《UNISEKAI》 Chapter 1 : Prey Chapter 1 : Prey As far as Gods were concerned, Yarth-3b was a rather ordinary system world. Its three continents rose, twisted and crumpled on their great tectonic journeys through a great blue ocean. North of the equator and halfway shrouded in the white of winter laid the ragged expanse of land simply known as "The World" to its human inhabitants. Near the centre of this continent stretched rather ordinary country with ordinary struggles. Arumeni suffered the occasional war, internal power struggle and inexplicable monster flare up. In its recently forested midlands stood the city of Breccon, once also of average size and noteworthiness. However after catastrophic mine collapse ¨C following a still persisting bore-worm infestation 70 years back ¨C the city had diminished in importance and since bled both coin and people. But it was still beautiful. At its centre gathered elderly buildings of cold pale stone, their finely crafted arches and columns remaining defiant, speaking of noble glory in past centuries. Here and there squat circular towers wore their snow-capped conical wooden roofs and ornamental metal crests denoting some waxing or waning noble house or trading company. Further out though the buildings transitioned into simpler stone and wood. ¨C¨Co¨C¨C A young woman ran barefoot through the fresh snow carpeting the sparsely populated and messy outskirt streets. She weaved between abandoned carts, loitering pigoids in winter fur, and scattered remains of empty wooden barrels and crates. Recently she had felt less bothered by the cold. Last week she managed to trap and kill a winter slime and reached level three, which must have increased her overall resilience. However, now she had lost her ill-fitting shoes in a section of deep snow and the cold was quickly getting to her. She clutched the lucky blue glass bead dangling on a string around her neck, just to check if it was there. It had been a present from her mother and she treasured it dearly. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. One of her hideouts was up ahead but upon seeing a man exiting a building she quickly detoured into a dirty alleyway. Here the snow turned into slush the colour of her rags. The whole city was looking for her. They had put up wanted posters with her face, somehow making her appear worse than she already looked. The posters, titled "Wanted: The Wretch of Breccon", showed caricature of a woman with long ragged black hair, a dirty scabbed face, mad gaunt eyes, and missing front teeth. Technically all true, but still. It was not how she felt on the inside. Not how she had looked. Zhoey clearly remembered herself before the infection. Early on it would''ve been easy to cure for most ¨C just a silver coin for a potion ¨C but that was more than her family had or could easily earn. Her father had died in the bore-worm infested mines and her mother became a legless cripple after yet another cave in. So, they never earned that silver coin. Trapped in poverty Zhoey had survived doing a mixture of theft, begging and dirty menial work. The former always proved more profitable. Few acknowledged that the blue scabs weren''t really all that contagious, but an infected at her stage just looked very nasty so people kept their distance ¨C all but the lone decrepit temple monk holed up in the temple monastery outside of the city. She exited the alley and crossed another disused street, turned to look, then noticed red footsteps in the snow. Her numb feet must have stepped on a broken bottle somewhere. She swore and panicked, realising that she''d lead the pursuers right to her hideout. The whole thing didn''t make any sense ¨C she was a level three and the murder victim was probably in the thirties and immune to any sort of damage she could dish out, not to mention difficult to sneak up upon. Most likely the city lord himself had done it. The city had a tradition where anyone could challenge the city lord for the position, but certain rules had to be observed with both parties agreeing to an open duel ¨C often resulting in a dead body, sometimes two. However, rumour had it that the current city lord preferred to safely and quietly dispose of potential threats preemptively... something which certainly would be frowned upon if done blatantly. To turn down a duel from a strong opponent also counted as cowardice from a weak city lord. Thus, Zhoey had been framed for a murder. It didn''t matter how likely it seemed; it was a distraction, and her execution would be entertainment. The city would be rid of a pest. Everyone would be happy. Chapter 2: Truckd Chapter 2: Truck''d Brad Bradington Jr. pulled the car window down and flicked out a half finished cigarette onto someone''s lawn. He drove his SUV forward a bit, stopping again outside one of his own properties just in time to see a panicked single mother carrying a cardboard box. She was flanked by the two rough looking enforcers Brad had hired. "Be seeing you, leech!" he leaned out and shouted, putting on his best shit eating grin. The woman had been weeks overdue with rent and he''d rather get paid than doing charity. As the woman entered her little car, Brad craned his neck and stuttered his SUV closer until its massive front grill just about nudged the trunk of her car, actually obscuring most of it. He momentarily shifted his gaze to admire the airbrush job adorning the hood ¨C a giant stern looking eagle he had specially commissioned but managed to dodge paying for. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Yeah off ya go, off ya go you little parasite..." he half seethed and half chuckled to himself as the woman finally drove off nervously. He did not notice the child in the back seat shooting daggers through little wet angry eyes. After giving a thumbs up to the enforcers Brad fell back into his seat with a satisfied sigh, then snatched up his phone. He had to message the new tenant but ended up tapping a casino app instead. Clutching the steering wheel, phone, and a new cigarette, he slowly drifted onto the road and into an intersection, eyes glued to the "7, 7, ?" which had appeared on the slot machine. Then a big white truck T-boned him at high speed. Chapter 3 : Limbo Chapter 3 : Limbo Brad''s soul was adrift ¨C a glowing orb adrift among countless others in an omnidirectional void. He swooshed around, making little loops and zig-zags but quickly got bored and just floated in place like the rest. Were they all waiting for something here? As if to answer, a large, luminous white tentacle breached the void, scooped up a soul and retracted into nothingness. Then it happened again, and this time closer. Then a pitch black tentacle appeared. Were they feeding on souls? Brad had no way of knowing, but was about to find out as both the black and white tentacle seemed to be coming right at him. He sped towards a cluster of other souls, managing to bump one into the grasp of the black tentacle. Sucks to be you, he silently jeered. Unfortunately the collision sent him into the path of the other tentacle and he was caught. With a flash of light he found himself standing in front of an indistinct, yet distinctly godly figure. "Hello there~" the figure thundered, concentric ringed auras chiming and pulsing with each syllable. It reminded Brad of the effects in those old music players on the computer. Brad had questions, but before he could ask the entity continued. "You will be reincarnated in a fantasy world... reincarnated... with benefits. Do you wish to start as a baby or young adult?" Reincarnated? Hold on, in a fantasy world with magics, like in games and movies? That could be cool... "Uh, not a baby!" Brad answered without much hesitation. He certainly didn''t want to spend years trapped in a baby''s body, pooping all over himself while flopping about helplessly. "Adult it is. Now, do you want to play the gacha, or use the default loadout?" The word loadout stimulated Brad''s imagination. His cape fluttered in the wind. Rows of very tacticool daggers were strung across his chest. He held a magical katana glowing hot orange, or perhaps icy blue, and to each of his legs clung a women clad in only- The god entity coughed lightly. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. "...so, to elaborate, the default loadout is all medium grade rare and noble items, and you''ll start with level of 45. It''s the safe bet. The gacha is a gamble. Items may be anything between common to super and even godly grade though the latter are more unlikely draws of course. On average it is a fair deal compared with the default loadout. In any case you will be given a system ring, which is a godly grade item, and a set of ungraded but fashionable clothes." The whole thing seemed a little complicated, but Brad chose the gacha, again without hesitation, because he would definitely win big. Going over his draws a minute later, he felt he had done pretty darn good. No magical swords or anything but he had never won this big before. There was so much stuff! He looked at his final loadout. ? Ungraded fine clothes. ? Godly grade system ring, its dimensional storage now containing... ? Rare grade draw: Self purifying canteen "Refreshing Spring". ? Common grade draw: 100 Silver. ? Noble grade draw: Set of 5 System grade minor healing potions. ? Super grade draw: One epic level up pill worth 120000 experience. ? Common grade draw: Set of 3 extremely tasty loafs of nutritious bread. ? Noble grade draw: Set of 3 minor level up pills worth 6000 experience each. ? Common grade draw: Lewd figurine. ? Rare grade draw: Enchanted leaf cloak. ? Rare grade draw: Iron skin scroll. ? Rare grade draw: Strength scroll. ? Noble grade draw: Master Smith scroll. The god entity estimated the overall value as just about passable. Still, it was always interesting to see what gambler types got. The god entity had made the gacha truly random so even he was unable to predict the outcome and could enjoy a little excitement. True randomness wasn''t easy to set up so he was quite proud of it. "Oh, right, I''ll need your new name too." A new name? This time Brad did hesitate. He had difficulties coming up with names, but wanted a cool one. A really cool one... After six minutes the god entity got irritated and kicked the guy out. What a dumb name. Chapter 4 : A Hero to the Rescue? Chapter 4 : A Hero to the Rescue? She had been caught by the guards and thrown into the city lord''s dungeon. Her cold cell reeked. The rib where a guard had clubbed her was probably broken. Her feet were frostbitten and the cut likely to get badly infected. Not that it mattered. At third noon she''ll be put in the fall-blade and days her mother will likely starve to death. Sometimes she liked to imagine a dazzling knight finding her, proclaiming she was actually of noble blood, worthy of some great castle full of treasures. Perhaps she''d also go to a fancy academy with a great library and make many friends. For a moment her imagination almost made it vividly real. Suddenly she heard a voice, turning her attention to the pair of small barred windows up on the wall. She turned a chamber pot upside down and stood on it, peering out along the ground in an alleyway, only seeing a pair of legs. Apparently the cell was in the basement of the city lord''s manor, but faced out towards the public street. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. "I''m... Star Eagle. Star Eagle Godborne. Well met, kings, nobles and princesses- oh, please remain seated. No applause. You may call me... Master Star Eagle Godborne, blessed... by the gods. Now, let''s get some dancing bitches in here!" The man strutted about gesticulating strangely, apparently talking to an appreciative invisible audience in an exotic dialect. As he came into full view, Zhoey stared at the splendid looking man in awe. But when she reached out through the bars with a trembling arm towards him, he shrieked in horror and took several steps back. "Disgusting! Keep that rotten garbage way from me." Chapter 5 : The Call of... Chapter 5 : The Call of... Satan-72''s golden eyes peered into a desperate soul that trembled in front of her throne, then she frowned and deflated with sigh. After what must have been long seconds for the soul, she gathered herself up with a breath, crossed her legs the other way around, and hushed her moaning skull throne to silence. Lithe muscles played under the red skin of her nine foot frame as she twisted to the side and reached for a rotary phone in black and gold, bringing it into her naked lap. Squinting down at the rather dainty phone she awkwardly dialled 4 6 3 7 2 with a clawed finger. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. "Hello, God-72? This is Satan-72." "Yeah I''m good, but listen, I''ve got a monk soul here and I think there has been a mixup." "Uhu." "Right... why didn''t you check the guy''s history though?" "Was probably just a random truck and not one of ours." "From the Earth with the weird timeline you say?" "Uhu." "You sent him where?" "..." "Can you get him back, or should I?" "Yeah, sure, sure. You''ll owe me though." "Oh. No. Monk here was destined for Nirvana, not blessed reincarnation. I''ll send the monk off, there''s no setup for that stuff. They''re just a little spooked when a devil does it, but it can''t be helped now." "Don''t worry, these things happen." "Bu''bye." *click* Chapter 6 : A Series of Fortunate Events Chapter 6 : A Series of Fortunate Events Star Eagle Godborne watched the diseased arm of the wretch slide dejectedly back into the cell... sewer, whatever it was. Quickly returning his attention to the ring, he trembled with giddiness, feeling that perhaps this entire world would soon be satisfying his every whim. First he would have to leave this stinking alley though. He''d open the ring somewhere safe, like at an inn or whatever. Twenty meters away around the corner sat the manor''s gate guard on a stack of wooden floor planks. He wasn''t supposed to sit while on duty, but the worm eaten wood had been conveniently dumped here outside of the gate during manor renovations. Despite his level the man shivered slightly in the winter cold, his hands cupped around a steaming soup bowl. He hoped the pippin soup would get his blood circulation going. Tucked precariously in his arm fold rested a spear bearing the banner of Breccon ¨C a silver snake wiggling around a black mace, against a noble purple background. He tried to catch a glimpse of the serving girls in the diner across the street, but his view was suddenly obscured by a horz-drawn white carriage coming to a halt at the gate. He recognised the emblem on the side ¨C it belonged to one of the lord''s degenerate friends, very likely here for today''s sudden execution. As the carriage door swung open the guard stood up, defiantly deciding to hold onto the warmth of the bowl. At this point a pebble mysteriously dislodged from the top of the manor''s outer wall. A second later it splashed into soup bowl causing the guard to drop it with a startle and some cussing. The spear had tumbled out of his grasp too, tripping a servant boy just exiting the white carriage. The unfortunate boy fell onto a plank, which pivoted, catapulting a snow ball mindlessly prepared earlier by the guard. It flew right over the two horzes, just missing a head. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Observing from afar in her realm, Satan-72 cursed, but then suddenly grinned in realisation. She could still salvage this. A gust of wind altered the snowball''s trajectory ever so slightly. It hit a rotund man just exiting the diner right in the face. The man fell, dropping a small barrel of wine which then rattled noisily across the cobblestone directly towards the horzes. While this carriage was a military model, complete with extendible wheel scythes sometimes used by its sadistic owner, the two horzes in front were more for show. So upon seeing the dangerous ground creature attacking them, the fine horzes were panicked. They immediately took off, carriage in tow, distressed voices coming out a flapping door while the the horzman struggled and failed to gain back control. The carriage veered into the wall of the manor. The door tore off with a crash and one of wheel hubs scraped against the stone. This dislodged the sprint locking the wheel scythe in place. Just then, Star Eagle Godborne came around the corner, entirely focused on his ring. He had no time to react as the carriage swerved and the wheel scythe fully unfolded in a horizontal position. The carriage took another turn, carrying mangled pieces of his corpse back into the alley in a whirlwind of crimson. "Score!" ¨C Satan-72 made a small fist pump, then snatched up the soul as soon as it entered limbo. She could have just directly killed the guy with a boring inferno spell of course, but it was these sort of minimalistic intervention event chains which really got her going. Chapter 7 : What Slithers in the Dark Chapter 7 : What Slithers in the Dark The unpleasant man''s hand had skid to a halt just within reach so Zhoey had grabbed it though the bars. There was a nice ring on it and quickly snatching unguarded things was a reflexive compulsion she had developed. She discarded the bloody hand and held the ring up in the light. A little too discreet and ordinary looking, but perhaps worth 30 copper if she could find the right buyer. Well, she couldn''t now of course so she just mindlessly rolled the ring back and forth over the callouses in her palm, then finally decided she''d wear it for the execution, at least looking a bit nicer. She slid it on and held up her hand to admire it. The ring faded away. A silent voice spoke in her mind, somehow feeling more like a quickly comprehended written message. Godly grade system ring. This gives you access to the system HUD and dimensional storage. This ring will remain invisible as long as the wearer is alive. There are currently zero other active system ring users in this world. This ring contains the following items: ? Self purifying canteen "Refreshing Spring". It is currently full. May only store water. Volume: 5 decilitres, dimensionally boosted to 60. ? 100 Silver. ? Set of 5 System type minor healing potions. Cures lesser poison, paralysis, confusion and other effects. Excess healing power can be used to restore lost organs and limbs of low level users. Cannot be diluted or split. ? One epic system type level up pill worth 120000 experience. Can raise a hero to level 59. ? Set of 3 extremely tasty loafs of nutritious bread. Filled with herbs, appfele and smoked pippin meat. Temporarily increases stamina. ? Set of 3 minor system type level up pills worth 6000 experience each. These are suitable for raising companions and pets up to level 20. ? Lewd figurine. A novelty item, valuable in the right situation. ? Enchanted feather-leaf cloak. Makes user lighter. ? Iron skin scroll. Single use item. User''s skin will temporarily harden when attacked. This effect stacks with normal toughness level scaling. ? Strength scroll. Single use item. User''s muscle strength is scaled not by their current level but eight levels above. ? Master Smith scroll. Single use item. User gains the instinct and ability to craft enchanted weapons, armours, amulets, and other items. She looked around, feeling that someone would appear out of nowhere and snatch it from her. She still vividly remember having found a pouch with six silvers on the street, only to immediately receive a club to the face... which was how she lost a few of her teeth. There was some distracting noice coming from the alley, likely related to the freak accident. Some noble was very angry. Zhoey couldn''t imagine them having any business in her cell though, plus, the ring was supposedly invisible. She stepped back, carefully peering out from a distance. A guard walked by and text briefly flickered in the air. ... Norell, City Guard, Level 8 ... This was all she had time to read, so she kept watch until another man appeared. "Ouff ¨C I really oughta talk to lord Mavruc about the odour right outside his manor." the man mused, apparently having found some social ammunition. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Tondor Seck, City Lord of Hask, Level 26 Zhoey pondered. Hask? Ah, that''s the next city over. So, a city lord here for the imminent execution spectacle, perhaps? Would it get delayed? It was almost third noon. She moved back into a dark corner of her cell and sunk into a sitting position, wincing at a sudden pain in her ribs. She had become pretty good at ignoring discomfort, but this went beyond normal for her. Was she hungry too? Probably. Focusing on the ring she tried to bring out an "extremely tasty loaf of bread", curious to find out whether it was actually true. Her whole situation had been surreal lately. A golden brown piece of crispy bread appeared in her hand and she immediately brought it to her mouth, biting awkwardly into it using her side molars. Then she cried ¨C it was indeed extremely tasty, instantly filling her with a warm buzzing sensation. Nobles would pay gold for it, and here she was, having a private feast in a stinky dungeon. Then she brought out the "refreshing spring". The water was also as advertised, very refreshing and slightly bubbly. Suddenly this had turned into the best day of her life. How could it possibly get better than this? Then she remembered the other stuff in the ring. It was true too? Magical potions which could cure any condition? She had only heard about such things in stories. Commoners who were a little better off had access to expensive healing and specialised curing potions, but nothing with miraculous effects. Bread and canteen now relegated to her lap, she stared at the glowing red potion that appeared in her hand. She had seen a few lesser healing potions in a store display, but they were all a milky dull pink. System type minor healing potion. Cures lesser poison, paralysis, confusion and other effects. Excess healing power can be used to restore lost organs and limbs of low level users. Cannot be diluted or split. She brought the small pear shaped bottle to her cracked lips and drank the whole thing in one swig. She felt nothing at all. Felt nothing as the scabs fell off her skin. Felt nothing as her teeth grew out. The background noise of pain was gone, too. So she felt nothing. She tried to stand up but sunk right back down, blinking in confusion. Her hands were smooth and pristine, full of vitality. She ran a finger over her new teeth, then took another bite of the bread. It tasted even better now. Divine. Having quickly finished the whole loaf, she then took out the 100 silver. It would take a commoner family years to accumulate this wealth, yet somehow it just seemed a little like dead metal to Zhoey now. With a serious expression she put it away. The scales had shifted. Just as the conversations outside seem to move off into the distance, a wheezy, yet powerful voice spoke out of the darkness in the cell. "So are you going to use the epic pill, or just laze about? Hurry up now lady... your time draws dreadfully short. No time for bread and coin." A talking white snake slithered out of the darkness, startling Zhoey upright with a jerk. She put everything out back in the ring and looked guarded. "Relax, I''m just a little snakey snake, here on behalf of my mistress. Here to keep an eye on you, and ask a small favour, or two. Three, in fact.", the snaked spoke while weaving and undulating hypnotically. "Do these favours three, and you may keep the ring, contents and all. Such is the deal." "Wh-what favours?", Zhoey stuttered. "Kill Mavruc Moor. His soul is ripe and delicious." "Kill Tondor Seck. His soul is ripe and delicious." "Kill the pottery worker with the dumb green hat, at the southern gate. The blaspheeeemer!" "Smash his misshapen statue! Grind it into dust." Zhoey blinked, then a wrinkle formed on her brow. Those were four favours. Would the list grow further? "Well, I know the first two ¨C the city lords ¨C but uh- who is the last guy?", she queried hesitantly. "A blight!", the snake immediately responded, " He must die. Die die die. Mistress ordains it, as do I and every creature of her nine realms." "Now eat the pill!", the snake hissed at her before turning to slither back into the darkness. "Then use the scrolls.", it flicked its head around to add. Then it was gone. This just keeps getting stranger and stranger. Who was the mistress of this snake creature? The whole thing seemed a little ominous, but that feeling was entirely dwarfed by the prospects ahead. Chapter 8 : Third Noon Chapter 8 : Third Noon The guards brought the woman out, kept at a spear''s length. A few of them thought something looked a bit different about her. Had she smeared herself in mud and filth? The wretch must be deranged. The disheveled criminal limped barefoot in the snow all the way to the city town square where the execution platform had been hastily erected. A lot of people had gathered, despite the short notice. The fall-blade was a relatively new invention garnering much interest. It consisted of a three meter tall and 60 centimetre wide wooden frame. At the top, locked by a trigger mechanism, rested a massive, thick rectangular iron blade, likely as heavy as a man. The device could easily kill a level 30 criminal, assuming he was kept bound. No restraints seemed necessary in this case though. No one dared approach the filthy woman ¨C besides, she was about to lay down willingly. Murmurs arose as she twisted around to instead lay on her back, facing the blade suspended far above her neck. The guards shrugged and just kept their spears loosely pointed at her. Ten meters off to the side of the platform stood a line of small throne-like chairs, all occupied by two city lords and a few nobles. Ready to speak, the city lord rose, hand hoisting up a parchment which unrolled. "We have gath- gathered here... to-" At the moment he glanced at the woman, she twisted her head and peered madly back into his eyes, causing him to stutter. "...to..." "I. Challenge. You.", she interrupted, still remaining frozen in place. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. There was a moment of silence. "Well then.", the city lord replied, slowly rolling his parchment back up. "Your position seems a bit... disadvantageous. Why don''t we give you something sharp to fight with?" He then nodded at a man standing ready on the platform holding a rope. The audience leaned forward as the man gave it a small tug. With a clack, the massive blade fell. The woman''s gaze never left the city lord as she quickly raised an arm 90 degrees straight up, catching the blade''s edge in her palm with a thud. "Thanks." Then she tore the blade out of the frame in a shower of splintered wood, spun into a standing position and hurled the massive thing at the city lord in one smooth motion. It was not a clean edge-on hit so he simply disappeared with a loud *DONG* having turned into a cascade of giblets and red mist. Zhoey got a message. You have defeated Mavruc Moor, City Lord of Breccon, Level 31. 173 experience points awarded. System quest 1/4. Commoners, nobles and guards alike scattered in a chaotic panic. Zhoey meanwhile snapped into focus. There were at least one other target here she couldn''t let get away. Stepping forward, she dropped off the front of the platform and onto the town square cobblestone, then crouched and tore a fist sized stone out of the ground. Hefting it, she noticed her target cowering behind a wooden throne. The stone went right through it. You have defeated Tondor Seck, City Lord of Hask, Level 26. 110 experience points awarded. System quest 2/4. Her system HUD really helped with making sense of the chaos. No pottery workers in dumb green hats were in the vicinity though. The highest level she had seen around was a level 25 adventurer, and an old lady who was level 24. Many were about level 10 and under. Zhoey hadn''t had much time to look at her own stats and abilities yet. Soon the town square had emptied and she stood alone with the corpses, feeling somewhat cathartic. Chapter 9 : Afternoon Aftermath Chapter 9 : Afternoon Aftermath The 120000 experience pill had elevated Zhoey from level 3 to level 59. The effect wasn''t instant though ¨C every 5 levels a new, seemingly random ability had to be accepted or rejected. Some people would of course insist that abilities were in fact especially chosen for each person. Nobles would often buy expensive pseudo-rational books, such as the popular "Abilities: Methods for prediction and influence, by Rhon. L. Quak". It outlined an overly complex system with such a multitude of nebulous variables that the process might as well be random anyways. Zhoey had gotten 11 abilities in total but had to reject two, turning them into ability scrolls. There were prisons, orphanages and shady low paying jobs where people were "encouraged" to reject their first level 5 ability and the resulting scrolls were then sold to nobles for a lot of money. This type of farming by nobles did generally not yield powerful abilities but a lot of duplicates of the simple stat boosting minor abilities which were common at lower levels. Sometimes poor people also rejected abilities which might not be useful to them, either saving the scrolls as insurance for later in life or giving them to their children. Zhoey''s mother had gained the Minor Resilience ability at level 5 before she got Zhoey, and thankfully kept it. The increased resilience helped in childbirth, and likely also later saved her during the collapse of the mine. The reason why Zhoey had to reject two abilities was because one of them was the useless Gauge ability ¨C she should already use the system ring to get more exact data on her targets. Supposedly gauge just gives a vague feeling of weight, sort of like trying to guess the weight and contents of an enclosed urn. Guards with this ability were often hired to work at gates and receptions. In order to trick the guards that she wasn''t a threat while being conveniently escorted to her victims, she had turned on a system ring feature called Spoof. It made her appear as a level 3 to anyone using gauge on her. Now she had switched it off however, as she didn''t want to be disturbed. The second ability Zhoey rejected was the somewhat common Minor Strength. Many abilities come in four grades: Minor, Normal, Greater, and Master. She had the more powerful Strength scroll in her ring. She could opt for merging the abilities, but there was only a very small chance that the two would become Greater Strength given that one was of a Minor grade. It would likely just be wasted and she wasn''t much of a gambler. Still standing there on the town square, she looked at herself. Name: Zhoey Garnet Status: Commoner / Prospective City Lord Level: 59 Profession boosting abilities: ? Master Tea party ... Zhoey sighed seeing that one. She got it at level 55. Getting a master grade ability was extremely lucky, but why would it have to be tea party? She chuckled a bit though, thinking about some big buff knight getting it after decades of grind. Profession boosting abilities did not make one instantly adept at them, rather, they just made certain things easier to learn and master, some aspects feeling instinctual. She continued going over her information. The next one was more interesting. ? Restoration According to the system description, this profession ability related to fixing worn or broken items or buildings. While Zhoey might no longer be short on money or the capacity to acquire it, she could see this one coming in handy sooner than later. Looking at the next set of abilities, some of these had already been very useful. Special abilities: ? Iron skin ? Poison immunity ? Death glare ? Projectile awareness ? Graceful motion If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ? Shroud These abilities weren''t supposed to have grades, however, since Zhoey had heard of poison resistance she guessed poison immunity was a more complete version of this ability. Death glare she had used on the city lord. This active ability was perhaps a variant of the more common oppressive glare which she had been subjected to on multiple occasions. That was a psychological attack which unsettled weaker targets, often making them back off in fear. Death glare had an additional effect ¨C it sneakily inflicted a temporary status ailment which disabled all abilities, passive and active. One reason why she had used death glare was because she had also gotten projectile awareness and thus there was a small chance that the city lord had it too. This passive ability allowed the user to sense incoming projectiles and take action, assuming they had the physical capability. She had used graceful motion as well. It was another passive ability, one which made movement transitions more intuitive, economical and measured. Additionally it made the user less likely to sprain an ankle, pull a muscle, fall out of bed and such things. Finally, shroud was an active ability which could make the user blend into the background and escape indirect attention. Next up were the basic stat boosting abilities. These just made certain stats abnormally high, scaling them four levels up for minor, eight for normal, and twelve for greater. Stat boosting abilities: ? Strength ? Minor Resilience ? Minor Agility Temporary boosts: ? Stamina from bread (4 minutes remaining). Zhoey was about halfway to reaching level 60 now, which would give her another ability, but the state of her mother was of course the more pressing matter. ¨C¨Co¨C¨C Maynor Rhemott hid behind a roadside barrel, panting and peeking out at the lone figure standing pensive in the abandoned town square. Once he had made the mistake of using gauge on saint Alana after spotting her at a fancy social gathering in the capital. It made him made drop his plate with refreshments, causing great embarrassment. Saints were the most powerful people in the country, likely around level 42-48. Breaking level 50 was unheard of. A moment ago he had used gauge on this woman and his knees just buckled under the weight. Now he was doing breathing exercises. What kind of monster was she? His eyes narrowed. Was she perhaps equal threat and opportunity? Maynor''s older brother had been the previous city lord before, but his life ended in the duel which had brought the current city lord into power. Maynor suspected foul play though ¨C his brother had been poisoned ahead of the duel and his wife had also gone missing the night before, likely kept as leverage, then killed. The city lord manor had previously belonged to the Rhemott family but had been seized, so it technically now belonged to either the Rhemott family or Mavruc Moor''s relatives, if not to this ragged looking woman who had in fact issued and won a challenge in front of all. It really depended on who could best enforce their will. Maynor built up his courage, forced himself erect and walked out towards the scary woman, back initially straight. ¨C¨Co¨C¨C "Salutations, new city lord!" Zhoey turned and looked down at the little chubby nervous man. He was somehow shorter than her own five feet. He wore fine clothes and an enormous frilly collar. She didn''t recognise him. Maynor Rhemott, Nobleman, Level 18 Not much of a threat, then. City lord huh? That had just been an idea she got in the spur of the moment. She couldn''t even imagine being a city lord. She had other stuff to do right now. Growing annoyed at the holdup she frowned at him as he continued. "May I inquire into what your plans are for the city lord''s manor? You see... the, uh-", the man paused and glanced at the grim scene near the wooden thrones, then continued, "...the late lord''s manor is in a state of disrepair. If you need a property manager I''d gladly offer up my services to-" Zhoey had no fond memories of the place, but then again she had only spent time in the dungeon underneath. "Whatever, do with it as you wish.", she interrupted, having turned to look at a point in the distance where her mother was hopefully safe and waiting. Remembering the feather-leaf cloak, she made it appear. It was a pristine white, made out of hundreds of featherlike scales. She put in on with a graceful motion, suddenly feeling rather light. Her takeoff was a bit less graceful though, not being used to her strength nor the effect of the cloak. The man fell on his butt as the slush covered cobblestone quaked from her jump. He quickly got back up, looking for witnesses ¨C not for him falling on his butt, but rather in getting permission to seize the mansion back. The woman had already disappeared into the distance, making fantastic skips across snow-capped rooftops in a bizarre mix of clumsy and graceful. Chapter 10 : Reunion Chapter 10 : Reunion "Honey, you''re home. Where have you been? Did you run into trouble again?" Her mother''s sad and tired little smile turned into an expression of concern, then full on confusion. "You look different.", then she wrinkled her nose, adding, "But you smell quite bad." Zhoey sat down on her mother''s rather short improvised bed in the small shed. She was still caked in mud and filth aside from the fingers which she had cleaned in the snow, but her mother had perhaps seen through the disguise. "Don''t worry about it. I''ve brought some bread and water. I think you''ll like it.", she said, placing a loaf of bread and a canteen on the layered blankets that kept the cold away. Zhoey knew her mother hadn''t eaten while she was gone. In fact, they had been low on food this whole week. Her mother sometimes did some easy crafting work earning a few copper, but without any legs she was quite limited. "Oh my, this bread looks amazing. When did you learn to bake Zhoey?", she jabbed, knowing full well that her daughter probably nabbed it from a food stand. No matter how bad things got, they''d often joke and play little pranks on each other to keep their spirits up. This time Zhoey would make a very special joke. "Oh my goodness... Oh my goodness this is great." Zhoey grinned at her mother chewing wildly, inadvertently letting her perfect teeth show. "Zhoey... what happened?" "I really do smell ¨C I should go wash up, this is a special day. Please drink this medicine. Do it in one go and don''t spill any. It''s expensive. It will help with the phantom leg pains." Zhoey promptly left after leaving a healing potion on an old empty crate serving as both nightstand and crafting table. She washed up in a nearby stable which had a well. The water was very cold but did not bother her. When she returned to the dilapidated shed her mother was standing awkwardly stomping and in complete disarray. Her pants looked comically short now, revealing naked calves and feet which took all of her attention. "What the hell Zhoey these are legs! I grew legs!" "Probably took out a few wrinkles, too.", Zhoey added after taking in the sight for a while, finally attracting the attention of her mother. Her mother stood silent, frozen, staring at her beautiful daughter, free from disease. "Happy birthday, mom. I love you.", Zhoey said, choking slightly from pent-up emotions. It wasn''t actually anyone''s birthday, though, it was just something dumb they said on the rare occasions something good happened. It took them both twenty minutes to stop crying and hugging. Zhoey had tried a few times to recount what had happened during the day, but she just made a mess of it. As it was getting dark they decided to light a little candle that they had been saving. In candlelight illuminating the cramped shed, Zhoey eventually managed to lay out a strange series of events. Given what had just happened to her legs, her mother seem to have no trouble believing all of it, but she made many strange faces. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. After sitting silent for a while, Zhoey looked at her mother with a wicked expression. Thama Garnet, Commoner, Level 6 "You know that part in the story where I wondered if things could possibly get any better?" She then made a pill and the 100 silver appear out of nowhere. "Oh, that''s so much money! Is that the ring''s doing?" "Yes. I want you to eat this, too.", Zhoey said firmly, pushing the pill forward with a finger. "Does it make me grow more legs? I think two is quite enough." "Just eat it, mom.", Zhoey rolled her eyes. Then she watched with anticipation, observing her mother''s face as she dutifully swallowed the pill. Thama Garnet''s eyes opened wide in surprise but appeared focused elsewhere. "This thing... it''s from when I got my ability! Aah! A new one appeared! It''s Minor Heat resistance. Do I keep it? What do I do?" "Definitely keep it." "Ok. I did it. Wait- it happened again! Another one one appeared! It''s something called Evaluate. It... uh, allows me to estimate the value of merchandise?" "Keep it." "It''s not stopping ¨C I just got another one! It''s Minor Strength." Zhoey sighed a bit, since she had it as a scroll already. "Well, keep that too." "Are you sure? These can be sold for a lot of money I hear." "Very well. Oh, I think they stopped coming. Oh, oh, I just noticed I''m level 20." Zhoey quite enjoyed taking in the face of her bewildered mother. Then she took out a second 6000 experience pill and placed it on the surface between them. "Are you pulling your poor mother''s regenerated legs right now?", Thama gasped, making the candle light flicker. Zhoey just stared her mother down. "Here we go then... Ah, this time I got Alchemy. Says it''s beneficial for professions like potion making and, uh, chemistry something. I took it. Now I''m level 27." "See if this one brings you over level 30 then.", Zhoey grinned, taking out the third and last 6000 experience pill. Thama opened her mouth as if to speak, then closed it, then she opened it again, stuffing in the pill. "Charisma. Took it. Wrinkles gone? And I''m Level 31." She narrowed her eyes to and give her daughter a stern look, and the aforementioned wrinkles temporarily returned. "So is it over? Are we done?" "Well, yea." At that her mother seemed almost relieved, perhaps wanting a respite from all the excitement. "Wait, no. I almost forgot". Zhoey brought out the three scrolls she had been saving. Master Smith, Gauge and Minor Strength. At that her mother huffed out so much air the candle went out and Zhoey noticed they were down to their last match. She lit it and looked into the fire. "I don''t think I want to be a smith and you''re more of a crafts person, so you should use this. The other two would be completely wasted on me and we aren''t selling them." Thama sighed, picked up the first scroll, then looked briefly confused before managing to accept it''s effect. The scroll disappeared burning with a strange blue flame. When she finished the final scroll, Minor Strength, she frowned. "Nothing happened. No message." "Aww, that''s a bummer." Thama leaned forward, as if to close the conversation. "Well, I''m going for a short walk to clear my head, and you know, actually walk. And do the thing." When Thama got up she held onto the corners of the crate, unwittingly crushing the wood. "Oh." "Yea, be careful with your new level, mom. Don''t launch yourself into the air when you get back up from squatting." They later spent the rest of the evening making plans for tomorrow, and perhaps the rest of their lives. Having eaten the bread, neither of them were the least bit hungry for the first time in recent memory. ¨C¨Co¨C¨C = End of Book 1 = Appendix - Creatures, Truncated Appendix - Creatures, Truncated Map of the Known World ¨C While it''s believed other landmasses might exist, exploration of the seas has been so far hindered by dangerous seabound predators. Occasionally amphibian and flying monstosities also make inland raids, endangering coastal settlements. Just like people, monsters, creatures and animals ¨C whatever one might call them ¨C also possess abilities boosting their capabilities. Unlike people however, their levels don''t seem to vary much at all. For this reason it is possible to assign a threat level to each type (consult an Adventurer''s Guild Handbook or Traveller''s Handbook for a table). ¨C¨Co¨C¨C The Porcumbi is spike-backed Urkid roaming the southern seabed and coast. Though not directly aggressive, it is highly poisonous and hard to approach. Herds of Porcumbi can block of entire coastal stretches during mating season. Also along the southern coast we find the Blue Angels. These large airborne predators are not particularly fast and mainly feed on floating corpses out sea. They are however silent and can easily snatch up a sleeping horz with their barbed vaned tentacles. Their unnaturally light body is fairly tough and makes for valuable crafting material. However, simple villages are often forced to evacuate or bunker up when one drifts inland. The Inner Sea is infested by Starpik. These have four sharp fins capable of stunning a larger predator, making them a tough meal. Their own diet mostly consists of seaweeds, but they''re also opportunists ¨C a school of Starpik can strip a body of flesh in minutes with their sharp beaks, be it living, stunned or already dead. Their main body is about the size of a round helmet. The Great White Wing patrols the frigid skies of the north. With a wingspan of 9 meters it has few enemies in the air. Individuals can sometimes be recognised by their wing injuries, and some scholars have spotted a particular specimen, "The Neiland Terror", in desctriptions dating back 300 years. Farthest to the north an amphibian tuskoid known as the Northern Sea Monkey harasses the few rare coastal settlements braving the cold. They are known to skip out of the water and swarm ships causing mayhem. For this reason net guards are often installed on ships traversing the coast. The Crescent Sea is relatively safe and supposedly a playground for young Gelphin, often in the 3-5 meter range. Further out in the East Sea the specimens grow much larger and are able to overturn ships though coordinated efforts. A very large Sea Wyrm has been seen patrolling the seas to the south and east. It has only been sighted a few times and it''s unknown whether it''s a single specimen or different ones. Few ship crews survive to tell their tale. ¨C¨Co¨C¨C The Deep Bore Worms infest inhabited caves and mines, collapsing tunnels and feeding on the inhabitants. Contrary to popular belief they can not sustain themselves on rock and minerals alone. Therefore they often hide and enter hibernation for long time periods, waiting for new prey to arrive. They''re very difficult to locate and clear out. The Desert Bore Worms have specialised in tunnelling through loose sand. While not fast, they can launch surprise attacks on caravans and encampments. Most of their time is spent scavenging however. The condition of the corpse does not matter much to their extremely sturdy digestion system. ¨C¨Co¨C¨C During the late autumn the common Winter Slimes hatch and prowl the forests looking for easy prey, generally corpses. Like all slimes they are essentially immortal, going though an annual rebirth cycle. Come spring they burrow, dehydrate and form an egg, thus losing much of their previous memories and experience. Forest Slimes function similarly but are active on the opposite side of the year. Slimes can cause trouble for the inexperienced or unaware, but are not much of a threat to new adventurers and travellers. ¨C¨Co¨C¨C Tuskoids are a common type of quadruped animal sporting two tusks, a single front facing eye and a horn of varying size. Some Tuskoids have been tamed and bred to function better with people. The Horz is used mainly for transport, though only a few are of sufficient size to ride. It''s much more common to see them drawing carriages and war chariots. During hard times they''re slaughtered for their meat. The same can not be said for the Pigoid, which is difficult to cook. Instead it''s used more as a waste disposal cleaner. They also effective for sniffing out vermin, parasites and wood worms. Some Pigoids are cultured specially for their pink fur, though its marketed under a different name to disassociate with the unclean status of the Pigoid. The elegant and playful Mouts serve the noble class as pets and sometimes hunting aids. Unlike the Pigoids, Mouts require a special and well balanced diet and are difficult to care for and train. They easily revert to a wild state if lost or abandoned. ¨C¨Co¨C¨C Land Birds include several varieties of Pippin. The tame version, simply known as the Pippin, was bred from the Wild Pippin. Either can be used as a source of good meat, eggs and feather. They feed mostly on fruits, seed, weeds and shrubs. The Green Pippin can be hunted for its fine meat, but it''s fast, surprisingly devious, and dangerous. The latter is evident by its nest that''s often built from the bones of previous territorial challengers. Though belied by its appearance, the Green Pippin is entirely carnivorous. ¨C¨Co¨C¨C The southern plains one can find herds of the long necked Steppe Horzes browsing and grazing. Reaching only 1.5 meters to the top of their head, they''re too small and delicate to serve the same role as tame Horzes. The Steppe Horz can reach flight speeds upwards 200 km/h when chased by a predator. In contrast, the 2 meter tall Phonts are larger and very sturdy. However, they are stubborn and apparently untameable. Attempts have been made, resulting in flattened villages and rampages. Phonts have two pairs of pronounced tusks which they can use as a weapon. Their skin forms rigid plates that can be difficult to penetrate by mid level hunters. They''re best left alone when encountered. The valuable tusks are best harvested from Phont remains. The quarrelsome Bulhorns commonly move in packs of four to seven, antagonising anything they come across to create opportunity or just as a matter of course. While less than a meter tall, their burly armoured build allows them to survive the many trouble situations they create. The Rhunts are vermin tuskoids about the size of a foot. Just like the Pigoids, they''re known to eat anything and can be found slithering about in hoveltowns and harbours. Unlike the Pigoids however, they''re actually not bad tasting, though much more difficult to catch. They can be found, or rather, traces of them can be found from the north to the south. Variants of the Longtusk can be found everywhere, though they are solitary carnivores with large territories. Encountering one of these hyper predators is an occurrence as equally rare as deadly. Reaching almost 2 meters in height, their muscular build allows them to reach speeds upwards 250 km/h. Goronts can be found in jungles and wetlands mainly to the south. While somewhat similar in build to the Longtusk, they are slightly smaller and not carnivorous. They also form large families which are fiercely protected against predators. A young Longtusk attacking a member of their group will quickly find itself outnumbered and in trouble. The Dog, or Feather Dog is the largest known Tuskoid, and an apex predator. In stories they are pitted against knights and heroes and saints, but in reality they are far too dangerous to be faced in combat. They have a feather-like fur which can supposedly be used to make legendary enchanted clothes and equipment. The Dog and its fur is tended to by alert Groomer Flies which in turn enjoy a certain protection. The special fur allows the Dog to move at unfathomable speed and make great bounds, reportedly leaping over entire mountains. They spend most of their time sleeping however and are only aggressive to people when provoked. ¨C¨Co¨C¨C The Oil Worm is a type of Urkid found in swamps and mud pools, but also in city sludge and harbours where they feed on refuse and the occasional trapped bodies. Like all Urkids they''re about a foot in length, and amphibian. The Oil Worm is especially slippery and flexible, making them a difficult catch. They can be farmed for their oil. The amphibian Finned Urkid is a delicacy, but also difficult to catch. It''s sometimes called a Sea Pigoid. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Out of all the Urkids, the Lightning Urkid is perhaps the strangest with its ability to move unnaturally at great speeds. Scholars believe some form of time manipulation might be involved as the Lightning Urkid also falls without injury at an increased speed. Within its own frame of time it''s perhaps moving rather slowly. Fortunately the creature is harmless. The Porcumbi covered earlier is also a form of Urkid. ¨C¨Co¨C¨C Wyrms are elongated creatures with four arms, two wings, and four beady eyes. The scales of the larger wyrms make excellent crafting material that is difficult to acquire due to the danger level of these monsters. The Snow Eel is the least dangerous wyrm but perhaps the most unsettling. About a meter in length and very nimble, it can be found slithering through soft snow, ice burrows, or slush and water. Should a creature succumb to cold, Snow Eels will often appear, popping out of the snow awaiting the death of their quarry. It is said they they are never wrong in sensing when a person is about to die. Catching their beady eyes is thus considered a very bad omen. Dreaded is the Night Wyrm. This 5 meter long stygian menace has the ability to control hordes of undead. What''s worse, they often act in pairs. Once they have settled in a territory it takes a small army to deal with the wyrms and their minions. That said, Night Wyrms seem more interested in challenging other Night Wyrm couples ¨C casualties in villages and towns are more incidental to this struggle. Night Wyrms have somewhat underdeveloped wings permitting only short flights and leaps, but can move with great agility between trees and buildings. They have taken down city lords in single combat on more than one occasion. Their dark metallic scales are only pliable to the most skilled of craftsmen. For this reason, their scales lay unused in many a treasury. The Rainbow Lizard, also known as the Prism Wyrm, resembles a lizard. It can mainly be found meandering in Izrac and Bun-yah, seemingly with no preference for any particular terrain type or biome. It''s somewhat rare and only hunted on special occasions by the local tribes and communities. The shimmering scales of its hide make for good flexible armour. Their wings have regressed into short stumps which can vibrate against its sides, producing a strange sound akin to rattling chainmail. The Rainbow Lizard can reach 3 meters in length and is best faced by a team of professionals. Should one be unavailable it''s best to scatter and count the losses. As its name suggests, the Pond Wyrm inhabits ponds and lakes and rarely enters land. Anywhere there is a sizeable pond, locals insist there''s also a Pond Wyrm, either to scare children or themselves. Should mysterious tracks be encountered nearby, it might be the Pond Wyrm skulking about. Pond Wyrms have fin-like appendages and are very agile in the water. Their beak is soft and rounded, suggesting it perhaps feeds on pond weeds, vegetation, and lakebed creatures, only occasionally supplementing its diet with the occasional nosey sightseer. They can grow ancient and measure some 8 to 10 meters from head to tail. Attempts to kill or capture one have been unsuccessful in a manner which discourages further similar ventures. The Sea Wyrm is a very large seabound wyrm covered earlier. ¨C¨Co¨C¨C Sand Sharks are lizards prowling the wastes of Izrac and Bun-yah looking for opportunities. They measure 4 to 5 meters from head to tail and have large muscled jaws and rows of sharp teeth. Sand Lizards are cunning and persistent endurance hunters. Once encountered they can be hard to shake off or dissuade and it takes a group of well armed seasoned escorts to deal with one. An unfortunate caravan will encounter two. The armour plated Beak Lizards thrive in wetlands where they lurk in shallow waters. During dry spells they seek out new territories, so they can sometimes be encountered in unexpected locations like mountain ponds and city waterways. Despite being just over a meter in size, they are tough to kill, or trap and keep trapped. For villages without resources it''s often best to just form a mob and chase them away. ¨C¨Co¨C¨C Pin Walkers are a danger found on most beaches where masses of the pen sized creatures half-burrow in sand or dirt, revealing only the poisonous thorn of their shell. After stunning their victim they will emerge in great numbers to start their feast. They''ll also feed on anything which washes ashore. The barren regions of Izrac and parts of Eglynn are home to the hard shelled Purple Top, but it was likely more wide-spread in the past before the land recovered. The lumbering creatures are normally scavengers but can attack slow travelling caravans and are tough to handle without the right weapons. Purple Top remains are used as nests by Desert Bore Worm larvae and it''s rare to find an intact shell in the wild. ¨C¨Co¨C¨C Phintels are a softbodied group of creatures with a beak, four fins and four tentacles. They have no eyes but still have keen senses and a clear awareness of their surroundings. Once exclusive to the mountain ranges of Thun in the north, the Lunarphin has begun to sporadically migrate further south down through Neiland for unknown reasons. It is a night predator and a daring mountain climber. At 1.4 meters it poses an intermediate threat. It tends to feed on the eggs or young of other species, or their own, but has perhaps adapted to other sources of food. The White Dredphin and Black Dredphin are large amphibian apex predators found in the South Sea and North Sea respectively. Unlike the finwalking Phintels the Dredphin use their rear tentacles for locomotion. One of the tentacles has pronounced finger-like grappling abilities, but it unclear just how intelligent the Dredphins are. The ones which emerge on land often appear to be in a crazed state and either kill off any witnesses, or cause senseless chaos and destruction before succumbing to exhaustion. Along the beaches and coastal sand fields of the Inner Sea where the land corals thrive one can often find Orphins hiding in the sand. Despite their knee-high stature they are very aggressive and persistent, and also fairly tough with a hard inner skull that is actually a continuation of the tough beak. They often emerge at inopportune moments to swarm and ransack the encampments of unwitting travellers, or to surround and harass weakened larger prey to the point of exhaustion. When burrowed they appear to subsist by some form of filter feeding. The Zyduphin, also known as the Aawk in Bun-yah, is a mostly harmless grazer with a prominent beak nearly half a meter in length. It''s exclusive to temperate central regions stretching from northern Laar up to the Olvanian mountain ranges, and it tends to avoid water even though it can swim. Zyduphins largely avoid predation on account of their sour taste, and are thus quite numerous. Internal disputes in the herd are settled with a form of beak clubbing ritual. When agitated they can give novice adventurers problem in the form of broken legs, and sometimes crushed skulls. The Gelphin is a phintel which has been covered earlier. While entirely seabound, the Lonphin nevertheless poses a problem for people. Just like the Gelphin they can disrupt trade and fishery by overturning smaller vessels. Lonphins can reach up to 8 meters but tend to act alone and with less adroitness than the coordinated Gelphin. There''s also the Dwarf Lonphin which is only half a foot in length and entirely white. It feeds on carcasses, or dead skin in specialised spas. As dusk settles, the Nightwings wake up and emerge from their resting places in lakes and rivers and take to the skies. Using their powerful senses, they track down prey both in air and on land. With a wing span of four meters they pose a significant threat to travellers on the move in open terrain. Fortunately they rarely hunt in cities or forests, perhaps due to their clumsiness on land and an aversion to aerial obstructions. Not much is known about the Rivermen and no remains have ever been encountered. Some say they are just a tall tale by blurry eyed travellers. ¨C¨Co¨C¨C The Spike Shell and Greater Spike Shell are large clams with retractable boneless limbs. They''re rarely encountered on land but their hard shells can fetch quite the price. Limbs or weapons trapped in their closing shell can be considered lost. They can not be trapped in nets nor in ship holds. They commonly stand 0.6 meters and 1.4 meters respectively. ¨C¨Co¨C¨C Caraptoids are carapace creatures with four legs, two wings four mandibles, a single eye, and a segmented armoured body which is especially hard on the top side. They are morphologically diverse, just like the Phinels. The Loprawn has no visible wings instead relying on it powerful hind legs for locomotion. They can jump long distances to escape a predator or accurately pounce on lone prey. About the size of a young child, Loprawns only pose a danger to solitary travellers on foot... unless it''s swarming season when they group up by the hundreds and are known to attack even cities. The shy and long lived Torteks mainly feeds on plant life and minerals. When cornered they can still put up a fight and are difficult to injure as it will expertly use its tough shell as a shield, or for battering. Once an opportunity to withdraw presents itself it will do so. They''re about the size of a small tavern table for four. The Groomer Fly mentioned under Dog is a caraptoid. While not only grooming Dogs, they have keen senses seemingly able to locate Dogs over great distances. Groomer Flies are well liked by all creatures enjoying their service. The palm-sized Dung Flies are much less liked and terrorize Tuskoids and people in particular. Skilled archers can hit a Dung Fly in flight. Many city guilds have placed a small bounty on Dung Flies in a somewhat futile attempt to keep their numbers down. The larger Red Wings are even worse as they do more than just nibble, but rather swoop in to bite off chunks of flesh. Fortunately they are only common in the south and south-west, though during the summers strays can appear further north. While native to the western wetlands, the Poison Sting can now occasionally be encountered along the eastern coast. The creature was reportedly imported by the Drecht Empire in an attempt to train them for assassination tasks. Now the Poison Sting has begun to infest the eastern wetlands. As the name indicates, the creature has a deadly poisonous stinger. Its light body and half-meter wingspan allows it to silently glide down and surprise its target. It''s not carnivorous but rather use its victims for incubation. The Ripper is a solitary predator and scavenger with a 1.5 meter wingspan. It can be found all over the world, but makes its nests in forests and mountains. Though it can attack people and livestock, it''s well liked as its a prolific hunter of Dung Flies. Regrettably it can not be tamed and bred to perform the task. Losing a foot to a Desert Crawler is unfortunately a too common occurrence. They are quick, armoured and equipped with a pair of powerful scythe-like mandibles almost a foot in length. It''s best to block them off with a pole and follow with a strike using a piercing weapon. The especially nimble-footed can press them into the sand and pry a dagger in under the shell. Skullwalkers or Helmetwalkers are strange long-limbed quadrupeds with a body shaped somewhat like a skull. Their diminutive wings serve as some sort of signaling device and it''s possibly they they have a developed language. That might just be anthropomorphisation on account on their appearance however. They tend to stay away from people, but have also shown what might be curiosity as they never move too far away but stay to observe. It''s considered bad luck to kill a Skullwalker. Out of all the caraptoids, the Stiltman is the most mysterious ¨C and dangerous. Living in groups of up to fifty they inhabit grottos, ruins and abandoned towns. Sometimes they ignore passers by, sometimes they attack them. There are never any survivors should the latter occur. About the height of a man, they stand upright and wander about seemingly without purpose.