"Another on the left!" a voice shouted from the back while Cat healed Victor.
Two more spiders, the size of minivans, came scuttling out of the smoke. Hunter, now a wood elf with small, crown-like antlers wrapping around his forehead, rushed across the battlefield. He hurled his disc like Captain America, leaping over downed trees and dodging poisonous web balls. Meanwhile, Christy transformed from a wood elf with two small antlers into a small phoenix and took to the air, attacking from above and setting fires to slow down the multiple approaching spiders. On the right side, Riley and Ann battled one of their own.
"Alright, Victor, I need you to use your fireball this time and don't get too close to them while doing so," Catherine instructed, flying up as a fairy with gray and black wings.
"Okay," Victor responded, charging a fireball.
"Watch out, Mom!" A massive fireball shot from Victor, heading for the spider they were in combat with. The fireball hit with so much force that it knocked the spider back and burned it alive.
A precise shot to the face by Hunter finally took out the one he had been wearing down, allowing him to focus on the last one with Catherine and Christy. Like a bullet, Christy flew fast from the sky, transformed mid-air into a small bugbear, and squashed the last spider into the ground.
"That should do it," Cat said to the group.
Ann, now with the sleek features and almost glowing skin of a high elf, walked forward, dressed in damaged leather armor and holding a giant greatsword. "Good, because I need to bathe. I'm covered in this green spider guts, and it's making my skin itch."
"Yeah, you need to bathe alright. I can smell you over here," Victor said with a smile.
Ann turned and gave Victor a look that made him quickly reply, "Sorry."
Christy walked forward and transformed back into her new elf form. "I think these spiders are cute. Can I have one?" She then pulled a small baby spider, the size of a miniature poodle, from behind her back to show them.
"Honey, I don't think that's a good idea. Miss Ann here isn't a fan, and I don't particularly care for them either. Let's go for something a little less arachnid and a little more like a mammal or avian," Cat suggested gently.
"Oh, what about the blood rabbit that I saw in the woods with the big fangs?" Christy pressed.
"How about we start with a squirrel or a monkey?" Cat said with a concerned tone.
"Okay," Christy replied, her face falling as she looked at the ground. She then ripped the head off the spider in her hand and tossed it aside.
"Heh, a murder rabbit would suit you," Hunter remarked.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Christy asked, narrowing her eyes.
Hunter continued with a grin, "Heh, heh, yep."
"I hate it when you do that," Christy said, punching Hunter lightly on the arm.
"Hey, you guys, let's save it for the enemy, okay?" Cat interjected.
"Uh, hey guys, there's a wall here that we can't get through," Ann said, pushing against the invisible barrier.
The smoke settled, revealing a semi-translucent wall. Behind it lay the base of the mountain, and higher up, two saber-toothed cats lay in wait.
"Uh, yeah, so there are some pretty cats up there. Can I keep one of those?" Christy said in a playful tone, pointing out the two saber-tooth tigers.
"We need to move away from here. I don't know if they can get through or not, but we are spent on resources, and to me, they look like something we can't handle yet," Cat continued, a concerned look on her face.
They turned to head back, exhausted and spent, until a system message popped up in front of each and every one of them.
Cat turned around, her eyes wide, and yelled, "Run!" as the invisible wall separating them from the mountain disappeared.
"Man, we just unlocked the next area, sweet," Scott said, looking at the now opened chest.
"Yep, now let's dig into this loot," David replied.
Scanning the loot they found:
[Tablecloth Of The Feast (Rare)]
This seemingly ordinary tablecloth is made of a fine, white linen, but it is imbued with the magic of a generous host. The fabric is imbued with magical threads that can summon a grand feast, a meal that is both a blessing and a temporary boost. Abilities: Feast of Plenty (Active): Once per day, you can unfurl the tablecloth and summon a grand feast, with the food and drink appearing as a manifestation of your desires. The feast lasts for one hour and will satisfy the hunger of up to ten people. Feast of the Gods (Active): During the feast, you can choose one stat to temporarily boost for a period of 6 hours. This can be your Strength, Dexterity, or Intelligence, granting you a temporary surge of power.
"That's not bad at all," Scott mused, looking at the new gear. "It seems like we're on that show and we just got saved for the next episode from getting voted off the island. Now we're getting all the goodies and a nice bed to sleep in. Speaking of beds..."
[Bed Of Regeneration (Rare)]x7
This miniature bed is no larger than a shoebox, but when activated with mana, it can be grown to a full-sized bed, complete with down blankets and feather-filled pillows. The bed is enchanted to soothe the body and mind, giving the user a slight regeneration boost while sleeping. Abilities: Restful Slumber (Passive): When you sleep on this bed, your body will regenerate at an accelerated rate, allowing you to recover from wounds and fatigue more quickly than normal. Mana Restoration (Passive): The bed's magic also helps to restore your mana, allowing you to wake up feeling refreshed and ready for battle.
Scott thought internally, a grin spreading across his face.
[Backpack of Holding Greater (Legendary)]
This backpack of holding is given to the raiders of the first completed dungeon. It is a deceptively plain-looking backpack made of dark leather, but its interior is a marvel of magical engineering. The space inside is a pocket dimension, which can hold a vast amount of items, equal to the size of a 12ft x 12ft x 10ft room. Abilities: Dimensional Storage (Passive): This item can hold a vast amount of items, regardless of their weight or size. The magical space inside is a dimensional pocket, allowing you to carry a massive amount of gear without being encumbered. Dimensional Instability (Passive): If another item with a dimensional pocket space is put into this bag, both items will be destroyed, and all of your stored items will be thrown into the space around you.
[Token of Enhancement (Legendary)]
This token is a small, polished stone with a single, glowing rune on its surface. It hums with a faint magical energy, and its power is said to be able to enhance the very essence of an item, making it more powerful than before. Abilities: Essence of Power (Active): This token can enhance one item of its rarity by one tier. For example, a Rare item can be enhanced to an Epic item.
"Wow, such a good find here," Scott said with a hint of glee in his eyes.
"Yep, definitely," David replied.
"Who's hungry? Because I could go for a meal right now," Rick said.
"Do you always think with your stomach?" Osia asked with a smirk.
"Yeah, and my, you know what," Rick said with a wink.
Tomas interrupted, "Okay, let's get going so we can get back home to check on the wolves in the mancave."
Packing their belongings in their new, surprisingly lightweight bags was a welcome relief. These comfortable, premium military-style bags, featuring a camouflage pattern with an army green color, significantly reduced their burden.
They headed for the door, and Scott looked over to David, who had his token in his hand.
"Any idea what you're going to use that on?" Scott asked.
"I thought it over, and I've chosen my backpack," David replied. "The staff was a close second since I prefer the axe, but to have more space for all the ingredients I can carry just seems like a no-brainer. Any idea what you're going to use yours on?" As David spoke, the token disappeared from his hand, and the backpack began to glow. The bag grew slightly bigger with added pockets. Scott scanned it again to get a better idea of what it had become.
[Backpack of Holding Greater (Ancient)]
This enhanced backpack of holding is an enchanted item bestowed upon the raiders of the first completed dungeon. Its interior space is a magically enhanced pocket dimension that offers storage equivalent to a 30ft x 30ft x 30ft room. Additionally, it contains three separate 5ft x 5ft x 5ft pocket dimension pouches for smaller items. Abilities: Dimensional Expansion (Passive): This item can hold a massive amount of items, offering a vast interior space and three smaller, separated pouches for organizing your loot. Dimensional Instability (Passive): The system will warn you against attempting to place another item with dimensional storage inside. Ignoring this warning will result in the destruction of both items and the scattering of all stored contents into the space around you.
"Very nice, though I'm curious if there's a tier above Ancient?" Scott mused. "Someday I'd like to find out. I just need another token. Does anybody want to die to give up their token in the name of science?...... anybody........ I guess I'll take that as a no."
Everyone laughed at Scott's jest. He was joking, well, semi-joking. He did wish he had another token, still unsure what to spend it on. He liked the idea of upgrading his bag, but also considered his sword.
Ultimately, he decided on the Short sword
[Short Sword of the Burning Sun (Legendary)]
This short sword is a magnificent blade forged in the heart of a star. Its blade is a brilliant, fiery orange, and it is so hot that it hums with a gentle, scorching energy. The hilt is wrapped in the hide of a phoenix, and the pommel is a small, polished sunstone that glows with an inner light. Stats: +60 Str, +60 Agil, +60Vit, +60 End. Abilities: Sunlight Channeling (Active): Once per day, you can call upon the sun and become one with its light for a short period of time. Using light as your path, you can move at the speed of light, making you an unstoppable force on the battlefield. Solar Resistance (Passive): The sword's immense heat gives you a passive resistance to all fire damage, allowing you to endure the most scorching of flames.
~
[Short Sword of the Burning Sun (Ancient)]
This short sword is a magnificent blade forged in the heart of a star. Its blade is a brilliant, fiery orange, and it is so hot that it hums with a gentle, scorching energy. The hilt is wrapped in the hide of a phoenix, and the pommel is a small, polished sunstone that glows with an inner light. Stats: +70 Str, +70 Agil, +70 Vit, +70 End. Abilities: Sunlight Channeling (Active): Once per day, you can call upon the sun and become one with its light for a short period of time (3 minutes). Using light as your path, you can move at the speed of light, making you an unstoppable force on the battlefield. Solar Resistance (Passive): The sword's immense heat gives you a passive resistance to all fire damage, allowing you to endure the most scorching of flames. Blade of the Phoenix (Active): The short sword can also be set ablaze for 3 minutes a day, causing its blade to become a roaring inferno that deals fire damage to enemies with each strike.
" Scott thought, pleased with the outcome. Scott mused, getting an idea of what to do next.
As soon as they returned to the wolf den just outside the portal, Scott got to work skinning. David and George took guard at the entrance while Scott took his time, focusing on improving his skill. With all the meat, skin, and bones available, they would be set for a while.
It took Scott a day and a half to skin every last wolf. He saved the Alphas for last. George also helped gut the wolves, speeding up the process. Scott ended up with 34 adult wolf pelts, 5 pup pelts, and 2 Alpha peltsSkinning skill jumped from Level 1 to Level 17
Once they finished skinning, they stowed all the wolf skins, bones and all, in their new bags, wasting nothing. Afterward, the three of them headed back to the cave.
Upon their return, the crew got to work for the next few days, each focusing on their respective crafts. George began smoking the meat in a makeshift smoker made from ironwood branches. David worked on his Alchemy, refilling all the empty bottles they had used during the dungeon, while also helping Rick with his poisons. Tomas tried his hand at making barrels for alcohol and crafted a couple of kegs using his knife and one of the axes they found off the guys Scott dealt with downriver. Peter, meanwhile, started a new skill in gunsmithing
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Osia trained with her golem and learned a new craft: Bone art
Scott, on the other hand, focused on making new winter gear. The rest of the crew had scouted out the new areas and found they had access to the snow-covered mountain to the north while Scott was busy skinning the wolves at the den. During the day, they would craft and take short naps in shifts. At night, they started hunting in groups of three, with one person staying back to tend to the wolf pups. Their two hunting groups consisted of Tomas, Peter, and Rick, while Scott's group consisted of David, George, and himself.
One particular night, Scott's group found nine chests while fending off numerous fire-brand mountain lions. Tomas's group only found two, but collectively, over a few nights of work, they unearthed a total of 20 chests[Ring of Enhanced Mana (Rare)][Ring of Vampiric Touch (Rare)]
Scott ended up crafting cold resistance gear for everyone, including various coats, boots, and gloves, which boosted his Leatherworking skill to Level 20
**[Nature of the Beast(Common)(10%]~[Nature of the Beast(Uncommon)(12%)]
[Leather Savant (Rare)]
Through countless hours of practice and a deep understanding of leathers, you have become a master of the craft. Your hands move with practiced ease, and your mind can see the potential in even the most mundane hides. Abilities: Master Craftsman (Passive): You gain a significant bonus to all leatherworking, allowing you to create higher-quality gear with less effort. Your understanding of the craft allows you to create items with enhanced stats and abilities.
[Bag Creation Lesser (Common)]
Your leatherworking abilities have reached a level where you can now craft small bags of holding, provided you have the proper mystical ingredients. These bags, created by weaving enchanted threads and a stable magical core into durable hides, contain a small, self-contained pocket dimension. This pocket can comfortably hold a decent amount of items, roughly the equivalent of a large travel chest, thus significantly reducing your encumbrance and allowing you to carry a greater amount of valuable loot from your adventures.
[Gear Specialty (Rare)]
Through dedicated practice and an uncanny knack for understanding the intricacies of equipment, you've developed an accelerated connection to a single item type. This innate talent allows you to quickly master the use of your chosen gear, granting you an immediate advantage in any situation. Abilities: Chosen Focus (Passive): Your intense focus on a specific type of gear allows you to gain a profound understanding of its properties. Once you choose a specialty, you receive a permanent 5% bonus to all stats when wearing that type of item. Master's Touch (Passive): Your unique bond with your chosen item grants a significant improvement to its durability and effectiveness. The item's condition will deteriorate at a much slower rate, and you will find it easier to repair, maintain, and even upgrade it.
[Active Camouflage (Rare)]
Your constant use of stealth has made it clear that camouflage is the way to go. Using this ability you can now add active camouflage to your created gear. Abilities: Adaptive Camouflage (Passive): When you are in stealth, your gear will automatically shift in color and texture to blend in with your surroundings. This provides a significant bonus to your stealth and hiding, making it harder for enemies to detect you. Invisibility Cloak (Active): Once a day, you can activate this ability to make yourself and all of your equipped gear completely invisible for a short period of time. This ability is taxing on your mana and will drain a large amount of it upon use.
[Stat Increase Leatherworking (Unique)]
To hone one's skills in this craft you have the ability to slightly enhance one's gear's abilities or even add ability points to the piece, depending on its rarity. Abilities: Enhanced Gear (Passive): Your leatherworking prowess allows you to slightly enhance the existing abilities of a leather item. You can increase its stats or improve the effectiveness of its abilities. Ability Infusion (Passive): Your knowledge of leatherworking allows you to add new ability points to a piece of leather gear. The number of ability points you can add depends on the rarity of the piece. The higher the rarity, the more points you can add.
“Ok now i have a few things to think about. A Lot of good things here to start off with for leatherworking. But what should I pick….. Hmmm I may as well go with [Stat Increase Leatherworking (Unique)]
[Fur Specialty (Rare)]
Your craft in furs has improved drastically. You have specialized in creating fur armors that are of higher quality than others, and it shows. Abilities: Master Furrier (Passive): Your expertise in fur allows you to create higher-quality fur gear with less effort. Your understanding of the craft allows you to create items with enhanced stats and abilities, improving your craft from Common to Rare. Natural Insulation (Passive): Your fur gear will provide a natural resistance to all cold damage, allowing you to endure the coldest of climates with ease.
[Active Camouflage (Rare)]
Your constant use of stealth has made it clear that camouflage is the way to go. Using this ability you can now add active camouflage to your created gear. Abilities: Adaptive Camouflage (Passive): When you are in stealth, your gear will automatically shift in color and texture to blend in with your surroundings. This provides a significant bonus to your stealth and hiding, making it harder for enemies to detect you. Invisibility Cloak (Active): Once a day, you can activate this ability to make yourself and all of your equipped gear completely invisible for a short period of time. This ability is taxing on your mana and will drain a large amount of it upon use.
[Gear Specialty (Rare)]
Through dedicated practice and an uncanny knack for understanding the intricacies of equipment, you've developed an accelerated connection to a single item type. This innate talent allows you to quickly master the use of your chosen gear, granting you an immediate advantage in any situation. Abilities: Chosen Focus (Passive): Your intense focus on a specific type of gear allows you to gain a profound understanding of its properties. Once you choose a specialty, you receive a permanent 5% bonus to all stats when wearing that type of item. Master's Touch (Passive): Your unique bond with your chosen item grants a significant improvement to its durability and effectiveness. The item's condition will deteriorate at a much slower rate, and you will find it easier to repair, maintain, and even upgrade it.
[Bedroll Enhanced (Unique)]
The skill of making a bed of leather has now hit a new level. The chances of you getting an enhanced Bedroll have improved and could possibly take on a better regeneration depending on the rarity of the gear. Abilities: Enhanced Regeneration (Passive): Your skill in crafting leather bedrolls has improved to a unique level. Your bedrolls will now provide a better regeneration effect to your health and mana, allowing you to recover more quickly from your adventures. The regeneration rate is dependent on the rarity of the gear.
[Fur Gear Enhanced Cold (Rare)]
Your constant crafting of fur items has greatly improved. This allows you to add a slight resistance to cold to fur equipment made by you. Abilities: Cold Resistance Infusion (Passive): Your skill in crafting fur gear allows you to infuse a +2 cold resistance into any fur equipment you create. This bonus stacks with any other cold resistance abilities on the item.
“Not going to lie, this is a bit different and with us getting the new bed i don't think this is a good one to choose right now even if it's unique.” Scott thought.
“Interesting, I can add the cold resistance to any fur equipment I've made. For sure a good skill to have. You never know when you're going to need this ability.” Scott thought. “What to choose, the bedroll is nice, and the cold resistance for colder climates is also nice. Hmm I guess I'll go with [Fur Gear enhanced Cold(Rare)]
[Bag Creation Lesser (Common)]
Your leatherworking abilities have reached a level where you can now craft small bags of holding, provided you have the proper mystical ingredients. These bags, created by weaving enchanted threads and a stable magical core into durable hides, contain a small, self-contained pocket dimension. This pocket can comfortably hold a decent amount of items, roughly the equivalent of a large travel chest, thus significantly reducing your encumbrance and allowing you to carry a greater amount of valuable loot from your adventures.
[Bedroll Enhanced Healing (Unique)]
The skill of making a bed of leather has now hit a new level. The chances of you getting an enhanced Bedroll have improved and could possibly take on a better regeneration depending on the rarity of the gear. Abilities: Enhanced Regeneration (Passive): Your skill in crafting leather bedrolls has improved to a unique level. Your bedrolls will now provide a better regeneration effect to your health and mana, allowing you to recover more quickly from your adventures. The regeneration rate is dependent on the rarity of the gear.
[Fur Specialty (Rare)]
Your craft in furs has improved drastically. You have specialized in creating fur armors that are of higher quality than others, and it shows. Abilities: Master Furrier (Passive): Your expertise in fur allows you to create higher-quality fur gear with less effort. Your understanding of the craft allows you to create items with enhanced stats and abilities, improving your craft from Common to Rare. Natural Insulation (Passive): Your fur gear will provide a natural resistance to all cold damage, allowing you to endure the coldest of climates with ease.
[Active Camouflage (Rare)]
Your constant use of stealth has made it clear that camouflage is the way to go. Using this ability you can now add active camouflage to your created gear. Abilities: Adaptive Camouflage (Passive): When you are in stealth, your gear will automatically shift in color and texture to blend in with your surroundings. This provides a significant bonus to your stealth and hiding, making it harder for enemies to detect you. Invisibility Cloak (Active): Once a day, you can activate this ability to make yourself and all of your equipped gear completely invisible for a short period of time. This ability is taxing on your mana and will drain a large amount of it upon use.
[Skinning Enhancement (Rare)]
This skill improves your ability to skin better leather at the cost of the use of leatherworking. Better skins means better Gear. Abilities: Flawless Hide (Passive): Your expertise in skinning allows you to consistently produce higher-quality hides. You have an increased chance of obtaining a rare or unique hide from creatures, which can be used to craft superior gear.
“Finally something that isn't a copy from the last option.” Scott thought. “Decisions decisions, Honestly I can get the skinning first and once I hit level twenty maybe I will take the [Bedroll Enhanced Healing(Unique)]
[Skinning Enhancement (Rare)]
This skill improves your ability to skin better leather at the cost of the use of leatherworking. Better skins means better Gear. Abilities: Flawless Hide (Passive): Your expertise in skinning allows you to consistently produce higher-quality hides. You have an increased chance of obtaining a rare or unique hide from creatures, which can be used to craft superior gear.
[Reinforced Stitching (Common)]
This skill allows you to reinforce the seams and weak points in your leather creations. By using a special, durable stitching technique, you can make your gear stronger and more resistant to wear and tear. Abilities: Iron Thread (Passive): All leather gear you craft has a permanent bonus to its overall durability, making it last longer in the field. Swift Repair (Active): You can instantly repair a single piece of leather equipment to full durability once per day, consuming a small amount of mana
[Elemental Infusion (Rare)]
With this skill, you can infuse your leather with the essence of elemental materials you've acquired. This process requires great care and precision, but the result is a piece of gear that offers protection against the forces of nature. Abilities: Tannin of the Elements (Passive): You can add a minor resistance to a single element (fire, ice, or lightning) to any piece of gear you craft, provided you have the right components. Aura of Resistance (Active): You can imbue a piece of gear with a temporary, significant resistance to a chosen element for a short duration.
[Hide Efficiency (Common)]
Your experience has made you an incredibly efficient craftsman. You know how to maximize every piece of hide, ensuring minimal waste and a greater output from your materials. Abilities: Material Economy (Passive): You have a high chance to get an extra piece of gear when crafting, as you can use the leftover scraps from your work. Scrap Salvage (Passive): When dismantling old leather gear, you recover a higher percentage of the original materials than is normally possible.
[Shield Crafting (Rare)]
You have mastered the art of creating durable leather shields. While they may not offer the same protection as metal, they are lightweight and perfect for a skirmisher who values mobility and quick defense. Abilities: Layered Defense (Passive): Your leather shields are layered with multiple hides, giving them a natural bonus to blocking physical attacks and a bonus to all your defensive stats while blocking. Buckler Bash (Active): You can craft a small, lightweight buckler that can be used to bash an enemy, briefly stunning them and leaving them open to an attack.
[Skinning Enhancement (Rare)] is best for the start of any craft. I'll pick the first one.” Scott thought.
That time spent working on all of the crafting and hunting at night was all worth it. It paid off in the end. It's been two full weeks now in this tutorial with added pets that have been training on whatever free time we have had which wasn't much but they are getting the hang of it. The new fur is keeping me warm and the thick skin makes me feel a little bit safer.
Beast mode received several upgrades: increased percentage, thicker skin, and an additional five minutes of exhaustion. Scott liked this even though the exhaustion would be brutal.
[Nature of the Beast(Common)10%]-
Your natural ability to hunt and in a feral form while keeping your wits about you is something that has always been a part of you. The beast within you wants out and is looking for the Hunt. When in Beast Form your mind dwindles and your rage is fueled by the excitement of the hunt. You gain a 10% Boost to all abilities, and your senses along with your body are enhanced. You also gain a sense of smell equal to that of a wolf, and while in beast form your eyes can see in the infrared spectrum.
~
[Nature of the Beast(Uncommon)12%]-
Your natural ability to hunt and in a feral form while keeping your wits about you is something that has always been a part of you. The beast within you has come out and is raging for another hunt. When in Beast Form your mind dwindles and your rage is fueled by the excitement of the hunt. You gain a 12% Boost to all abilities, and your senses along with your body are enhanced. You also gain a sense of smell equal to that of a wolf, and while in beast form your eyes can see in the infrared spectrum.
[Surging speed(Common)]
With the wind in your hair and time on your side. Your movement is sped up for a short time, but the use of stamina is taxing with this ability.
~
[Surging speed(Rare)]
With the wind as your mate and time on your side. Your movement is sped up for a longer period of time, but the use of stamina is greatly taxing with this ability.
“That was quicker than I expected. I thought I would have gone to common and uncommon rarities first but hey I'll take it. The wind feels like a natural companion, almost like an elemental spirit. I'd definitely prefer it as an ally, so I'll continue to improve my connection with it.” Scott considered the matter..
[Mark of Prey](Common)]
When focused on one person, being, or monster long enough, you've marked them for death, and all of your attacks against them are now improved. You also gain bloodlust towards the Marked Prey until you either slay the prey or you dispel the mark.
~
[Mark of Prey](Uncommon)]
When focused not only on one person but two, being, or monster long enough, you've marked them for death, and all of your attacks against them are now improved. Now the marks will leave faint footprints that lead you towards the marked prey. You also gain bloodlust towards the Marked Prey until you either slay the prey or you dispel the mark.
“Wow yet again the system has improved not one, not two but up three rarities. That's great, not only one but two can be marked. That will aid with groups of enemies. Well now I think that does it for the stats and upgraded skills. And I'm done with the external monologue. Off to the mountains we go.” Scott reflected.
