He did, however, assign his six stat points. He plunked them all into Strength. He had already got a number of upgrades today, and it just felt like the right place to put it. Maybe he’d regret it later, and maybe he was being hypocritical for telling Mira to split her stats up, but he did it all the same.

  Then he cast Teleport for the first time and swept off to get started. He’d have to fill Emiri in on everything, but he felt this had a real chance of helping out his people. Actually, with their connection now it should help out Miromar too.

  Dave’s Stats and New Spells

  Name: David Nelson

  Race: Dungeon-Bonded Human

  Age: 42

  Class: Arcane Dreadnought (Tier 3)

  Level: 41st

  Alignment: +2

  Position: Duke of Eastern Duchy, Consort to Lady Emiri, General of Albian Army, Albian Ambassador to the Moon Elves, Mini-Boss Bastion of Thralls, First Champion of Albia

  Movement: 69

  Stats:

  STRENGTH: 75 (20% bonus): 90 (+25%): 108

  Bravery: 27

  Regen Rate: 9/hour

  Melee Damage: +180%

  DEXTERITY: 25 (+25%) 31

  Ranged Damage: +62%

  Rogue Skills: +36%

  AGILITY: 43 (30% bonus): 55 (+25%) 66

  Movement Rate: +132%

  Defense: +330%

  CONSTITUTION: 47 (+25%): 58

  Health: 4250 (+100%) (Gear:+250)

  Regen Rate: 65/tick (per skill)

  Fury: 17.4

  Regen Rate: 5.8/hour

  ENDURANCE: 66 (+25%): 82

  Stamina: 58.5

  Regen Rate: 19.5/hour

  Needed Rest: -75% (max)

  INTELLIGENCE: 98 (20% bonus): 117 (+25%): 142

  Mana: 4000 (+100%)

  Spell Damage: +284%

  WISDOM: 87 (30% bonus): 113 (+25%): 134

  Mana Regen Rate: 2925/hour

  Faith: 57.3

  Regen Rate: 19.1/hour

  CHARISMA: 48 (+25%): 60

  Social Skills: +120%

  Teamwork: 18

  Regen Rate: 6/hour

  LUCK: 15 (+25%): 18

  +18% chance to avoid catastrophic effects

  +18% improvement on chance of loot drops

  +18% improvement on quality of loot drops

  Total XP: 34,599XP to Next: 81

  Unspent Stat Points: 0Unspent Character Points: 155

  Traits:

  Where the Mind Leads the Body will Follow

  Tier 2: +20% Strength

  Tier 3: Arcane Backlash

  Tier 4: +20% Intelligence

  Tier 5: Adamant Bulwark

  Blight Slayer: +10% damage against any creature that is the result of a magical experiment.

  Dungeon Enhanced: Tier 1 +10 STR, +10 AGI, +50 WIS, +50 Toughness, +50 Regeneration, +100% to health and mana pools. Status as dungeon mini-boss. Special abilities to be determined.

  Duke of the East: +25% to all stats, +50% to all regeneration rate. (only applicable within Albia)

  Champion of Albia/Blade of the King: Nobility bonus applies anywhere in Albia. Long Blade: +20.

  Skills:

  Class

  Arcane Backlash: 50

  Adamant Bulwark: 60

  Damage Shift: 30

  Generic

  Running: 3

  Toughness: 130

  Regeneration: 130

  Social

  Sense Motive: 20

  Speak Languages: 14

  Diplomacy: 260

  Armistice: 50

  Craft

  Engineering: 80

  Academic

  Knowledge- Research: 201

  Knowledge- Law: 3

  Wilderness

  Survival- Forest: 14

  Survival- Desert: 7

  Tracking: 15

  Combat

  Taunt: 1

  Dodge: 70

  Heavy Armor: 130

  Unarmed Combat: 170

  Archery: 80

  Long Blade: 100 (+20)

  Double Strike: 20

  Weapon Specialization- Long Sword: 80

  Offensive Stance: 60

  Sneak Attack: 10

  Flanking: 10

  Bravery

  Shield Other: 50

  Muscle Swell: 80

  General Magical

  Quicken Spell: 41

  Esoteric Senses: 60

  Mana Barrier: 41

  Frost Armor: 78

  Magic Focus- Abjuration: 80

  Magic Focus- Evocation: 80

  Spell Mastery- Ablative Armor: 10

  Spell Mastery- Mass Lesser Enlarge: 10

  Spell Mastery- Lightning Bolt: 10

  Magic Schools/Spells

  Abjuration Magic: 80

  Minor Shock Shield

  Obscure Scrying

  Ablative Armor

  Damage Mirror

  Nullify Magic/Negate Magic

  Repulsion

  Conjuration Magic: 80

  Minor Messenger Bird

  Minor Mirror Strike

  Gate

  Alcoholic Cloud

  Summon: Dire Rhinoceros

  Totem of Stillness

  Frost Storm

  Spatial Bite

  Lesser Creation

  Conjure Dungeon Minion

  Conjure Elemental

  Teleport

  Divination Magic: 80

  Identify

  Assess Enemy

  Sure Strike

  Minor Scan: Secret Door

  Track Bloodline

  Wizard’s Eye

  Enemy Locator

  Evocation Magic: 80

  Magic Missiles

  Minor Force Stomp

  Lesser Brilliant Radiance

  Thunder Arc

  Lightning Bolt

  Fire Bolts

  Arctic Sphere

  Chain Lightning

  Shaping Magic: 80

  Minor Binding

  Minor Mending

  Fleeting Fury

  Lesser Repulsion

  Lesser Gazelle’s Grace

  Mass Lesser Enlarge

  Bone Shatter

  Alacrity

  Inertial Burst

  Enhanced Flight

  Major Shift

  Elemental Enhancement

  Greater Stoneskin

  Were-bear’s Might

  Lesser Giant Form

  Combination:

  Perceptive Sending

  Spell Trigger

  Gear:

  Breastplate of the Mother Hen

  Flaming Longsword

  Epic Ring of the Healthy Leader

  Hawk’s Eye Ashen Wood Longbow

  3 Arrows of Piercing

  Dual Bag of Holding

  Tome of Mystic Enhancement

  Portable Hole

  Forrest Running Boots

  Astral Black Blade

  Imbued Buckle of the Mage’s Mantle

  Shield Bracer

  Echo Ring

  Charm Stone: Spell Rebound- Tier 3

  Mythic Healing Potion x 2, Mythic Mana Potion x2

  New Spells: not previously detailed

  Greater Stoneskin: this spell causes the target to gain a stony barrier around their skin. It provides DR: 150 and elemental resistances to fire, electricity, cold, and acid of 500. The spell first applies the stated resistances and then further reduces the damage of the next attack by 90%, the second by 60%, and the third by 30%. After all damage resistance it reduced damage of the next attack that would cause damage by 90%, the second by 60%, and the third by 30%. After that, it only applies the previously stated resistances. Mana Cost: 85. Duration: 1 tick + 1 tick/level. Cast Time: 12 seconds. Cooldown: 3 minutes – 1 second/level. Tier 5

  Repulsion: Creates waves of force that push only enemies back. The form of the spell is a 270-degree arc. No creature with STR less than 3x caster’s INT may come within 50’ of caster. The requirement drops to 2x for 100’ and 1x for 150’. No solid projectiles weighing less than 30x/20x/10x the caster’s INT may enter the field without being knocked backward. Mana Cost: 75 + 10 mana/tick. Duration: variable. Cast Time: 6 seconds. Cooldown: 10 minutes. Tier 5

  Teleport: Allows caster, along with up to 5 other creatures of basic humanoid size, to instantaneously travel to any spot that is well known by the caster within 200 miles + 10 miles per level. Targets may only bring what they can carry in terms of inanimate objects. All creatures suffer a momentary Sickness Debuff after being teleported. The duration and severity of the debuff will decrease with experience but will never be entirely gone. Mana Cost: 75. Cast Time: 1 second. Cooldown: 1 minute. Tier 5

  Conjure Elemental: summons an elemental to obey the will of the caster. A will contest is initiated. If the caster prevails then the elemental is under the caster’s control for the duration or until slain. If the duration expires or the elemental is destroyed, it is returned to its plane of existence at full health. If the caster loses the contest of wills, the elemental will have a 75% chance of returning to their own plane of existence or a 25% chance of attacking the caster. Elemental types this spell can summon include: Earth, Air, Water, and Fire. Reagents are necessary, consisting of a sufficient quantity of the element to build the body of the elemental, 2 oz. of magicyte, and optional rare elements. Providing insufficient reagents will negatively affect the will check. Providing more magicyte or top-quality reagents will positively affect both the duration of the spell and the will check. Examples of top-quality items would be a diamond for an earth elemental. Further exploration will be the responsibility of the caster.

  Level of the elemental is determined by the reagents and luck. Minimum level is 40. Maximum level is 55. Duration: Minimum is 1 minute in combat and 1 hour out of combat. Maximum is 24 minutes in combat and 24 hours out of combat. Cast time: 10 minutes Mana: 200 Cooldown: 4 hours. Tier 5

  Enemy Locator: This spell will attempt to locate an enemy. The range is 300 miles + 12/level. The spell will impart the knowledge of enemy’s present location only. This spell will penetrate obfuscation spells of 3rd Tier or below and has a 50% chance of penetrating a 4th Tier spell and a 25% chance with a 5th Tier version. Reagents such as personal possessions can increase probability and reduce mana cost. Mana Cost: Base is 150 mana. Cast Time: 12 seconds. Cooldown: 1 minute. Tier 5

  Spell Trigger: Prepare a construct that lasts for up to 1 day per level. It may store a spell of up to 5th Tier for instantaneous release, although the duration of the spell is reduced by 20% for every Tier over Tier 1. Generally, applies to any spell. May not have more than one spell trigger active at a time at Tier 5. Gain an extra use at Tier 6 and again at Tier 7. Mana Cost: 1000 mana. Cast Time: 10 minutes. Reagent: 2 ounces of powdered magicyte per Tier of the spell held within the trigger. Cooldown: 24 hours. Tier 5

  Were-bear’s Might: This spell enhances the target’s melee capabilities at the loss of any non-class-based spells or magical abilities. Target gains: STR +100, DEX: +25, AGI: +50, HP: +1000, Regeneration: +75. Critical Strike Chance +10%. Mana Cost: 225. Cast Time: 12 seconds. Duration: 1 tick + 1 tick/level. Cooldown: 2 minutes- 1 sec/level. Tier 5

  Lesser Giant Form: Increase the size of a single inanimate object/or living being by up to 1000% for inanimate objects and 200% for living beings. Duration for inanimate objects is 2 hours +10 min/level, but that duration is divided amongst the number of objects enlarged. Duration for living beings is 6 ticks+ 1/level. Mana: 300. Cast time: 4 ticks. Tier 5

  Interlude 1

  The clans continued to gather, and more and more orcs were drawn by Naraan’batar’s power as the first khan within more than a lifetime. The hostages he had taken from the human nobles raised his esteem in their eyes. The irony of that being that it was not something he had wanted to order.

  Yet, he couldn’t fault his brother and second, Khunbish, for what he had done. Bringing hostages was hopefully a quicker way to get the humans to turn over his mother. If the clans knew how far he was willing to go to get his mother back, they likely would have removed their support.

  The warriors wanted battle. The priests wanted to expand the influence of their dark god, one whom Naraan at least no longer accepted. The craftsmen wanted access to human markets. The old and wise wished for peace but knew that the clans needed more room to grow and wanted to break the cycle of endless conflict with the dwarves.

  Through it all, Naraan, now khan of all orcs, simply wanted his mother back. That was why he did all this. It was why he assembled an army. It was also why he sat listening to his brother and sister as they bickered.

  “Easy for you to say, Jalaqai. You weren’t there,” Khunbish protested again.

  “You seem to take this as an affront to your manhood. I’d understand that if this were one of those clan chieftains confronting you, but this is me, Brother. I don’t have anything hanging between my legs to rob me of my common sense. I am only speaking of doing what must be done,” the third of the orcs said.

  Naraan shook his head. He’d heard this argument before. His sister felt that Khunbish hadn’t done as much as he could have to obtain the best hostages or to rescue their mother. The khan wasn’t sure. His brother was his sword, the one who faced challengers on his behalf. But their sister was the pragmatic one. She was the shadow of the khan as she had been when he was just a clan leader.

  This is what their parents had taught them. She did what had to be done, even when it would have tarnished her honor. She did what Naraan needed done but couldn’t be seen to do.

  “Sometimes smashing something isn’t the best way to get what you need,” Khunbish said.

  Jalaqai laughed. “How many times have I told you that.”

  “Laugh all you like, but again you weren’t there. I’m telling you I heard the boy-warrior and the winged girl speak English.”

  “What did they say then?” Jalaqai asked.

  “It was enough that I recognized it. You know that father wouldn’t let mother teach us how to speak her foreign tongues.”

  “Maybe not you, but while you were out hunting, I had more time with her than you did.”

  “So you always remind us…”

  Naraan slammed his fist down on the makeshift throne. “Enough. This isn’t getting us anywhere, and we three at least must be of one mind.”

  Khunbish bowed his head and put his fist to his chest, “As you order, my khan.”

  “Not you, too.” Naraan lowered his head and sighed. “At least when it is just us, treat me as your brother. We all three are missing our mother. Chimeg is a skilled crafter and valued by the clan. They all want her back, but only the three of us share the depth of this loss.”

  Jalaqai said, “Then unshackle me. The humans are responding as I told you they would. They are coming for the hostages and intend to fight. The clans will demand war. Maybe that is a good thing, but not until we have mother back. Let me go and do what I do best.”

  “Even your illusions won’t be enough now that their guard is up. If it must be war, then so be it. But until the chaos begins, you are not to do anything.”

  “And when it does?”

  “Then I’ll let you off your leash.”

  Jalaqai smiled. Her tusks were smaller than her brothers, but they still showed with this wide grin.

  Karin Li, once a human of Earth, now an orc known as Chimeg, sat silently on the floor. She had managed to free herself from the bonds the spider mage had placed on her, but she still didn’t try to escape. As a girl, she had learned how to be quiet and stay out of the way of the adults.

  That lesson had only been driven home more by her time in Eloria. Orcs were fierce, but when you lived in the rough land of the mountains, you had to know when to be bold and when to be small.

  The weak southerners thought they knew so much. They had their huge cities and their large armies built up through comfort. But none of them had ever faced one of many Tier 4 monsters in the mountains and certainly not any of the true powerhouses.

  Sometimes, even a hunting party wasn’t enough. Eloria valued the powerful over the weak. This wasn’t different than Earth. There it had been the rich and the poor. Oh sure, there were still those who worked together, but even thirty warriors couldn’t take down many of the threats.

  In those cases, it was best to be small. You could only hope to be one of the survivors from the hunting party. The clan would move away from the territory of whatever monstrosity had been disturbed. The widows and children would mourn the lost, but that was just life in Eloria.

  It had given her an acute sense of how to know when something outclassed her. She had once seen a frost drake from a distance. Fortunately, it didn’t see her or she might not be sitting here today. Only seeing it briefly had been enough to convince Karin that she had no chance against such a beast.

  She had known the same when she saw Reimor, the spiderkin mage. Her resistance the first time she had met him had been futile, and she didn’t intend to repeat her mistake. There were just some monsters with whom you could only hide or run.

  The human warrior she had seen in the dungeon had been another such being. There was just a feeling of power that oozed off him. Yet even he hadn’t felt as strong as Reimor. Now, Reimor, the spider mage, was dead, and his killer paced the small safehouse she had been brought to.