Etheric Potential: 9 (+56)

  Skills

  Languages: Human

  Acrobatics: Lv 4

  Armed Combat: Lv 4

  Charismatic: Lv 4

  Climbing: Lv 2

  Cooking: Lv 2

  Crafting: Lv 1

  Creature Identification: Lv 5

  Dark Vision: Lv 4

  Dual Wielding: Lv 2

  Experimental: Lv 1

  Fishing: Lv 1

  Hand of the Gods: Lv 1

  Herb Identification: Lv 2

  Reckless: Lv 6

  Saddler: Lv 5

  Sneak: Lv 4

  Swimming: Lv 3

  Available Points: 0

  Skills-Dex

  Skill increased: Acrobatics (Lv 4)

  Woah! Are those springs in your legs, or just muscle? Whatever it is, your acrobatics is growing, and with that, you’ll find you can jump longer distances and show off your new tricks while in the air. Go on, give it a go. Maybe just a teeny backflip?

  Bonuses: +6 dexterity

  (NOTE: Increases in skill override any previous bonuses gained from the skill).

  Skill increased: Armed combat (Lv 4)

  You’re continually finding new uses for your sword. Whether it’s to slice open the belly of your enemy, or to use as a mouth prop, keep experimenting with the capabilities of your swordcraft to continue your progress.

  Bonuses: +4 strength

  Skill increased: Climbing (Lv 2)

  Cling to the rocks like a lizard, scale to the highest heights. Or...just not get so tired when climbing up walls. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be jumping up cliff faces with the best of them.

  Bonuses: +2 dexterity

  Skill increased: Charismatic (Lv 4)

  You've really worked that tongue loose. Now let’s see what you can do with it.

  Purrr…

  Bonuses: +4 intelligence

  Skill increased: Cooking (Lv 2)

  You’ve developed something akin to taste buds. Now you can get a little bit more experimental while lowering your chances of food poisoning!

  Bonuses: +2 dexterity

  You've unlocked a new skill: Crafting (Lv 1)

  Those who can craft gain a fair advantage in Obsidian. Create your own armor from leather. Make your own weapons. Or continue paying others to do it, because at this level, your chances are still relatively slim.

  Requirements: Create your first item

  Bonuses: +1 dexterity

  Skill increased: Creature Identification (Lv 5)

  Congratulations on reaching level 5 in this skill. You’ll now be able to access the basic strengths and weaknesses of your foes, as well as additional nuggets of information that might be of use to you.

  Bonuses: +7 intelligence

  (NOTE: Increases in skill override any previous bonuses gained from the skill).

  Skill increased: Dark Vision (Lv 4)

  The night is fast becoming your mistress. Dark shapes become more refined, night terrors lose their fuzz, and oh, the pranks you can play as you dissolve into the darkness and lead your friends astray.

  Bonuses: +5 intelligence, +8 etheric potential

  (NOTE: Increases in skill override any previous bonuses gained from the skill).

  You’ve unlocked a new skill: Dual wielding (Lv 2)

  Many don’t understand the diversity of battle style that dual wielding offers. Some stumble across this by chance. Like you. You’re a chancer, right? Now you can combine both magic and the physical in battle. Boop!

  Bonuses: +2 dexterity

  You've unlocked a new (unique) skill: Experimental (Lv 1)

  Your mind works in mysterious ways. In the heat of the moment, you choose to take the path less...well, never traveled. Continue working on this skill, and your experiments will become more successful and less likely to backfire with each level gained.

  Bonuses: +1 intelligence, +1 dexterity, +1 endurance, +1 etheric potential

  You've unlocked a new skill: Fishing (Lv 1)

  See those things in the water? They’re fish. You can catch them. Well done.

  Requirements: Catch your first fish

  Bonuses: +1 dexterity

  You’ve unlocked a new (unique) skill: Hand of the Gods (Lv 1)

  Well, dear mortal, you have earned the favor of the gods. Guiding your hands, the gods can do terrible and wonderful things. Summon the use of this skill when you’re in a dire situation and the gods will lend you aid. The results of this skill may vary.

  Bonuses: +7 etheric potential

  Skill increased: Herb Identification (Lv 2)

  The surrounding foliage is beginning to talk to you. Discover new ingredients for food and potion recipe by experimenting with combinations of Obsidian’s plant life.

  Bonuses: +2 intelligence

  Skill increased: Reckless (Lv 6)

  Launching onto a giant volcanic titan’s head? You really have a taste for danger. Keep pushing the boundaries to see how far you can push Obsidian’s limits!

  Bonuses: +15 strength, +10 endurance

  (NOTE: Increases in skill override any previous bonuses gained from the skill).

  Skill increase: Saddler (Lv 5)

  You've tamed the impossible, finding a way to ride a legendary beast and make it your bitch. Additional experience has been added to this skill to reward your bravery and boost you further on your way as you tame and ride the creatures of Obsidian.

  Bonuses: +5 dexterity

  Skill increased: Sneak (Lv 4)

  Whether ducking from friend or foe, you’re becoming one with the shadows. Keep hopping across darkness puddles, and soon you’re sure to be as invisible as...well, an invisible person.

  Bonuses: +4 dexterity

  (NOTE: Increases in skill override any previous bonuses gained from the skill).

  Skill increased: Swimming (Lv 3)

  Slicker and faster, you’re becoming more streamlined. The water loves you. I wonder what delights you’ll find way down in the depths of Obsidian?

  Bonuses: +3 dexterity

  (NOTE: Increases in skill override any previous bonuses gained from the skill).

  Quest Dex

  Open Quests

  Quest unlocked: A Fallen Goddess

  The Goddess of Retribution, KieraFreya, has fallen from grace. Her form has been divided and scattered across the land of Obsidian. For eons she has lain in wait, hoping for an adventurer who is brave enough and strong enough to unite the pieces of her armor once more and restore KieraFreya to her former glory.

  Find all [x] pieces of KieraFreya and return her to the gods.

  Difficulty: 10/10

  Rewards: 100,000 exp, + rare items (locked).

  Accept quest: Y/N

  —————————

  Complete Quests

  Quest complete: Walk the Deathwalk of the Gods

  You’ve done it! You’ve outwitted the trolls, trodden through the realm of fire, swum the unforgiving lake, and emerged victorious through the fractal labyrinth of death. You’ve truly proven yourself—

  #ERROR404

  —a champion among champions—

  MISSING_SEQ

  REBOOT_POPUP

  —Carry on, adventurer Untitled, and soar to ever great heights!

  Bonuses: 10,000 experience + Bracers of KieraFreya

  Quest unlocked: We didn’t start the fire.

  Some idiot has lost control of his flames. Help him put out the fire before the whole house is burnt to cinders.

  Difficulty: 1/10

  Rewards: 50 exp

  Accept quest: Y/N

  Quest unlocked: Crossing the language barrier

  There are many in Oakston village who can speak your language. There are, however, also many who can’t, and this might become tiresome for you.

  Unlock new quests and interactions in Oakston by either learning a new language or finding an interpreter. The rewards that you gain will be based on the choices you make.

  Difficulty: 2/10

  Reward (Interpreter): 100 exp

  Reward (Learn a language): FAILED

  Accept quest: Y/N

  Quest unlocked: Where’s the shaman?

  You’ve quite the inquisitive mind. You’ve found the shaman’s house, but the shaman is nowhere to be found.

  Use your powers of curiosity to track down the shaman before the poisonous gas that has been filling your lungs from the Deathbell flowers sends you into your final slumber.

  Difficulty: 4/10

  Rewards: 500 exp, Final slumber potion recipe

  Quest complete: Chasing Nightmares

  You’ve reunited the stableboy with his steeds. Unfortunately, the cost was high, since you lost favor with Jacob. Experience still awarded, but no horses for you.

  Rewards: 1,500 exp

  Quest complete: An unlikely pairing

  Rosaline and Derren are a match made in heaven. Congratulations on uniting them and letting love blossom in this barren world.

  Extra points awarded for copulation within the first 24 hours of meeting.

  Rewards: 1,300 exp, + 500 exp (copulation bonus), + map location unlocked.

  Quest unlocked: A most bloody request

  Someone has it out for you. Find the sender of the death note in Nauriel and discover what truly lies behind this request.

  Difficulty: 3/10

  Rewards: 2,000 exp

  —————————

  Failed Quests

  Quest unlocked: One of us

  The chief has summoned you to her chambers to accept a permanent position as part of the tribe. The tribespeople of Oakston may be basic, but there is opportunity for growth and development here. Learn from local experts, hone your skills under the tutelage of others, and make Oakston your home.

  Difficulty: 1/10

  Rewards: 5,000 exp, Title unlock (Oakston Villager), New language (Tribal: Primitive).

  Quest unlocked: A Woman in Need

  You’ve overheard the rumor that Lady Gwent is in the market for a suitor, but things might not all be as they appear.

  Track down Lady Gwent and discover the truth of the situation.

  Difficulty: 4/10

  Rewards: 3,400 exp

  Accept quest: Y/N

  Quest updated: A Woman in Need (Part II)

  Lady Gwent has informed you that a large majority of the town are not in favor of policy changes put forward by the new duchess. Help resolve the issue by uniting the two sides of the town by any means necessary to gain favor with the duchess and bring peace to Gallen Hollows

  Difficulty: 6/10

  Rewards: 7,000 exp + unknown items

  Accept quest: Y/N

  —————————

  Spells-Dex

  New spell acquired: Aqua Orb (Lv 1)

  A spell for even the sunniest of days. Conjure the Aqua Orb to protect yourself from heat and heat-related monsters. This ball is the ultimate addition to any high-society party or is perfect when in a pinch in dry environments such as deserts.

  Requirements: n x 20MP per second (where n is equal to the number of seconds taken to cast the spell)

  New spell acquired: Deic Light (Lv 1)

  Thanks to the gods, you have been bestowed with Deic Light. Cast this spell to summon a powerful column of light to dispel enemies who associate themselves with the darkness.

  Requirements: n x 100MP (where n is equal to the number of seconds taken to cast the spell)

  New spell acquired: Mind Manipulation (Lv 1)

  You’ve mastered the art of combining spells in order to screw with people’s minds. Now you can actually try digging your hands into other characters’ brain matter and affecting their biology on a cellular level.

  Mind Manipulation is a spell in the Illusion branch of magic. With this spell, you’ll be able to affect what people see and influence their decisions.

  Warning: There are many who frown upon the manipulation of people’s minds. Use with caution to maintain good standing among those within Obsidian.

  Requirements: n x 20MP

  New (destructive) spell acquired: Ice Shard (Lv 1)

  Ice may melt and ice may thaw, but you can guarantee that it’ll do some damage before it fades into oblivion.

  The ultimate spell for stealthy kills, fire an ice shard into your opponent’s heart and watch the baffled faces of the investigators when the shard melts without a trace.

  Requirements: n x 10MP per shard (where n is equal to the number of seconds taken to cast the spell)

  New (restorative) spell acquired: Healing Hands (Lv 1)

  A studious mage would be nothing without a little healing power. Lay your hands upon an injured comrade and help bring them back to health. Lay hands on yourself to fix those bumps and bruises and return to the battle as if nothing had ever happened.

  Requirements: (on others) n x 15MP (where n is equal to the number of seconds taken to cast the spell)

  (on self) n x 18MP (where n is equal to the number of seconds taken to cast the spell.

  Spell power increased: Purple Blaze (Lv 2)

  You’ve just gained your first advance in a spell. Continual and accurate use of a spell will help you grow in etheric potential. Use your additional power to cast two individual orbs of purple flame in each hand for double the damage against your enemies. Or combine with another spell to create a floating orb of light to accompany you down those dark holes of the world.

  Bonuses: +1 etheric potential, reduced cast cost (n x 19MP)

  New spell acquired: Resurrection (Lv 1)

  There are a great many forces at work in this realm. Though many choose to pursue the path of the light, magic can be found in the path of the darkness. While life is sought and clung to with iron claws, death is the inevitability that comes to all.

  Or so it would seem.

  Summon the powers within this spell to bring the dead back to the living. Higher tiers of this spell will allow control of the dark forces of the dead, while lower tiers will allow the resurrection of fallen comrades.

  A note of warning: there are those within the realm of Obsidian who frown upon the dark arts. Be wary of your surroundings before toying with the gods of darkness and snatching away their prizes.

  Requirements: 100% of player’s MP

  (NOTE: The Spell of Resurrection can only be cast once within a 48-hour period)

  New spell acquired: Volt Shock (Lv 1)

  Thunderbolts and lightning, very, very frightening! You can now summon the power of electricity to inflict damage upon your enemies. Find creative, unique ways of using this skill as you develop and grow.

  Requirements: n x 30MP (where n is equal to the number of seconds taken to cast the spell)

  New (mystic) spell acquired: Telekinesis (Lv 1)

  Tap into the etheric, dear mage, and manipulate the world around you with nothing but a thought. Metal bends to your will, rivers stop running, fires stop roaring…

  Eventually. For now, you can tweak the behaviors of small things.

  Requirements: n x 40MP (where n is equal to the number of seconds taken to cast the spell)

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  The doorbell rang, that annoying tune his mother had set it to years ago when his father had still been around. A catchy Christmas number he’d now learned to loathe all year.

  Back then, it had all been different. Life at home had been easier. Simpler. Gideon Ferrell hadn’t found a way to retreat into video games and pretend that his problems didn’t exist. He’d had a healthy, happy family, and his mom had smiled, too.

  Jingle bells, jingle bells

  Jingle all the way!

  The doorbell rang again. Gideon let his hand hover over the crappy old VR helmet his brother had donated the money for and groaned, knowing that as long as he was around and logged out of the game, the doorbell would keep on ringing.

  She’d make an excuse, of course. She couldn’t hear it over the tv, or “why would she need to answer the door when she had a big strapping man in the house?” That last one was fair in one sense, given that Gideon paid hardly any rent to live here.

  “Hello?” he said, sighing as he opened the door, confusion in his eyes when he saw a man and a woman standing there. At first, he thought they were FedEx employees, in their purple and black polo shirts, until he saw the little logo on the chest of an 8-bit mushroom cloud with the words Digital Supernova embossed beneath it.

  “Are you Gideon Fleetwood?” the woman asked, referring to the sheet on her clipboard.

  Gideon didn’t answer at first, his eyes fixed on the large box that rested on the grass. It looked large enough to contain a coffin.

  “Sir?” she repeated, her smile warmer than the summer’s day behind them.

  “Yes,” Gideon said, his voice catching. “Yes, I’m Gideon Fleetwood.”

  A thought came to him. Who in the hell in the real world knew his avatar’s name? After playing so much Obsidian lately, he had almost overlooked the small detail, but the truth was that his real name was Gideon Ferrell. Yet he had never told anyone what his Obsidian name was…

  Right?

  “Package for you, sir. If you could sign here, here, and here, please.”

  Gideon did, mouth dry as cotton as she smiled again and handed Gideon a small gold envelope.

  “Where would you like the package, sir?” the man asked, taking his place at the side of the box and grabbing two convenient handles. The woman grabbed the other side.

  “Er…” Where did Gideon want the package? Forget that he had no idea what the hell was inside, if his mother saw that any of her ‘public’ rooms (as she liked to think of them) were clogged up with something of that size, she’d throw a hissy fit. “Straight up the stairs, first door on your right.”

  The pair nodded, lifting the box with ease and carrying it past Gideon, slowing down and navigating carefully as they hit the stairs. A legend on the box saying Caution. Fragile in large red letters.