out how to do it. The sun was at the other end of the sky by the time he was done, but finally he had a small hollow in the right place in his head, and some twisty, waxed threads right where the air could push through them, when his stuffing muscles drew it just right.

  For too long he’d been silent and dumb. Well he wasn’t dumb now, and he knew just what to do.

  Threadbare took his first breath.

  “Status,” the little bear said, in a quiet little soft voice that was completely lost in the burbling of the rushing river.

  And a whole new world opened up for him.

  THREADBARE’S CHARACTER SHEET

  Name: Threadbare Age: 5

  Jobs: Greater Toy Golem Level 9 Bear Level 8 Ruler Level 4 Scout Level 3 Tailor Level 8 Model Level 2 Necromancer Level 1 Duelist Level 1 Animator Level 1 Enchanter Level 1 Golemist Level 1 Smith Level 1

  Attributes: Strength: 79 Constitution: 83 Hit Points: 216(236) Armor: 34 Intelligence: 58 Wisdom: 89 Sanity: 147(167) Mental Fortitude: 24 Dexterity: 41 Agility: 51 Stamina: 102(122) Endurance: 44 Charisma: 56 Willpower: 47 Moxie: 103(123) Cool: 20 Perception: 57 Luck: 53 Fortune: 110(130) Fate: 9

  Generic Skills Brawling - Level 20 (21) Climb - Level 6 Clubs and Maces - Level 9 Dagger - Level 9 Dodge - Level 2 Fishing - Level 1 Ride - Level 7 Stealth - Level 3 Swim - Level 2

  Greater Toy Golem Skills Adorable - Level 15 Gift of Sapience - Level NA Golem Body - Level 20 Innocent Embrace - Level 8 Magic Resistance -Level 4

  Bear Skills Animalistic Interface - NA Claw Swipes - 16 Forage - 7 Growl - 1 Hibernate - 37 Scents and Sensibility - 10 Stubborn - 7 Toughness - 12

  Ruler Skills Emboldening Speech - Level 1 Identify Subject - Level 1 Noblesse Oblige - Level 1 Royal Request - Level 1 Simple Decree - Level 1

  Scout Skills Camouflage - Level 1 Firestarter - Level 1 Keen Eye - Level 1 Sturdy Back - Level 5 Wind’s Whisper - Level 1

  Tailor Skills Talioring - Level 36 Clean and Press - Level 1 Adjust Outfit - Level 1

  Model Skills Dietary Restriction - Level 10 (+20 to all pools) Fascination - Level 2 Flex - Level 1 Self-Esteem - Level 1 Work it Baby - Level 2

  Necromancer Skills Assess Corpse - Level 1 Command the Dead - Level 1 Soulstone - Level 1 Speak With Dead -Level 1 Zombies - Level 1

  Duelist Skills Challenge - Level 1 Dazzling Entrance - Level 1 Fancy Flourish - Level 1 Guard Stance - Level 1 Weapon Specialist - Level 1 (Brawling +1)

  Animator Skills Animus - Level 1 Command Animus - Level 1 Creator’s Guardians - Level 1 Eye for Detail - Level 1 Mend - Level 1

  Enchanter Skills Appraise - Level 1 Glowgleam - Level 1 Harden - Level 1 Soften - Level 1 Spellstore - Level 1

  Golemist Skills Command Golem - Level 1 Golem Animus - Level 1 Invite Golem - Level 1 Toy Golem Construction - Level 1

  Smith Skills Refine Ore - Level 1

  Equipment

  Quests Save Celia

  End of Volume (Book) One

  The Bear Necessities

  And so, the little bear saw the truth of himself in its entirety for the first time in his existence.

  NAME: Threadbare AGE: 5

  RACIAL JOBS

  Bear 8                Greater Toy Golem 9

  ADVENTURING JOBS

  Animator 1 Duelist 1 Enchanter 1 Golemist 1

  Model 2 Necromancer 1 Ruler 4 Scout 3

  CRAFTING JOBS

  Smith 1 Tailor 8

  ATTRIBUTES POOLS DEFENSES

  Strength 79 Constitution 83 HP 216(236) Armor 34

  Intelligence 58 Wisdom 89 Sanity 147(167) Mental Fort. 24

  Dexterity 41 Agility 51 Stamina 102(122) Endurance 44

  Charisma 56 Willpower 47 Moxie 103(123) Cool 20

  Perception 57 Luck 54 Fortune 110(130) Fate 9

  EQUIPMENT

  QUESTS

  Save Celia

  GENERIC SKILLS

  Brawling 20(21) Climb 6 Clubs and Maces 9 Dagger 9 Dodge 2

  Fishing 1 Ride 7 Stealth 3 Swim 2

  BEAR SKILLS

  Animalistic Interface N/A Claw Swipes 16 Forage 7 Growl 1 Hibernate 37

  Scents and Sensibility 10 Stubborn 7 Toughness 12

  GREATER TOY GOLEM SKILLS

  Adorable 15 Gift of Sapience N/A Golem Body 20 Innocent Embrace 8 Magic Resistance 4

  ANIMATOR SKILLS

  Animus 1 Command Animus 1 Creator’s Guardians 1 Eye for Detail 1 Mend 1

  DUELIST SKILLS

  Challenge 1 Dazzling Entrance 1 Fancy Flourish 1 Guard Stance 1

  Weapon Specialist (Brawling) 1

  ENCHANTER SKILLS

  Appraise 1 Glowgleam 1 Harden 1 Soften 1 Spellstore I 1

  GOLEMIST SKILLS

  Command Golem 1 Golem Animus 1 Invite Golem 1 Toy Golem Construction 1

  MODEL SKILLS

  Dietary Restriction 10 Fascination 2 Flex 1 Self-Esteem 1 Work it Baby 2

  NECROMANCER SKILLS

  Assess Corpse 1 Command the Dead 1 Soulstone 1 Speak with Dead 1 Zombies 1

  RULER SKILLS

  Emboldening Speech 1 Identify Subject 1 Noblesse Oblige 1 Royal Audience 1 Simple Decree 1

  SCOUT SKILLS

  Camouflage 1 Firestarter 1 Keen Eye 1 Sturdy Back 5 Wind’s Whisper 1

  SMITH SKILLS

  Refine Ore 1

  TAILOR SKILLS

  Adjust Outfit 1 Clean and Press 1

  TO GET MORE INFORMATION OUT OF AN ELEMENT, TYPE HELP (H) ELEMENT

  After some trial and error, Threadbare figured out that each series of words in its own little box was an element. So he went through the jobs first, taking a good hard look at what these mysterious things he’d agreed to learn were, and how they shaped him.

  BEAR

  Bears are large beasts, tough and strong and stubborn. They eat pretty much anything organic and live in a variety of terrains and climates worldwide. Bears gain experience by eating bear-associated foods, roaming their territory, and defeating foes with their natural weapons. You have discovered one or more rank up options. You may choose one of the following unlocked options at level 10 or any point beyond; Black Bear, Cave Bear, and Grizzly Bear Cave bear? Threadbare remembered black bear and grizzly bear, but not cave bear. But then again, he was stuck in what was basically a cave for a while. Maybe living in one for extended periods of time did it? It probably came up during his hibernation, and he hadn’t been awake to see it. He tried getting help for the three bear types he’d unlocked…

  Grizzlies got bigger and bulkier and had an attack called Bear Hug. Black Bears would shift the color of his fur, and got a stealth skill that only worked in the woods. Cave bears got a skill called darkspawn that gave night sight and small bonuses when there wasn’t any light around. Threadbare wasn’t far from being a level 10 bear, so he considered his options carefully.

  GREATER TOY GOLEM

  Toy golems are the protectors of children everywhere! And also good, reasonably cheap guardians for any fledgling golemist. They aren’t the toughest of golems, but they possess a few costly powers good for helping their charges survive. Like all golems, they’re sturdy, resistant to magic, and immune to a lot of things that would kill living beings. Greater golems possess sapience, and attribute ranks that lesser golems simply do not have. They can even learn jobs! Limited in that aspect only by the intelligence of their crafter, greater golems have theoretically astronomical potential. Greater Toy Golems gain experience by doing adorable things, surviving conflict by toughing it out, and defeating foes using their natural weapons.

  ANIMATOR

  Animators give life to inanimate objects, awakening them to serve and defend the animator. Animators gain experience by casting animator spells and defeating foes with their animi.

  DUELIST

  Duelists fight with their chosen weapon and swashbuckle around, using mobility and attitude to win their fights. Duelists gain experience through fighting with their specialized weapon, defeating foes with panache and style, and doing risky, flashy things in dangerous situations. Note: Specialized weapons can be changed. Practice hard, your specialized weapon will shift to your highest weapon skill.

  ENCHANTER

  Enchanters are one of the oddest adventuring professions. They do most of their work beforehand, and use their items to devastating effect. Enchanters gain experience by creating magical items, casting enchanter spells, and using their created items to defeat foes.

  GOLEMIST

  Congratulations! Through blending Animator and Enchanter, you are now a golemist! Golemists craft unique magical constructs, and use them to fight their battles. Golemists gain experience by casting golemist spells, creating golems, and using their golems to defeat their foes.

  MODEL

  Models improve their bodies and attitudes, displaying their glory for all to see and controlling how others look upon them. Models gain experience by using model skills, succesfully controlling first impressions, and defeating their foes through social manuvering.

  NECROMANCER

  Necromancers raise the dead to do their bidding, and can negotiate with powerful spirits and undead entities. Necromancers gain experience by interacting positively with the dead, casting necromancer spells, and using the undead to defeat their foes.

  RULER

  Rulers entice people to work for them, and organize them through decrees and rewards to do their bidding. Rulers gain experience by having their subjects do their bidding, organizing others to a common goal, and looking out for the interests of those in their charge.

  SCOUT

  Scouts roam the wilderness, spying upon foes and using stealth and survival to accomplish their goals. Remember, be prepared! Scouts gain experience by using scout skills, exploring new wilderness areas, and remaining undetected by foes.

  SMITH

  Smiths work with metal, crafting objects with the help of a forge, anvil, and hammer.

  TAILOR

  Tailors work with cloth and occasionally other flexible materials, crafting objects with the help of scissors, needle, and thread.

  All right, that was the jobs gone through. Threadbare considered, tried to find a common theme with his jobs. At first there wasn’t really one, but then he figured out that half of them involved minions. It all came down to having things that he could get to his bidding.

  Well, this was all the adventuring jobs he could get, as far as he knew. Past words had suggested there might be a way to unlearn jobs? Perhaps he’d find out more about that later.

  Now, on to the skills. He had a ton of the damned things, and no idea what most of them did.

  The Generic skills seemed pretty self-explanatory, so he skipped those. But the rest looked important. He decided to review racial and crafting skills first, then on to the ones from adventuring jobs.

  ADORABLE

  Level 1, Cost N/A, Duration: Passive Constant Adorable has a chance of activating when you do something cute in front of an audience, or onlookers blame you for something that isn’t your fault. It improves the attitude of anyone who fails to resist your charms.

  GIFT OF SAPIENCE

  Level 1, Cost N/A, Duration: Passive Constant Congratulations, you now have all the attributes and can think and learn. Good luck with that. You also have 0/8 adventuring job slots, and 2/4 crafting job slots.

  GOLEM BODY

  Level 1, Cost N/A, Duration: Passive Constant Your body has no organs, and is made from inorganic or once-organic material infused with a magical force. By being exposed to effects that would kill or cripple living beings and surviving them, this skill will level up. As it levels up, you will gain immunity and resistance to a wider range of lethal effects.

  INNOCENT EMBRACE

  Level 5, Cost: Sanity equal to half the amount healed, Duration: Instant Heals an embraced target 10 X the level of this skill. Will affect on other golems, is standard healing otherwise. Currently activated through Animalistic Interface, and will affect any legal target embraced. Does not affect uninjured targets. Interesting. So that was why he’d healed the Basement Cat. Threadbare fiddled with his status screen until he found a way to turn the automatic activation off for this one.

  MAGIC RESISTANCE

  Level 1, Cost: N/A, Duration: Passive Constant Has a chance of negating any non-beneficial magic cast upon you. The chance of success is dependant upon the spellcaster’s level.

  On to the bear jobs!

  ANIMALISTIC INTERFACE

  Level 1, Cost N/A, Duration: Constant Passive Allows the beast to use their racial skills without requiring vocalization. All skills that are not constant passives may be turned on and off as the situation and instinct require.

  CLAW SWIPES

  Level 1, Cost 5 Sta, Duration: 5 attacks Enhances the damage caused by your hands and feet, and adds the sharp quality for the next five strikes. Currently activated through Animalistic Interface, and will activate whenever you brawl with intent to injure.