Abyssal Road Trip

“You weren’t at dawn practice. Master Farhad was muttering about being distracted by your causes again,” Torm said, drawing Julia’s attention from a six-year-old boy who was pulling a shrub effortlessly from the ground. The remaining clots of dirt dropping from the roots as the giggling boy waved the shrub around.

“I’ve got lots of women to train so they can start their own practice,” Julia replied, gesturing to the women moving along casting loosen earth. Groups of children supervised by teenagers and a few adults followed along, easily pulling out large shrubs and even saplings from the earth. Near the road, an oxen team hauled a plough that slipped quickly through the loosened soil.

“Why don’t you just keep teaching until all unlock Wizard?” Torm asked.

“I only start teaching a group after the Priests give them the all-clear. With each group, I’m monitoring their initial castings to make sure they don’t develop the bad habit I did,” Julia explained, even as she continued to monitor the women.

“It’s certainly a bad habit when people unnecessarily speak on behalf of others,” Torm remarked blandly, and Julia didn’t need to guess what he meant.

“So, who fessed up about their nosey ways?” questioned Julia, giving him a piercing glance.

“Ǫlhildr admitted her guilt and threw herself on her elder’s mercy.”

Torm’s tone was dry, but Julia could feel the underlying amusement.

“Did you scold her? Set her laps of the training yard to run in punishment?” Julia asked, trying to keep her tone light even while she couldn’t bring herself to meet Torm’s gaze.

“Neither. I told Ǫlhildr it wasn’t her business and that I knew more about you than she did,” replied Torm.

“That’s hardly fair. It was completely mortifying, but Ǫlhildr doesn’t even get a tap on the nose.”

“I’ll leave the nose tapping to you and Livia.”

Torm’s amused tone seemed deliberately light as if seeking to strip the awkwardness from the moment.

{{Could always tap him. }}

“Sorry,” Julia said, emotions churning, even though her flesh seemed physically divorced from the sensation.

“For what?” asked Torm, giving her a light-hearted look. “You need to stop saying sorry for things that aren’t your fault.”

“I’m sorry for ignoring your hints and hoping she was actually worth an honourable guy like you,” Julia apologised, earning an exasperated look from Torm.

“They weren’t hints, I was telling the truth, and indeed deliberately didn’t tell you directly. If I were travelling with you having expectations beyond our purpose, then I’d be in the wrong. You need someone trustworthy, not someone putting even more pressure on you,” Torm replied, his voice calmly reassuring. “If I’d said I care for you and hoped to get to know more about you, what would you have done?”

“Likely run like I did last night. Just as well, you threw in that if, completely removed the pressure. Is my blindness why you looked like you wanted to strangle Moke when you first met him?”

“I thought he might have compelled you. Then found he was merely telling lies about you, and I wanted to teach him a lesson for it. Livia cares for you like a second mother and speaks highly of you, even if I’ve heard her scold you as well. As for your blindness, that matches the person I got to know. You don’t always do what people would like, but you certainly do what’s needed. I want to learn more about you, even if we’re only ever friends. The person who only occasionally lets herself enjoy life, the same one who ogled the blacksmiths even while she ignored me.”

“The Smiths weren’t an issue! A woman can admire a guy’s muscles when they’re showing them off. The way they were throwing me smiles while I watched, they were having fun flirting. You never took your shirt off while the smiths were showing lots of sweat-gleaming muscles,” Julia said, putting her hands to her cheeks and pretending to swoon.

“I don’t sweat,” Torm stated, ignoring her antics.

“Could partly solve the gleaming issue with a bucket of water,” Julia murmured. Torm’s grumbling that day was making far more sense to her now.

“Now I think you’re looking for an excuse to dump water on me,” retorted Torm.

“It seems you have some common sense after all, even if your taste in female company is completely lacking,” said Julia, giving him a rueful headshake.

“A Judge may never handle the Hearing if a case involves themselves.”

Torm intoned words sounding like he was quoting Law, even while Julia could see his lips twitch.

“That goes both ways. You know you can’t tell me you’re an excellent judge of character when it comes to people you like. Someone else should decide if you are a good judge of character or not. I think you should find some better company,” Julia said, tossing cold water on the moment, her discontent clear.

When Torm replied, he spoke in Celestial, lessening the chance of anyone nearby besides Julia understanding. Even then, he pitched the words softly to avoid them carrying to other’s ears. The words he chose in that tongue did not allow for misunderstanding. On the contrary, they held a weight of importance to them that made the air sing to Julia’s senses.

“You said his choice doesn’t lessen you, so why do you refuse to see your worth? If you imprison an innocent person, it doesn’t lessen the innocence or worth of the person. So why do you judge yourself by your prison? It’s my choice who I spend my time getting to know. While you can certainly choose not to allow me such an opportunity, the choice as whose company I’d prefer is still mine.”

“Why?“ asked Julia, frustration evident in her voice.

“Julia, I already told you why. Please allow that my respect and feelings for you are for me to determine and not try to talk me out of it,” Torm said, extending a hand. “Still friends, I hope.”

“We never stopped being friends. Though having my blinkers ripped off surprised me,” Julia replied as she grasped his forearm. “If you’re not running for the hills, apparently we’re both insane, and maybe we should stick together. Make it easier for people wanting to keep watch on the crazy folk.”

“True, but some individuals attract more eyes than others,” Torm replied, glancing at some farmers working on larger rocks that kept gawking Julia’s way.

“Pushing your luck.”

Julia good-naturedly grumbled in response as she gave him a mock glare.

“Apparently,” said Torm, reverting to the Norse language. “I still have to introduce you to a Skald.”

“Oh well, I’ll just pretend I don’t know what you mean by that either,” Julia said, affecting an airheaded tone as she tried to keep her frustration away.

“Loosen Earth is hardly a combat spell,” Torm said, changing the subject as he gestured towards the women.

“Yes, and no. It lets them practice Mana Manipulation usefully, and the Skill helps in combat. As for the spell itself imagine a cavalry charge across hard-packed earth, suddenly hitting soil that’s nearly as soft as sand. Or picture monsters trying to scramble up a steep hillside while the earth cascades down onto them. Even if it doesn’t cause injuries, it should slow them and buy time for archers and other casters to thin the ranks. It immediately buys goodwill from the farmers looking to expand fields in a hurry and proves their usefulness. Faster ploughing means more fields under seed every season, even beyond these emergency plantings.”

“You think long term.”

“I told you, I try to have at least three plans,” replied Julia.

“Indeed. No Dire Boars today?” Torm asked,

“Tomorrow we’ll get more, maybe, depending on if they’ve processed the meat from yesterday’s two. The butchers chopped it into slabs after they drained it and have it hung in the ice rooms. Between blessings for the purification of meat and cutting it up, it will take time. The Dire Boar’s meat is tough, so it needs to be slow cooked to ensure it’s edible. Though it tastes yummy when it’s cooked properly: a cook got me to taste some this morning, practically melted on the tongue.”

“Yummy,” Torm repeated with a snort.

“It’s a word, wretch. Stop mocking my vocabulary,” Julia scolded, her gaze sparking with amusement.

“From your home language maybe, not here, and even you’ll admit you’ve made-up words.”

When Julia poked her tongue out at him, Torm just ignored her antics and started pulling shrubs close at hand out of the ground. Julia shrugged and started her castings, loosening more earth in the area the farmers had marked out.

“Torm,” Julia started, then paused before she pushed herself to continue. “You’re a Celestial, and I’m certainly not.”

“Do you believe they’ll keep you bound there? As you tell others, have hope. You know the way to get free. In the meantime,” Torm said, leaving the sentence hanging hopefully for her response.

“It doesn’t mean we can’t be friends,” finished Julia, glancing at Torm.

Julia just smiled at the nod he gave and got back to work.

The noise of stomping boots and banging mugs as she came into the Hall wasn’t what she’d been expecting. Her name had gone up in a shout from one guard she recognised from the attack on the Gnarl’s complex. Though Julia spotted some whose silence revealed their ire, including Eysteinn, far more people seemed intent on giving her a hero’s welcome. Their attention was emotionally stomach-twisting, as Þiúðmundr and Ǫlhildr both gestured for her to come to the head table.

There were few from the strike teams; instead, most of those making a racket seemed part of the Jarl’s immediate household. A rueful smile twisted her lips as she saw a space between Verdandi and Torm sitting empty across the table from the Jarl. As Julia walked towards them, the noise in the hall settled somewhat but it was still lively. She could see servers bringing out trays of food, and some immediately took places at various tables.

Ǫlhildr waited till Julia sat down and placed a few things on the brown bread trencher that had been placed at her spot for appearance’s sake before she spoke.

“We appreciate your coming along this evening, Lady Eakcï,” Ǫlhildr said, her voice clear over the clatter of the hall.

Am I Lady Eakcï to them now, or still just using it for appearance’s sake?

“I appreciate the invitation, Lady Ǫlhildr, as well as the insight provided, once I recovered from the surprise.”

“At least one person appreciates the insight of my stumble on this occasion. I won’t tell you who scolded me. But I’ll admit you didn’t react as I was expecting,” Ǫlhildr said, even as she shot a look at Torm.

“I heard there wasn’t a scolding,” Julia replied, giving Torm a stern look, even as her lips twitched in amusement.

“Sometimes it’s not what someone says, rather the way it’s said,” Þiúðmundr interjected, clearly amused.

“Interesting,” Julia said. Verdandi, who had been in mid-swig, almost sprayed Julia as she choked on her mead.

“Livia is right; you are a brat,” Verdandi muttered after coughing to clear her throat.

“Livia’s the brat,” Julia insisted in a tone rich with barely suppressed laughter.

“If she is, it’s because she takes after you,” Verdandi grumbled, clearing her throat again.

“I was just trying to use a word he wouldn’t accuse me of making up,” retorted Julia before giving Torm a smirk.

Torm just glanced among those nearby and sighed.

“Glad my insights at least assisted in that gaining an understanding of each other. Since I was wrong about the chance for potential Wizards or how long it would take to train them,” said Ǫlhildr, amusement and interest clear in her gaze as she took food from a platter. “Would you care to share the process?”

“I’m not able to give them proper training, Lady Ǫlhildr. I just open them to some Affinities, quickly teach a few simple spells. They need proper training, another thing for my to-do list,” said Julia, hoping to avoid the question.

“Not on yours - it’s on ours. Why don’t we stick to first names? It could get tedious if we title each other to death,” Ǫlhildr replied. “How does this opening process start?”

“Yngvarr’s aware of the process I use, though he didn’t expect it possible in such numbers.”

“Very well, I’ll take it up with him then, away from prying ears,” Ǫlhildr replied.

Take a number and join the queue.

“I hear that land clearing is going well,” Þiúðmundr offered.

Julia was thankful for the conversation moving to more ordinary topics around plans for the late season’s planting.

“What word did Torm accuse you of making up?” asked Ǫlhildr later in the evening when the conversation lulled temporarily.

“Please don’t,” said Torm before Julia could speak.

When she just pretended to lock her mouth and toss away the key, Torm’s sigh of relief was rewarding enough.

“Lady Eakcï.”

Aggie called from Yngvarr’s sitting room as Julia headed past, and she looked inside to find Aggie rising from an armchair.

“Just Julia or Eakcï is fine. How can I help you? I felt the energy from your Faith earlier today. I had planned to talk to you, but everything has been non-stop,” Julia said, giving her an embarrassed smile.

“Just using your name is hardly proper. Sagga told me about how you helped her and others, and I’ve seen all the efforts you’ve put into helping those you rescued,” Aggie said. “You ask how you can help, but you’ve already done so much. You rescued all of us, and arranged shelter for Gellamel and me when Ketilriðr was angry with her. I can see you feel guilty about that when many are sleeping in tents or barns, even though you brought us all to safety. You’re not what I expected, Lady Eakcï. I didn’t even suspect you were a Power with the way you help and interact with people so directly.“

The effort she was putting into keeping her composure was clear to Julia.

Sagga was the one who converted her, just like her mother it seems.

“What did you expect?” Julia asked curiously.

“I guess I don’t know, you’re the first Power I’ve met. You’re so different and normal all at once,” Aggie said, clearly struggling to find words she felt comfortable using.

I’ve no idea what I’m doing which likely explains the difference.

“I hadn’t ever planned to become a Power. But Sagga’s mother Eivor started that process,“ Julia replied, trying to give Aggie a reassuring smile to still her nerves.

“Would I be able to learn magic as well, Lady Eakcï?” asked Aggie, the words coming in a rush that made Julia blink.

“Why wouldn’t you be able to?” Julia asked, puzzled as she took in the request.

“Powers don’t normally allow those serving them to learn to use Mana that way. I’ve only heard tales of Deities allowing some serving them to learn Wizard magic.”

“Do you want to learn now?” asked Julia, smiling as Aggie looked shocked.

“I’d like that very much, thank you,” Aggie replied softly, obviously taken aback at how readily Julia accepted her request.

“Come through to the kitchen. Rika found the energy from the magic tools made it easy. Do you have any preference for your first Affinity?”

“Perhaps water. I saw Rika watering the plants using a spell,” Aggie replied, following quickly after Julia as if she was expecting her to change her mind.

“We can start there,” Julia replied as she headed for the sink and activated the magical tool.

Sitting down Julia touched Aggie’s mind and reached for the energy through Harmony. When they were done, the notifications held a surprise for Julia.

[One of your Priestess has gained an Affinity and unlocked the Class: Wizard.

Would you like to:

Remove the Affinity.

Expel them from your faith.

Lock their levelling progress.

Other?]

Other

[Option Level 2:

Kill them.

Curse them.

Drain Priest Class experience.

Other?]

Other

[Option Level: 3

Invoke Health penalties per Affinity gain.

Invoke Mana potential drain per Affinity gain.

Other?]

Other

[Option Level: 4

Receive notification prior to caster gaining any Affinity.

Allow Class unlock to continue for this individual.

Allow Class unlock for all Faith Casters.

Return to initial options?]

Allow for all.

[Are you sure?]

Yes.

[Do you want to change your mind?]

No!

[Clarification required:

No, you don’t want to change your mind?

Or no you actually want to abort this process?]

Allow all of my Priests the Wizard class!

[You cannot alter this option once set. Are you sure you wish to continue?]

Yes!

[Additional Caster class unlocked - Wizard now allowed for all Priests of Lady Eakcï.

Select base Affinity to allow all Priests upon gaining Wizard Class:

Fire

Air

Earth

Water

Other?]

This is worse than the old IVR system my bank had for the phone.

Spatial.

[Are you sure you wish to skip the selection process and allow them: Affinity - Spatial?]

I’m positive!

[Are you sure you wish to skip the selection process and allow them: Affinity - Positive?]

Arcane and Planar Lore started pushing details around in her mind about the Positive Affinity, and Julia smiled.

Yes!

[All faithful of Lady Eakcï, now automatically learn the Affinity Positive when unlocking Wizard Class.]

Well, that’s going to make them even more dangerous against the Undead that ordinary people can’t fight.

Wait. All faithful! Will need to check Sagga.

Yngvarr was standing in the kitchen doorway, merely watching them as Julia opened her eyes. The internal focus on Harmony and the Mana flow having kept her from noticing his arrival.

“Yngvarr, thanks again for letting Gellamel and Aggie stay with you.”

“Think nothing of it. Ǫlhildr told me why you didn’t just leave them with the other women. I’ve offered Gellamel a position helping assist with teaching Rika, Sagga, and Alfdis. Of course, we’ll also need to look to educating hundreds of others. Just as well, I have vague memories still of the way your schools ran classes, though I’ll need to see about getting some books magically copied.”

“I’ll leave you to discuss your plans,” Aggie said, giving Julia another smile of thanks. “The sensation of those energies was wonderful. I thought you were only teaching me Water, but I felt filled with light and joy before you stopped. Thank you, Lady Eakcï.”

Energies, yeah, she can feel both already.

Analysis

[Name: Aggie

Race: Human (Greek Ancestry)

Class: Priestess / Wizard

Level: 42 / 1

Health: 559

Defence: 36

Mana: 4,134

Melee Attack Power: 58

Combat Skills: Unarmed Combat [M] (22), Spear [Ad] (4), Dagger [Ad] (3) - Various Blessings. No known spell forms - Affinity: Water, Positive.

Condition: Inspired, Freed Slave: Morale bonus

Details: Kidnapped from the village of Aigaîon by a Tiamat Cultist. She’d been there serving at the Temple of Artemis after gaining experience aiding Argonauts with their quests in the eastern peninsular. Converted to the faith of Lady Eakcï by Sagga, daughter of Priestess Eivor.

]

Her Hunting Bow skill got switched to Unarmed Combat?

“You have the Water and Positive Affinities now, Aggie. Accompany me tomorrow morning, I’ll teach you more Affinities and spells when I teach the first group.”

“Very well, Lady Eakcï,” Aggie said reverently before hurrying from the room.

“Why do you persist in using that name considering who gave it to you?” asked Yngvarr once Aggie was out of earshot.

“Actually, Lêdhins gave me an Abyssal name for a type of water serpent, a Viper, Moke mis-pronounced it as Eakcï; now Lêdhins has lost himself. It’ll remind me that things can either change or vanish quickly,” Julia replied. The thought of Lêdhins made her grimace, wondering if the Id had stuck him in darkness or if it threw him into oblivion.

{{Why keep rubbish cluttering up the house? }}

That’s not comforting.

{{Wasn’t meant to be; you still have spring cleaning left. }}

“Focus on yourself for a time.”

Yngvarr consoled her, his concern clear as he took in Julia’s look of discomfort.

“When did you gain the Positive Affinity?”

“Oh, I don’t have it. She has it because apparently since she’s my Priestess I get a say in if she can even be a Wizard. Some options it gave me as to actions to take about it made me furious. One choice I got to make was regarding what Affinity any faithful of mine should gain from having the Wizard Class, now they get Positive Affinity.”

“It’s been a mystery why our Priests and Priestess can also be Wizards but it’s something so rare among humans,” Yngvarr said. “Jealous Powers or something else? Though you started out as an Anar Soul, and our Gods never restrained their followers in that fashion.”

“How would you go about finding those Lómë crystal walls from a distance?” Julia asked, blurting out the thought as it hit, wanting to get away from the topic.

“What?” asked Yngvarr, the sudden subject change catching him off guard.

“You said that the Lómë wouldn’t leave Ternòx until they found those Souls, yet they’re hunkered down in those Grottos. Do they venture out at all?” questioned Julia.

Yngvarr moved over to sit down at the kitchen table, having decided it might not be a quick conversation.

“They didn’t say.”

“Sounds like adults telling the kids to stay at home and out of trouble,“ Julia said thoughtfully.

“What are you planning?” enquired Yngvarr.

“I figure I’ll add finding all their grottos to my to-do list. Maybe there are ones where there aren’t any living, just Souls keeping up the barrier’s protection against the Abyss’ corruption. If they’re stuck somewhere like that, then there would be no one to pass word about the royal Souls. I can only hope; otherwise, I’ll need to search every inch of that Plane.”

Julia just drummed her fingers on the table as she considered how she could try to speed the process. Then, after a long silence, Yngvarr finally spoke.

“Didn’t you say your to-do list was overflowing?”

“Your point being?” asked Julia, a roguish smile making Yngvarr want to groan.

“You’re taking on too much. How are you giving yourself any time to get your balance?”

“What I want to be doing, I can’t, until I solve two issues,” Julia answered honestly, giving Yngvarr a wry smile. “Having a long to-do list might leave me feeling stretched, but ticking off some smaller stuff, I feel like I’m making some progress at least. Don’t worry. I’ll completely off-load things items like the Tiamat cult, even though I’d like to smash their faces in as well.”

“Your friends?” asked Yngvarr, guessing her primary item.

“If I try to get into Hell at present, they’ll spot me easily. I need to discover how to mask the Sigil and learn about Hell’s processes. I need something better than my conduit; it has limitations that could cause no end of trouble. You opened a portal for our trip. Any chance I could learn that?”

“You’ll need to master various spell forms first. Your Mana control has come ahead in leaps and bounds, but until you improve your Arcane knowledge and practice easier Spatial magic, it’s not something you’ll be able to cast. That’s one of your biggest hurdles: you don’t have enough mastery of simple spell forms. I spoke with an Arch-Wizard while you were away and hiding your Sigil will require vast improvement with concealment spells.”

“So it is possible to hide?” asked Julia, excitement lighting up her face.

“I’m told it is, but the spells are extraordinarily advanced and rare, I’m still seeking them. Even the one I spoke to knew of them but didn’t have them. If you can get a grimoire with them, you won’t be able to cast them without a better foundation. Then you’ll still be pitting your skill against those watching for you. Detection spells capable of spotting the Sigil are unfortunately far more common. You’ll need to push yourself, and not just your levels.”

“Where do you suggest I start?”

“For Planar Gates? Ironically enough, with spells that imitate Powers you once had. First, you’ll need to learn Blink, Long Door, Teleport, and then Portal, which only lets you open a door between locations on the same Plane. After that you’ll need to master another five different spells, including both versions of Greater Teleport, before you even get to Planar Transfer.”

“So lots of redundant stuff. Does Planar Transfer let you just shift yourself?” Julia asked. “That would do for what I need.”

“No, it only lets you shift a non-living object to a Plane adjoining the one you’re currently on, to someone who is also casting the spell. Think of it as passing goods between two workers, one standing on the loading dock and one in the wagon. You can’t be both the worker and transferred object even if you change yourself with Protean,” replied Yngvarr, giving her a stern look and he crushed her hope of a shortcut.

“Great, my to-do list gets longer and longer every time I ask a question,” sighed Julia.

“You said you like a long to-do list. Think of all the items you can tick off learning spells. A Wizard never stops studying if they aim to become a true master of the arcane. You know a spattering of magics, but you have massive gaps in your spell repertoire.”

“Yeah, I have almost no utility spells or defensive spells.”

“We’ll work to correct that together. Just as we’ll need to educate your battle Wizards.”

“Thanks Yngvarr, as always, you’ve been a big help,” replied Julia, relief clear in her voice. “They’re not mine though.”

“I’ve seen more than a few talking to your Priestesses, and Sagga. I’m still working to help repay my people’s debt to you,” Yngvarr replied with a wry smile and a shrug. “Every time I think I might balance things; you give even more. Like helping the Lómë when your to-do list is already overflowing.”

“Would funding help with getting texts copied?” Julia asked.

“Dare I ask? Did I understand the Jarl right? You offered kilograms of Mithril?” asked Yngvarr.

“Mithril and Adamantine, want a bucket of it?” Julia asked mischievously.

“Well, a few kilograms of it would fund a lot.”

“No, I meant a bucket made of Adamantine; we got it from some Fire Giants,” Julia corrected, seeing the lack of understanding. “We should finish looting their lair if something hasn’t already stolen the rest of their things while we’ve been away.”

Yngvarr just muttered before rising to his feet.

“Let’s store what you have, then see what’s still there,” Yngvarr suggested, his tone resigned. “We might as well use my metal workspace.”

When Julia set the massive Adamantine bucket down in the middle of Yngvarr’s workshop, Julia had to smile at his open-mouthed reaction.

{{ Oh babe, whip it out. }}

“You can certainly afford some things for those you rescued. I could inscribe runic rings to let them see in darkness. Not enchanted, just inscribed, so they can pass Mana into the rune when they need it. The inscription effect eventually wears out the material but in the meantime it’s an effective use of Mana without having to know the spell.”

“Those would be useful. How long do they take to make?” asked Julia.

“The main issue is getting the right blend of silver and a perfect cast. I can’t form them using Mana, or the inscription will decay faster. It differs from crafting a normal rune as it uses Mana to reinforce the edges of the rune and allow for energy flow instead of the spell form sitting ready to activate.”

“How pure do you need the silver? How long does the inscribing take?”

Yngvarr gave her a look as Julia asked and didn’t seem particularly happy with the smile he got in response.

“Aren’t you going to… oh right, the Jarl doesn’t have a silversmith,” Yngvarr said. Then, moving to one workbench, he pulled a silver ring from a drawer and set it atop the bench.

“He still doesn’t have a silversmith!” Julia exclaimed. “It’s been nearly a year; I was just going to make the silver you needed.”

“Smiths with established businesses are unlikely to move; he’s seeking a Journeyman still. So make however many of those you want,” Yngvarr stated, pointing at the ring. “It will take a week to prepare a hundred, I’ve only limited spare time in the evenings. You’re not alone with having a long to-do list.”

“Spares would be great, but forty allows us to get started.”

“We should decide a rate for services; otherwise, I’ll never have time for my studies,” Yngvarr said, his tone a mock grumble.

“You’re joking, but you’re right,” interjected Julia. “Charge me what you’d ask from anyone else, no friends’ rates, please. You being available to provide help isn’t something I take for granted. I’m sure I’ve been imposing, but you should benefit as well.”

“Very well. Let’s go plunder the rest of this Fire Giant’s lair,” said Yngvarr.

“Half of it is Torm’s, and you’ll have to charge us for helping transport it as well.” Julia insisted.

“Týr’s Temple will have funds for things as well, it seems. Best give me a Bond so I can bring you back after we collect things; and don’t argue, Livia was grumbling about that.”

Haven’t heard of an Arch-Wizard before, I wonder…

Analysis

[Analysis: Arch-Wizard

Details: Variations of this Prestige Class become available at Tier 3 and higher; if the individual has previously gained a Prestige Class that included the Wizard Class. The individuals Affinities influence variation offered, as does the previously gained Prestige Class.

All variations provide the following gains or higher:

+3 Intelligence / Level.

Additional Attribute Gain (Varies)

+3 Magic / Level.

+1 Defence / 2 Levels.

Unlocks acquisition of Power: Arcane Soul.

Unlocks acquisition of Power: Affinity Mastery

Increases chances of gaining insights for progress of all Arcane skills and related magical Knowledges

Decreases chances of gaining insights for progress of all Channelling skills and related religious Knowledges

Automatically upgrades Mana Manipulation to Mana Finesse, or Mana Finesse to Mana Mastery.

Increases Mana multiplier effect of Mana Finesse or Mana Mastery by one stage in addition to previous increases.

Increases Mana Mastery’s ability to hold spells in a ready state for immediate casting.]

I wonder if Yngvarr knows.

“Oh Yngvarr,” Julia cooed, causing him to regard her mischievous gaze with suspicion.

[Analysis [Ad] (27->28)]

The acidic sourness of the shard washed across her senses as the sun rose over the practice field. She could see several cooks moving between the fires as breakfast preparations started. As the sun rose above the horizon, Julia heard women stirring in the barn behind her. With them waking, she withdrew the Dominion’s calming effect; the aura having provided some women with their first restful night's sleep in years.

Her removal of the unborn hadn’t been completely smooth though the cost hadn’t shown in Analysis. The Priests had issues from the rapid shifting of organs and fresh scarring in the uterus to deal with. A conversation with a Priestess of Eir had been revealing, and while they didn’t pose immediate issues, they weren’t things that could remain untended. Regardless of if they wanted future children, there were problems that required healing. Though the same Priestess of Eir had been thankful in reassuring Julia, as only minor healing was needed compared to the ‘birthing process’ inflicted by the Shamans. Her words and body language made it clear they were all grateful for not having to help the women with removing unborn.

It tempted her to attend dawn practice with Master Farhad and see his reaction to his two new students; instead, Julia teleported away as self-imposed responsibility outweighed preference. Flight held her against the roof of the cavern as she changed form to blend with the stone. The Gnarls below snarled at each other as they hauled blocks clear of the partly destroyed pleasure den. Among those supervising, she watched one walk over to a pile of charred bodies, only to rip a clawed arm from a corpse and start biting through it. Skin that was loose on so many Gnarls appeared drawn tight across its increased height and broaden mass. As it inhaled the arm, its digestion seemed supernaturally hastened as more flesh further tighten its skin with each snap.

Fuck, Hannibal’s growing. Did we just stock their larder? Waste not, want not, or fewer mouths to feed? I might need to steal more Dire Boars to put them on short rations.

A train of Dire Boars equipped with harnesses came into the cavern, lugging cargo from an exit she hadn’t explored as yet. After waiting a while with no further sign of activity, she reappeared within its confines. Hoof marks had worn away the rough stone of floor and spoke of regular traffic coming through it. Teleport hops, meant travelling a bell covered a distance a Gnarl would take three to four days to walk; still, it was a while longer before more of their twisted minds beckoned from ahead.

Telepathy let her see through a distant Gnarl’s eyes, and teleport set her within their security. A pebble came into existence on a ledge, bouncing away as a shuffling foot kicked it down the stairs. After coming to rest against a wall, Julia waited till the Gnarl moved away before changing form. Then, ensuring there were no human minds nearby, she began exploring the Gnarl’s staging post.

How many of these outposts are there?

Only have a few hours to handle explorations today. Alfarr wanted to do some planning tonight, ladies to teach, spells to practice, and no rest for the wicked.

{{Don’t forget to play paddywhack and give the dog a boner. }}

Geez!