-If you like a ruthless MC well here's another NSFW Multicross Gamer fic with the SI starting in Skyrim! Also expect some mods~
Sypnosis: Life is more than just fun and games you know. The afterlife... that's an entirely different story. Gamer SI. Starts in Skyrim, but planned to be a multidimensional, world-hopping adventure.
Rated: M
Words: 74K
Posted on: fanfiction.net/s/13410897/1/Life-is-More-Than-a-Game (Orpheus Kidwell)
PS: If you're not able to copy/paste the link, you have everything in here to find it, by simply searching the author and the story title. It sucks that you can't copy links on mobile (´ー｀)
-I'll be putting the chapter ones of all the fanfics mentioned, to give you guys a sample if you wan't more please do go to the website and support the author! (And maybe even convince them to start uploading chapters in here as well!)
Chapter I-III (exceptional)
Congratulations! You have been randomly selected as a trial run recipient of our Deluxe Reincarnation package, complete with an all-expense paid trip through the multiverse and The Full Gamer Experience – sponsored by Mountain Dew.
Uh… what? What's going on? I can't tell where the voice was coming from. Or where anything is, really. I can't see anything at all. Or feel anything.
As I've already mentioned, you have been pre-selected to be our trial recipient of our new Deluxe Package. Given your recent death, the conditions to run this trial have finally been met! I'm sure you're as overjoyed as we are to finally help ready this process for the public. It's so wonderful to add someone new to the team!
Deluxe Package? Death? Trial run? What… what in the actual Hell are you talking about? I try to open my mouth to say something, but that feeling of no feeling hits me. It's not just that I can't feel anything, I can't even feel my own body.
What's going on!? Am I really dead? I… I can't remember anything. If I try really hard flashes of… something… come to mind. Heat… the color orange… screams… a fire, maybe?
Oh, don't worry about that! The voice was far too cheerful for my liking. Your body will need to be remade thanks to that pesky office fire that killed you and most of your co-workers, but we have a process for that. It actually works out in our favor extremely well since it means we get to try out our new and improved Physical Appearance Improvement Nexus. Isn't that great? Before we get to that though, we need to make sure you're compliant and calm. Why don't we take care of that little annoyance of an emotional breakdown?
[Gamer's Mind] (Passive) added.
Allows you to view life as a game. Emotional and psychological maluses are nullified and HUD is unlocked.
[Gamer's Body] (Passive) added.
Allows you to experience life as a game. Your body only requires 30 minutes of rest to become completely rejuvenated.
[Observe] Lv. 1 (Active) added.
0 MP
Gain insight into whatever is currently targeted. Information gained is increased at higher levels.
[Observe] allows you to gain insight into whatever you aim your senses at when activated. Gain more insight at higher levels.
As the voice finishes, several… pop-ups fill my vision. That's the only way to describe them. Rectangles of light and text informing me of whatever the voice has done and what their effects are. I think. My worry over having died recedes, but not because I feel calmer. Even as that thought appears, I do start to feel calmer. Whatever that voice is, has to be responsible for this. I've never been very emotional, but this is ridiculous. I'm not even allowed to feel negative emotions anymore?
They'll only get in the way, so it's much better this way! Just trust me. You'd go insane like the first three guys otherwise. I didn't like how I could almost hear the far-too-happy-to-actually-be-real smile the voice probably had. Now, let's begin, shall we? Our system will outfit you with a base to work from and you can just use your imagination to change things. Here's a mirror too!
That feeling of not feeling and the darkness both disappeared all at once, which was not a pleasant experience. Everything went bright white and I was forced to shut my eyes, which hadn't been there a moment ago, against the blinding light. On top of that, my entire body felt like it was simultaneously burning, freezing, constricted, and open as I had to get used to things like temperature and air pressure again.
Are you quite done screaming now? I think you're being a bit melodramatic.
I hadn't even realized that I was shouting until the voice brought it up. Controlling myself, I shut my mouth, slowly opening my eyes. Then that feeling of not calm but still calm washed over me once more when I finally saw my reflection in the mirror. What was allowing me to see it though? The confusion really set in deep, considering my body had the same plastic consistency of a window manikin. That, of course, included the lack of facial features like eyes, ears or a nose. In the end, I decided it was better that I just not worry about it, after all.
Now that you're focused, let's begin! Our new and improved system is quite easy to use, you know. All you need to do is visualize what you would like each part of your body to look like and the Nexus will take care of the rest. Go on, give it a shot.
At the voice's urging, I did so. Starting with my eyes, I watched as the plastic-y essence of my 'face' began to push inwards; with flesh, blood and nerves forming in a rather grotesque way. All at once I wanted to turn away, if that was even possible, and to keep watching out of morbid curiosity. After a few moments, that felt like hours, it was finally done and I had a pair of blue eyes looking back at me. It looked rather… uncanny when contrasted against the paper-white plastic of my form. Thankfully, despite the system's acronym it wasn't painful at all.
That's more of an unfortunate consequence of the naming than an intentional abbreviation. Our marketing team has been trying to figure out a better name for weeks, but nothing really comes up that does well in focus groups so it will have to stick for now. It looks like you're getting the hang of it though! Keep it up and we'll be able to move forward with the process in no time!
The cheery attitude of that voice was getting a bit creepy, but it's not like I could do anything about it. So I just ignore it in favor of shaping my appearance further. It's not like you get to decide on your looks down to a hyper-specific level every day, after all.
Watching all of my body parts being shaped and grown from this plastic-looking body is certainly an experience I don't think I could ever forget, even if I wanted to. And by God, do I wish I could forget watching my spherical head being ground down to shape my nose, or the lower half of said head slowly ripping apart as I finally opened a mouth I didn't have before. How I had been screaming just moments - or maybe hours? - ago was beyond me. Nothing about this makes any sense, but I suppose that's just the way things are.
I don't know how much time passed, but I finally finished my 'character creation' and was content with it. Generally speaking, I've never spent much time on making a character. In fact, I'm more likely to just take one of the stock options so I can dive into the game then and there, with the exception of a rare roleplay run. Still, I think I'm okay with what I've done here. Nothing over the top: black hair that falls just over the top of my ears, those same blue eyes, a lean build to my physique, and an olive tan. I took extra time to ensure all of my teeth were just how I wanted them – I do not want to have to deal with a.d.u.l.t braces, if they even exist wherever I end up. My only complaint is the lack of clothing, but at least this place (wherever I am) seems to be a nice, cool temperature that's about as comfortable to stand in as I could hope for.
Ah, it seems that you're done. That's very good. Now we can get to the fun part! The mirror disappeared into the all-white limbo world I was in. Finally focusing on my surroundings, I looked around and felt Gamer's Mind force me into serenity again. There was nothing anywhere. All around me was whiteness. If not for the fact that I could feel it beneath my feet, I wouldn't even know for sure whether I was standing on solid ground or floating through a void. I'm starting to see why the first three people went insane.
The second one didn't even make it this far, you know. The voice informed me. Enough about them, though. Now it's time that we filled out all the proper paperwork. I couldn't help but let out a sigh at that. Paperwork? I've had enough of that to last a lifetime. Nonsense! Paperwork is the lifeblood of any organization. Plus, I'm sure you'll enjoy this!
Before me materialized another one of those slightly translucent and floating text boxes. This one was much larger than those before and looked more like a job application than a notification. Looking through it, I began to notice some stark differences though. Some parts were inconspicuous enough: name, age, occupation, things like that. Then there were things like race, class, specialization, perks, flaws, and things like that looked like they fit better on a D&D character sheet.
"This is the paperwork? How do I fill it in?" I can't help but wonder. I thought that my voice might sound raspy, considering I hadn't had a pair of lungs, throat, or mouth up until just now, but it sounded perfectly healthy. That was a welcome relief.
Simply think about the section you'd like to fill out and a new screen will appear, giving you your options. A quick [Observe] and you can see some details about your choices. Think carefully! Your path here will determine the base you need to work from throughout your entire journey!
Nodding my understanding, I decided to start where all forms should, with my name. I mean, that wasn't really that difficult. My real life and my escapist fantasies always had a line drawn between them, and I'd just use the me from the latter. Orpheus Kidwell, seems like you finally get to have your time to shine, for real this time.
From there most of the mundane stuff was easily taken care of. My age was set to 21. No matter where in the multiverse I ended up, that should be a good place to start, and it gives me plenty of time to enjoy myself… if enjoying myself is an option. There's a lot of dangerous worlds out there, after all. My gender is set to male. My s.e.x.u.a.lity is set to heteros.e.x.u.a.l, though why that was part of it I'm not too sure. My race is set to Homo Sapiens Sapiens. There are some other options, but considering humans have the most consistent treatment across everything I've ever seen, I'd rather not be an elvish slave or a Twi'lek p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.e.
Then came the less mundane options. These are the one that I actually had to put some serious thought into considering that these choices would decide my fate, if what the voice said was true. I had no idea where I was going to end up, so I had to be very pragmatic with my selections and take up what would be the most universally useful. So I started with occupation, which seemed to be my background. After a quick [Observe] I was given a couple of choices, but quickly narrowed it down to five.
[Occupation: Soldier]
Thanks to your experience on the field of battle you are far more in-tune with your instincts and combat ability. You gain an additional 15% experience with [Fighter] classes and start with the [Combat Instincts] ability.
[Combat Instincts] (Passive)
In combat situations, you are better at surviving. This decreases reflex save checks by 10% during combat.
[Occupation: Mercenary]
You used to be a sell-sword or maybe you still are. Either way, you are 5% better at haggling and gain a 10% experience boost with either [Fighter], [Mage], or the [Rogue] class type, whichever one you started with.
[Occupation: Artisan (Blacksmith)]
You were apprenticed to a blacksmith in your home village for many years, picking up the tools of the trade. Crafting with hard metals gives 10% additional class experience and skill checks become 10% easier.
[Occupation: Scholar]
You grew up either locked tight in a library or under the tutelage of a university and learned how to learn. All experience gains are increased by 5% and you start with one free [Lore] and [Knowledge] perk.
[Occupation: Merchant]
Your family plies its trade by buying and selling wares, and you've been made privy to the tricks that make a good shopkeep. All prices (buying and selling) are 15% better, barter checks are 5% easier, and you know how to find merchants willing to fence stolen goods.
It all came down to whether combat or practical skills were more important. Unfortunately, there weren't really any magic-based occupations, otherwise that probably would have taken priority. The mercenary occupation was the closest. Still, I was really leaning towards the last two. After a moment of thought, I finally decided and Merchant filled in my Occupation slot. I always roleplay as a merchant anyways, and having a background in accounting has to count for something if I start a business, right?
The voice has been eerily quiet since I began this process, but I ignore that fact in lieu of my next big option. There's only three choices this time. My class has to be either fighter, mage, or rogue. The choice is extremely simple. Or so I think. After I decide on mage, a second screen pops up titled 'Specialization'.
[Elementalist] [Illusionist] [Summoner] [Cleric] [Druid] [Warlock] [Bard]
Well, I could immediately cross Cleric, Warlock, Bard, and Illusionist off my list. I didn't really feel like serving a god or a demon, so there's no way I was going to rely on their power. By the same token, I wanted to be at least somewhat self-sufficient, so starting as a support class like illusionist or bard would be a really bad idea.
Of the other three, it was somewhat more difficult. That said, I marked Druid off. Convening with nature and having a pack of wolves to protect me and eventually being able to shape-shift into a magical bear sounded fun, but I like civilization and its perks a bit too much to be a mountain man.
That left the ability to manipulate the forces of nature through my spells or the ability to summon inter-dimensional beings to do my bidding. If I had an army of summons to protect me, I could probably more safely delve into other arts and command them rather than get up close and personal. On the other hand, creating tornadoes of fire sounds pretty badass.
What the hell! Looks like I'm gonna go elemental magic. Hopefully I can pick up some summoning magic later.
[Class: Mage] Acquired.
+3 INT and +3 WIS each level. XP from spellcasting increased by 25%.
[Sub-Class: Elementalist] (Lv 1/100) added.
A specialized type of mage that focuses on manipulating the forces of nature, especially elemental energies. +2 INT and +2 WIS each level. XP from elemental spells increased by 25%.
[Elemental Magic (Novice)] (Passive)
You have some basic knowledge of elemental magic. You can learn spells from scrolls and books so long as they are [Elemental].
[Fireball] (Active) added.
15 MP
Launch an explosive ball of fire at a target for 25 damage. Deals an additional 20 Explosive Splash damage to nearby targets. Will ignite the target, dealing an additional 2 damage per second.
[Raise Stone Wall] added.
25 MP
Raise a wall of nearby stone from the ground to protect yourself. May be repaired at a rate of 1 MP per 2% condition.
[Ice Spike] added.
15 MP
Launch a spike of ice at a target, dealing 40 damage. Has a high chance of critical hit and does extra damage to limbs.
[Vacuum Palm] added.
10 MP
Creates a vacuum in the user's palm. Will draw a targeted object or person towards the caster.
After I finished that up, the screen closed, to my immediate confusion. "Um… I wasn't really done with that. There was still a bunch of other things left."
Worry not! You input is not necessary for all of them! The rest of it will be filled in as you make your journey. This paperwork is for us too. There is just one last thing before we push forward and you end up in the first of many destinations in your afterlife. There are a couple of systems we're thinking of possibly integrating into our Full Gamer Experience. Would you be interested in acting as a beta tester for those as well? There is, of course, a signing bonus should you accept.
[Choose Your Path!]
We are offering you a once in an after-lifetime opportunity within your once in an after-lifetime experience! There are several experimental systems that we would like to test, and should you accept to do so, you will be rewarded handsomely with free XP, currency, a number of potions, and an epic-class item. There is no penalty for rejecting the offer besides the missed opportunity!
[Accept] [Decline]
I looked at the screen with a little suspicion but sighed. Getting a couple of early game boons could make things a lot easier depending on where I ended up. And based on the information provided it couldn't really hurt to take the offer, so sure. Let's do it.
(5)*Large XP Potions added to the inventory
(5000)*Currency Tokens added to the inventory
(10)*Large HP Potions added to the inventory
(10)*Large MP Potions added to the inventory
Drought of Strength added to the inventory
Drought of Dexterity added to the inventory
Drought of Constitution added to the inventory
Drought of Intellect added to the inventory
Drought of Wisdom added to the inventory
Drought of Charisma added to the inventory
Drought of Luck added to the inventory
Epic-Class GachaToken added to the inventory
Scanning over the list, the last item catches my attention. "Gacha token? Um…." I'm interrupted by the Voice overhead.
And with that, welcome to your new and improved afterlife Mr. Orpheus Kidwell! I hope for a long and fruitful partnership with you!
For a moment, everything went black and I was a little afraid I'd lost my body again. There wasn't anything to be afraid of though. Slowly opening my eyes, I looked around at a vaguely familiar scene. I was sitting, but moving outside. There was a slight creaking of wooden wheels moving over a dirt path and I tried to figure out where I'd seen this mountain and forest scenery before. I went to grab the seat behind me so that I could balance myself and look behind me, but I soon realized that I was bound at the wrists with thick rope.
"Oh, you're finally awake. You got caught at the border, like the rest of us. And the thief over there." Oh f.u.c.k… Divines help me.
Chapter II: Rocks Fall, Everybody Dies
I literally tuned out the Nord as soon as he finished his opening line. There was no reason to pay attention to his words. I'd heard them a thousand times over a thousand games. Okay, that might be an over-exaggeration, but not by much. Right now, all I could think about was what being dropped off in this world, at this time, in this particular body meant for me. When I was making my character, I didn't think I'd be stuck as the f.u.c.k.i.n.g Dragonborn of all things. This was so bad in so many ways.
Okay, okay, calm down. This is fine. This could go well, right? I just have to make it through Helgen and escape. Sure, I have to defeat a world-rending super-dragon in order to ensure that I don't poof out of existence, but this is still fine. I'm the Dragonborn. Plus, I've got some completely unknown system as well thanks to The Full Gamer Experience. Well, first off, I've got a solid ten minutes before anything actually happens, so let's see if I also have access to the Skyrim system.
Focusing a bit, I bring up my inventory. Instead of the more familiar list that this game usually had, it was a grid system, 6 wide and 12 tall. There was no carry weight and it seemed like the pages went on forever. Okay, so that's one less thing to deal with.
What about the perk trees? Despite my focus, nothing actually appears. Just thinking about the concept of perks does do something though. It brings up an empty page labeled [Perks and Flaws]. I don't actually start with any, but the Voice said that it would fill up over time. Perhaps I would gain things through quests or actions then? Either way, that meant that I probably was stuck in a familiar world and a completely unfamiliar system. I would just have to adapt then.
Orpheus Kidwell
Level 1
Race: Human
Class: Mage
Sub-Class: Elementalist (Lv. 1/100)
Occupation: Merchant
HP: 118 (3.8/min)
MP: 128 (1.2/sec)
STR: 8
DEX: 9
CON: 8
INT: 16
WIS: 12
CHA: 9
LCK: 6
Out of curiosity, I wanted to see if I could pull up my character information. I'm not sure whether my stats are good or bad yet, and I probably won't be able to tell until I actually get into a fight or have to suffer through a failed check. Besides, the moment I'm free of bondage, I'll probably drink those stat potions I got. I'll get a free 10 points into every stat thanks to opting-in on the beta program. That should hopefully make the early game a little easier.
My thoughts are interrupted as the cart finally comes to a halt and we're commanded to leave one at a time. Ralof disembarks first, being checked off the list. Then goes Lokir. He runs off just like I remember, quickly being filled with arrows in his back. I don't recall him being shot so many times in my playthroughs. Or there being quite so many people in Helgen. I guess without engine limitations, the world is more full. Noticing my surroundings for basically the first time, I realize that there are more Imperials and Stormcloaks here. Does that mean that the keep will be harder to push through than I remember? I'll have to be very careful who I choose to follow, then.
"You're a long way from the Imperial City. What're you doing in Skyrim?" I hear Hadvar comment. It looks like I'm being mistaken for an Imperial. That suits me well enough, I suppose. I wonder if I'll get access to their racial abilities? I don't seem to have access to anything else from this world, so the odds are pretty slim. I'll need to survive this little tutorial first before I worry about that. "What do we do, Captain? He's not on the list."
"Forget the list. He goes to the block." I'm quite happy with the knowledge that that bitch will be burning alive very soon. I mean, I never did like her when I played, but hearing the nonchalance in her voice at dooming an innocent to execution in person brought that dislike straight into loathing.
"By your orders, Captain. I'm sorry, I'll make sure your remains are delivered to Cyrodiil." At least Hadvar seemed genuine. That decision was getting harder. Whomever I chose between Hadvar and Ralof, the other one would die. "Follow the Captain, prisoner." He instructs me. I can see the reluctance in his eyes, but he is a soldier after all.
I did as I was told and followed after the Captain. I don't remember her name. Does she even have a name in the game? I don't know and, frankly, I don't think it really matters that much. As I join up with the rest of the group, I can see General Tullius condescending to Ulfric, but I just tune things out again. I know how this is all going to go, so I'm better off using this time for something more productive.
I take the opportunity to open my inventory and use observe on the items I got from opting-in to the beta. As I look through the descriptions, I begin to think that accepting the offer was a very good idea. The XP potions don't add a static amount of experience, but 5 levels worth of XP to whatever my currently equipped class is. It's tempting to shoot up in level, but if I save that then I can potentially get much more XP than using it early. On top of that, the 'currently equipped class' is an interesting bit of info. That means I'll be able to unlock other classes later and switch them out at will. I wonder how that works?
Besides that, other things are pretty much what I thought. My potions heal 85% of my max HP and MP respectively. The droughts give me 10 extra points to whatever the stat is, so that's a free 70 points to my stats. The Gacha Token draws from a gacha and guarantees an epic-class or higher item or companion. I wonder what the different classes are though? Epic clearly isn't the highest rarity, but I don't know whether it's the second highest, or the lowest and the naming convention is purposefully obscuring. Without any foreknowledge, it's really going to be difficult getting used to the system and all its quirks.
As I finish up, the headsman lobs the head off of the first Stormcloak. What wonderful timing. "Next, the renegade from Cyrodiil!" That annoying woman singles me out. I knew she would, but it's no less terrible of her. Leveling a glare at her, I hear a loud roar. It's not the first one, but this one is much more noticeable than before.
"There it is again. Did you hear that?" Hadvar is next to me and seems to be amongst the few people who picked up on it. The Captain's lack of awareness is going to cost her. At least, that's what I tell myself.
"I said, next prisoner!" She demands. I shuffle over to her, feeling my murderous intent towards her being quashed by Gamer's Mind, but only just. Kneeling down, I feel her foot press into my back and force my head onto the block. My lips quirk into a smile as I hear the third roaring. The Imperials and Stormcloaks shouting in confusion is nice as well. That joy quickly goes away as I see Alduin land on the tower before me.
Shit. That's what I have to fight? Oh boy, this is going to be… terrible. This is going to be the absolute worst. Alduin Shouts, and I'm sent flying a few feet just as the headsman was ready to swing down. Vaguely, I can hear Ralof calling for me to get up. Thank you for the advice. It's much appreciated.
As I rise to my feet, I'm greeted with a pop-up.
[Quest: Unbound] added.
Helgen is under attack by a dragon. Escape with your life.
Rewards: 1000 XP, 1000 Gold, [ID Create] unlocked
Huh. That's new. I will definitely take gold and XP for completing quests. Don't mind if I do. Quickly making my way to the tower that Ralof is in, I struggle with my bindings a bit. I know that I'll get rid of them with time, but they really are uncomfortable. I wonder if I can just put them in my inventory?
Welp, looks like that's actually something I can do. Rolling my wrists to get feeling back in them, I join up with the Stormcloaks in their tower. "Jarl Ulfric! What is that thing? Could the legends be true?"
"Legends don't burn down villages." Alduin's continued screeching above us really tests the limits of Gamer's Mind. I keep calm though. I finally have feeling in my wrists by the time Ralof instructs me to follow him up the tower. I follow, and make sure I'm far enough down the stairs that I won't be in any sort of danger when Alduin breaks through the top of the stairs.
After another shout and some fire, a couple of the Stormcloaks in front are dead. Looking through the hole it left, Ralof instructs me to jump into the second floor of what's left of the inn and that we'll meet up later. Two jumps and I find myself on the floor again. I'm back near Hadvar. "Still alive? Keep close to me if you want to stay that way. Gunnar, take care of the boy. I have to find General Tullius and join their defense."
I don't waste time in following after him. We stick close to the wall as Alduin barbecues more Imperial soldiers, melting their armor to their flesh. The stench of the town really is something awful. Burning flesh is definitely in my top five worst things I've ever had the displeasure of smelling.
It isn't much longer before we reach the keep. Ralof is there, as I expected. The two argue for a bit. Ralof is called a traitor. All things I knew would happen. Then comes my choice.
Choose Your Path!
[Join Ralof]
Rewards: Reputation with Ralof and various other people when [Unbound] is complete. Lowered Reputation with Hadvar.
[Join Hadvar]
Rewards: Reputation with Hadvar and various other people when [Unbound] is complete. Lowered Reputation with Ralof.
Well, that doesn't really change my decision. I'd already decided a while back that I was going to join under General Tullius and stamp out the Stormcloak Rebellion. I really want Ulfric's sweet coat. So, I follow Hadvar into the keep and get the notification of my path being chosen. I like Ralof, but I like not dying even more.
Once we enter the keep, I instantly recognize the room as a sort of barracks. It's quite a bit bigger than I remember, with twenty or so beds. Each has their own chest at the end. There's also a couple of weapon racks near the doorway. "Looks like we're the only ones that made it so far. Was that really a Dragon? You're out of your bindings, it seems. Look through some of these chests. There's bound to be some gear for you. I'm going to see if I can't find anything for these burns."
"Right, of course." I don't argue and start my search. I keep one eye on Hadvar as he searches through a cabinet. I assume he's looking for some health potions. After I go through what I can from the chests, I have quite a bounty. I ended up storing everything in my inventory, knowing that the chest near the door is where I'll find what I really need. There's several casual outfits, a couple of cloaks, some alcohol, some potions, a dozen or so books, a decent amount of septims and some jewelry now in my possession. Then I get my armor from the last chest.
Heading over to the weapon rack, I take a sword and shield. Even if I'm a mage, at least having a way to defend myself in close quarters combat is a good idea. I attach the scabbard to my waist and sheathe the blade with a click. I know that I should be a bit more awkward with all of these things, considering I've never worn armor or handled a blade in my life, but I suppose this might be one of the side effects of Gamer's Body.
[Imperial Light Armor] Set bonus activated.
As long as you have Imperial Light Helmet, Armor, Bracers and Boots equipped, 10% increased reputation with Imperial soldiers, jarls affiliated with the Imperials and holds that are Imperial aligned give you 10% better prices.
That was unexpected, but welcome. I wonder if Whiterun counts as Imperial aligned? "You ready?" Hadvar asks. I still can't tell if I've just been popped into the game, or if the game is a real world and I just happen to have a HUD and UI. For the sake of caution, I'm going to assume the latter. I give him a nod and he unlocks the door to head deeper in. As he does, I get another notification.
Entering Dungeon [Helgen Keep]
Objective: Kill 10 Stormcloaks
Optional: Keep Hadvar alive
Optional: ?
Optional: ?
Well, that was a bit unexpected. Still, objectives are quite nice. I assume killing 10 Stormcloaks means that I have to actually do the killing and not just hide behind Hadvar. And that optional objective is interesting. Can Hadvar actually die here? If that's the case then I think it's safe to assume that this isn't a game. I just happen to have a HUD and UI. Hadvar is real. Ralof is real. That Captain is real. Most importantly, Alduin is real.
Heading into the stone hallway, I know that a battle is coming. If the increased numbers in Helgen and the barracks are any indicator, there's likely to be an increase in combatants throughout this entire dungeon. Quickly, I pull out that Drought of Intellect and drink it. I'm going to need all the spell power I can. There's not really a boss here, but I still can't help but feel a sense of urgency.
Hadvar gets to the gate. "Stormcloaks up ahead. Maybe we can reason with them." He states optimistically. I highly doubt that. You just had them bound and ready for execution not even five minutes ago. Any semblance of civility left far before that.
I keep the sword sheathed, but feel somewhat secure with the shield strapped to my left arm. Even as Hadvar opens the gate, I ready a spell. The Stormcloak corpse off to the left shows me there's been fighting already. Yep, there's no way that we're getting out of this peacefully. Hadvar is the first through the door, but I'm the first to fire. That's quite literal as a Fireball jumps from my hand into the head of a seated Stormcloak with a two-handed battle-ax in his lap. The smell of burning flesh and his agonizing screams both fill my senses as he hits the floor.
Usually, there would only be two of them in this room. However, there's actually four this time. One's already down, and the other three are on their feet and focused on us. Hadvar gives me a look, but I ignore it. I have objectives to fulfill and my own back to watch. As one of the Stormcloaks rushes us, I cast [Raise Stone Wall] in front of her, tripping the woman. Her sword leaves her hand and slides across the room as I shoot an ice spike into her head as well.
Hadvar then moves forward, his own sword in hand as he clashes with one of the remaining men, who has a mace. The other man rushes at me with a greatsword. I raise my shield up to block the downward slash and wince as I lose 20 HP just for blocking it. I pull back from the exchange and launch an ice spike into the man's shoulder. He yells in response, but doesn't seem to slow down. There's a health bar above his head that shows he lost a good chunk of HP, probably about 30%, from that spell. When he lunges at me, I raise another wall, this time for its intended purpose. His sword gets about two inches in before being stuck.
Seeing my chance, I lower the wall back into the ground and launch another fireball. This one is aimed right at his face. With his sword stuck in the ground and him trying to pull it out, there's no time left to react as I melt his helmet to his head and end his life as well. Looking at my MP, I grimace at the fact I'm left with only 30. Taking that Drought of Intellect was certainly a good call. Looking over at Hadvar, I see that he's finished off the maceman, flicking the blood off of his blade.
"Do you have something in particular against the Stormcloaks? There's not many soldiers I've seen attack one of the Rebels with such ferocity without even offering a word unless it was on orders." Hadvar asks me.
"It's not that." I offer in exchange, pointing to the corpse that was here before us. "They weren't going to listen to reason no matter what we did. That man likely arrived before them and was killed by one of your comrades. If they knew him, and there's no reason to suspect they didn't, then they were waiting here to draw blood. The first man I shot was sitting down. They weren't trying to escape, they were here to pick off survivors heading in."
+5 Reputation with Hadvar for impressing him with your assessment (15/100)
"Hm… that makes sense. You would make a fine addition to the Legion. Have you thought about joining up? I'm sure that you would be accepted quite readily." He asks me.
"I'm not so sure about that. I'm a merchant and a scholar before anything else." I respond as I look at the corpses. "However, I'll think on it a bit." My first instinct is to search these corpses and take all that they have for myself and stuff it into my inventory, but I get the feeling that the Keep could come crashing down on us at any time since this isn't actually a game.
"Let's get going." Hadvar seems to be thinking along a similar path as he opens up the next gate. "There has to be a passage out through the dungeons, if it exists at all. I don't like visiting the torture chambers, but it's a task that must be done."
I nod and follow after. I can come back here after I ditch Hadvar in Riverwood. Everyone else should either be dead or have run far away from here by then. Unless the Keep really does collapse completely. In that case, then all of this loot will be gone. The XP is pretty nice though. Three kills and I'm already up to level 3. Of course, considering there's probably no such thing as a level cap in this 'game', that might not mean much. But hey, my stats are going up at least.
As Hadvar walks in front of me, I manage to down the rest of my Droughts. The extra levels replenished my HP and MP, which is quite nice. But I noticed that they didn't do that until the battle was completely over. Looks like using level-ups to restore myself in the midst of battle isn't an option anymore. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.
We finish walking down the stone steps and end up in a hallway with a door. At the end of the hall, I see several figures, but can't make out their uniforms in the darkness. Of course, it doesn't really matter. If I remember correctly, then…
Even as I'm thinking about it, I can hear Alduin's roar from above and watch those unfortunate souls being crushed by a cave-in. "Damn, that Dragon doesn't give up easy." Hadvar comments. Just as I'm about to say something, the two of us hear voices through the door next to us. I can't quite make it out, but the thick Nord accent is easily detectable. Sharing a look, Hadvar opens the door and we walk in to see a group of Stormcloaks looting through the Imperials' supply room.
"Cover me with your magic. I'll try and catch them by surprise." I nod and count the group. There's only three this time. They don't seem to have noticed us yet and continue to argue. Hadvar finally strikes. His sword goes through the soft armor of one, piercing his lung. As he pulls out, the man collapses. With their attention on Hadvar, I cast two spells. A fireball to the chest of one of them and a stone wall raised to protect Hadvar from the explosion. The one I hit is launched into the sacks of grain in the back. The other one gets knocked into the wall I formed. Both are still alive, but not by much. Hadvar finishes the one closest to him, while I send an ice spike towards the one in the grain.
"I wonder how far these Stormcloaks managed to get. Still, they had the right idea. There should be some potions around here somewhere. See if you can find them. We should have time for that at least. I'll guard the door over there to make sure no one else comes."
The storeroom is set-up in an L-shape. That means that Hadvar shouldn't be able to see me stuffing things into my inventory. With that in mind, everything from the corpses of those men to the furniture and the sacks and barrels of food goes inside. I'm going to take full advantage of having no carry weight. I'm not sure when I'll be able to off-load these supplies, or if I'll need to use them, but there's no way I'm not going to utilize an infinite pocket dimension. Also, I find the potions he mentioned.
When I come back around the corner, Hadvar already has the door open. "Are you ready? Let's head out then." Taking a moment to recall the next two places where fighting will take place and my optional objective, I stop Hadvar and give him two of my HP potions.
"You're getting up close and personal. You'll need them before I will. If you go down, then I probably will as well." He takes them gratefully with a smile and then continues to lead me through the keep.
+1 Reputation with Hadvar for giving him supplies (16/100)
We're finally coming upon the dungeon soon. Another level-up meant I was in good condition for the next fight. Still, I did notice something while I was adding stuff to my inventory before. One of those pieces of jewelry I found in the barracks was an Amulet of Akatosh, so I equipped that before I came back to Hadvar. An extra 25% MP regeneration is extremely welcome.
"Do you hear that?" Hadvar asks. He drew his sword and rushed down the path towards the sound of fighting. As we pushed forward, we found the torturer, his assistant and two Imperial guards fighting six Stormcloaks. They didn't look very happy at having found some of their brethren dead in cages. The torturer was using streams of electricity to keep them at bay while his guards clashed with the Nords. Without help, there's no way they'd survive.
I was right behind Hadvar and launched an ice spike into the back of a larger Nord that was about to strike the assistant. He keeled over, dropping his weapon as his life force left him. Hadvar went to help one of the guards. With a second mage here to reinforce, two of the Stormcloaks rushed towards me. I sent another fireball at the feet of one of them, sending him flying into a wall and rose a wall in front of the second, taking some satisfaction as he slammed into it. His frame was large enough that it cracked and I wasn't about to reinforce it.
The remnants of the obstacle fell to the ground in chunks to reveal the angry and bloody face of a Nord who wanted me dead. The feeling was mutual and I sent a fireball at him to showcase that. It hit his chest and sent him flying into another one that was going to stab Hadvar in the back. I am not going to lose out on potential quest rewards.
By this time, the one in the wall had gotten up, though his HP was very low. An ice spike through the stomach finished him off and let me turn my gaze towards the two that were on the ground. Sending a final fireball at them, I watched as the corpses were sent even farther through the room and crashed into the back wall. It was right next to the hallway that I knew led to the cells. There were no more targets left by the time that was finished. I didn't mind since I got pushed up to Level 5 and replenished everything. On top of that, I got a nice little notification.
Level 5 Elementalist rewards acquired.
[Lightning Bolt] (Active) added
30 MP
Launch a bolt of lightning at a target. Deals 40 HP and MP damage. Extra damage if target is wearing metal armor.
[Blade of Wind] (Active) added
20 MP
Launch a blade of wind through the air. Deals 25 HP damage. May be ignited.
[Water Prison] (Active)
10 MP/s
Create a bubble of water to lock a target in.
[Cold Touch] (Active)
15 MP/s
Channel Cold energy through an object. If it is a weapon, add an addition 10 Ice damage to it as long as the spell is active. If it is an armor or shield, add 10% fire resistance as long as spell is active. If it is an enemy, deal 20 Ice damage/sec while spell is active and inflict [Shiver] status for up to 10 secs after spell ends.
So, does this mean that I'll get extra spells added to my repertoire every so often just for leveling up? If that's the case, then that's pretty nice. Skyrim's spell choice, quite frankly, leaves a lot to be desired. I wonder if there's a spell creation system anywhere here?
There is no in-universe spell creation system here. We decided not to mess with the Nords already fragile acceptance of the College of Winterhold.
I was beginning to think that you had disappeared and I was on my own in this game. Can I just ask questions and you'll answer them then?
You can ask, but I can't say whether or not you'll always get an answer! You are making great progress though. It seems like a good idea to have picked a world that you're so familiar with! Don't get too overconfident though, as the Board did make some alterations to keep you on your feet.
Board… like a Board of Directors? Are you a god or a corporation? The silence that met me was a bit unnerving, so I decided to get back into the thick of things. Joining back up with Hadvar, I see that the Torturer and his assistant are both alive and well.
[Optional Objective: Protect the torturer and his assistant] completed.
Rewards: 100 XP, 100 Gold, +5 Reputation with the Imperial Legion (5/100), Common Gacha Token
Well, I guess that takes care of one of those objectives I didn't know about. I wonder what the other one is? Whatever. I guess I'll find out when it comes around. As I get closer, I can hear Hadvar trying to tell the torturer that we're being attacked. I let him do that and snoop around the room, finding a mace and a heavier shield than the one I have equipped in the back room. The mace goes into my inventory and the shield to my arm. It's got some more weight to it, but nothing I can't handle. A little more searching nets me a dagger and a couple of lockpicks. The books I'll leave until later.
I come back out just as Hadvar finishes up his conversation, no one seeming to notice my looting. The torturer, as expected, refuses to come along. His assistant and guards, on the other hand, are more than willing. As we're getting ready to leave, though, Hadvar notices a corpse in one of the cages. "Do you think you can get inside here?" He wonders. "He might have something useful for us."
"Oh, yes. Take all of my things." The torturer sarcastically quips. I walk to the cage and look inside. I could probably use vacuum palm to get the spell tome, potion and gold, but that outfit will be a little harder. Thinking a moment, I grasp onto the bars tightly and cast [Cold Touch].
Mist begins to rise up from the rapidly freezing metal. After a few seconds, I let go and bash my newer, heavier shield into it and watch as it shatters. With the lock non-existent, I open the cell door quite easily. I'm not a thief and I have no idea how lockpicks work. It takes a bit of work, but the corpse loses his clothing and I get some nice bonuses from their enchantment. 30 more MP is nice, but that 50% faster MP regen is even better. Especially when combined with my Amulet of Akatosh. With a rumble overhead, I decide to ignore my rule of not showcasing my abilities.
With a thought, the robe and hood are equipped. My armor and helmet go straight into my inventory. I do lose the Imperial Light Armor set bonus, but I'm not too concerned about that just yet. Hadvar looks at me a bit strangely, but doesn't say anything. He's probably not that familiar with magic and just accepts it as a spell. The spellbook and mana potion go into my inventory while I toss the gold over to Hadvar. I've already got quite a bit, so 25 pieces isn't going to affect me very much.
"Let's get going." I suggest as I walk towards the hall of cells. I don't lead though. I'm a mage, I need to stay in the back. Plus, this next room we go in is going to be filled with more Stormcloaks than we've fought so far combined, if the ratios continue as they have been. Hadvar takes point with the other three behind him. The assistant has a sword and shield. The guards have a greatsword and battle-ax respectively. This should work out, I think.
"There's no way out that way, you know." The torturer comments snidely as we leave. Is that what I usually sound like to other people? No, I'm not that bad.
We move past the cells quietly, then down a ramp. This takes us to a room full of corpses suspended in what look like human-sized bird cages. Human-sized might not be the best description though. They're large enough for a human to barely fit in if they curl up in an upright fetal position. The Stormcloaks were right to be angry at him, but it is wartime. Gamer's Mind is really quite helpful, honestly.
As we make it to what would be the end of the room, there's a large hole in the wall. Alduin's rampage has finally been helpful to some degree. Readying myself, I take a look at my MP and notice that it might not be a bad idea to drink that MP potion I just got. Downing it quickly, I smile at my once more full bar. Alright, time to kill some rebels.
Through the hole we travel into a cavern with torches lining the walls. Straining, I can hear voices arguing. "Hadvar, do you hear that?" The soldier nods, his sword ready. Our group pushes forward and comes to a corner that turns into the larger room that the Stormcloaks are gathered.
"Where in Oblivion are we supposed to go? There's no way out!"
"Give me a moment, I'm thinking." Hold on. I recognize that second voice. Isn't that Ralof? He's not supposed to be here. The voice did say that some changes were made, but this is one I didn't think of. Gamer's Mind keeps me calm enough that I can roughly figure out what that second unknown optional objective was. Hadvar peeks around the corner a moment and turns to us.
"I can count at least six. However, I think there might be more that I can't see. We have the advantage of surprise, so let's use it. Any ideas?" I think quickly over what I actually can do. I know that there's some oil slick on the other side of the room, if that hasn't been changed. That doesn't necessarily help right now though. On top of that, this is the first place where enemies have bows. That means that I'm not as safe at range as I have been thus far. If Hadvar sees six, there's probably at least ten. They have a numbers advantage, but there shouldn't be any mages amongst them.
"I can hit them with a fireball or two if they're cl.u.s.tered. They have an explosive shockwave when they strike an object. You'll have to be quick to kill whoever can get up and also watch out for anyone in the room that I can't get to from here." The other four share a look before nodding. It's our best option, after all.
Peeking around the corner, I note that the four of the six Hadvar saw are grouped pretty closely. I haven't been noticed yet, so this should be fine. Forming the fireball in my hand, I launch it at the biggest of those four, watching his HP drop pretty drastically. The explosion isn't quiet, and neither is the sound of four grown men screaming as they're launched through the air in opposite directions. As soon as I threw the fireball, my Imperial bodyguard – as I'd started thinking of them as – rushed forward.
I was not far behind them and launched an ice spike at the other guy I could see that wasn't Ralof. Ralof recognized me and seemed to single me out specifically as he rushed forward. Sorry guys, looks like I'm gonna have a mini-boss on my hands already. Observing Ralof, I note that his HP is pretty high, floating just above 350. Mini-boss is right.
"You really are with the Imperials then! I should've left you there on the ground when the dragon attacked." He sneered as his ax was raised high. I raised a wall in defense to try and halt him. He smashed into it with his shoulder reducing its condition to half in one blow. Launching a fireball at what was left of the wall, I watched him fly backwards. It gave me a little room to breathe and also managed to set his armor on fire.
Slashing my index and middle fingers in his direction, I launched a blade of invisible wind at him as he stood back up. I was really hoping that Naruto rules applied here. My expectations were greatly exceeded as the blade ignited against his chest, causing an explosion of energy that shattered the armor beneath and significantly dropped his HP.
Deciding to end this before he could recover, I form a Fireball and a Lightning Bolt in either hand, launching both of them at him. Ralof becomes very dead as soon as they hit. As I thought, a notification then pops up.
Hidden Objective [Defeat Ralof] completed
Reward: 100 XP, 100 Gold, +5 Reputation with Hadvar (20/100), Common Gacha Token
I really do need to see what this Gacha system is about whenever I split ways with Hadvar. Before that though, there's still some Stormcloaks left and I'm in charge of support. I count two archers near the oil slick and one Nord fighting each of my guards. The first move is pretty obvious as I launch a fireball at the oil. The archers scream in agony as they're engulfed in flames. They probably won't die from that though, so I also send a blade a wind into the blaze. They're definitely dead when I do that.
Primary Objective [Kill 10 Stormcloaks] completed
Reward: 100 XP, 100 Gold, [Enemy of the Rebels] perk, uncommon gacha token
[Enemy of the Rebels] added
Deal 10% extra damage to the Stormcloak faction, faster reputation gain with all enemies of the Stormcloaks, lose reputation with the Stormcloak faction faster
I quickly dismissed that notification and tried to find a good time to aid the others. Unfortunately, I wasn't actually certain that I could do anything without accidentally hitting one of them. Some magic missiles would be pretty nice right now.
Magic Missiles are non-elemental, and would require taking a different class! The voice helpfully told me. You are not allowed to take any other classes until your primary class has reached Level 25 and you cannot take an additional mage class until you have maxed out Elementalist. That sickly sweet tone never left, but I was getting used to it at this point.
So, I can take what… one fighter and one rogue class when I reach level 25 Elementalist?
Yep! You also will be free to take one artisan class at that time. You can't take artisan as your primary class though. In prior testing sessions when someone did that, they usually ended up dying horribly! Therefore, we've removed the option as a precaution.
I'll have to remember that. Being able to craft things would be nice. I didn't even think about that sort of thing until the voice mentioned it. As the other four finished up their battle without my need to intervene, I made my way to the doorway. I ended up getting up to level 8 from my contribution, so that was pretty good. I'm not too sure what the formula for XP is, but it seems to be quadratic, if not exponential. I'm not sure when levels will start being harder to come by, but it probably won't be too long at this rate.
The others get to the doorway with me after the fire put itself out. "Let's see where this goes." Hadvar instructs as we make our way into a passage. There's a conveniently placed lever that lowers a bridge into the cavern I know will lead us out. The Torturer's Assistant hangs back a bit.
"We'll stay back and keep the old man safe. That's our post anyways. Make sure you send have them send some support back here in case we can't convince him to leave." Hadvar nods and I stay quiet. I'd say that he would regret that decision, but I'm not sure if he'll even live long enough for that.
Hadvar and I make our way across the bridge. I make sure my pace is a bit faster than usual to force him to keep up. Moments after we make it onto the cobblestone stairs, large boulders come down on top of the bridge we just walked over. Hadvar turned around and looked at what had happened. "I guess there's no going back that way." He calmly assessed. "I'm sure the others will find another way out. We have to keep moving." Out of curiosity, I observe him.
Hadvar of Riverwood
Level 15
Race: Human
Class: Fighter
Sub-Class: Legionary (Lv. 15/100)
Occupation: Soldier
Status: Shell-Shock
So he's calm because his emotions haven't caught up to him. Well, that's pretty fair. I urge him to move forward to try and keep him busy. The cobblestone walkway turns into stairs which lead straight into a creek running through the cave. We have two paths, but I already know which one leads to safety, so I lead the way. I really don't want to get crushed in a cave-in over a few gold pieces and a potion.
Hadvar seems to have recovered a bit by the time we make it to the spider cave. "You alright?" I ask him. After a moment he seems to acknowledge that I'm even talking before nodding. "Look, we won' t be any use to any survivors unless we make it out and get word spread about the attack. I don't think that the Holds are used to Dragon attacks nor do they have defenses set up."
"No, no. You're absolutely right. I'm sorry about that. I've just never been that close to death in all my time in the Legion. I don't even know if that chamber we were just fighting in caved-in or if it just was the doorway."
"There's no time to worry about that. I get the feeling that we're close to finding our way out, so we should do so quickly. If we get caught in a cave-in then who's going to tell anyone? We already killed the Stormcloaks in the Keep. We're the last people that can inform the local Jarl." That seems to clear the cobwebs from Hadvar's head and he nods. "Now, get ready. I think the Dragon might've woken up something nasty."
As I say that, I point up to the webbing in the cave's ceiling. Half a dozen frostbite spiders lower themselves from their home with red eyes gazing at us. Hadvar pulls out a bow and begins firing upon them as I launch a fireball at the ceiling. The fire quickly spreads across the web and to the silk strands connected to the arachnids, burning them as well. Unable to move, they can't do anything as Hadvar makes well-aimed shots in the center of their skulls. I grin as my level moves up to nine and give him a light slap on the back. "We'll make it out of this, just you wait."
+11 Reputation gained with Hadvar for bringing him out of his funk (37/100)
I wonder if this reputation with Hadvar will actually get me anything. I mean, I don't mind either way since I don't like seeing him so out of character, but it would be interesting if there was.
There is, actually! At both 50 and 100 Reputation or Affection, you will get rewards relating to the NPC whom you've reached that level with. The first is a minor reward while the second is a perk. Make sure to grind those relationsh.i.p.s with named characters and factions!
And suddenly I feel like charisma would be a really good stat. Oh well, that's something to think about another time. For now, we move forward. Again, that venom would be really nice to have, but I'm trying to be practical right now. Hadvar is afraid of a cave-in, and so am I. So we push further into the cave system.
There's a bear in here. I knew there would be. I'm just glad it's still just the one. A quick observe tells me that its HP isn't that big of a problem. It's only 200, not even as much as Ralof. But it's much stronger in terms of both the Strength and Constitution stat than either of us. Luckily, I won't have to fight in in close quarters. "You think we should try to sneak past it?" Hadvar wonders, seeing as it's asleep.
"I'm not sure we can. And killing it would be faster." I use what it quickly becoming my favorite combination of spells. A fireball to ignite it and a blade of wind to cause an explosion of force. It goes from sleeping to knocked out as its head hits the wall. I'm informed that I've caused it to gain the [Concussion] status effect. I want that experience though, so a Lightning Bolt followed by an Ice Spike and it's dead. By the Gods, I love being a Mage.
"Let's get out of here." I tell Hadvar as I lead him further in until we find an opening. Light shining into the cave is all that we need to see for him to lose his [Fear] status. We've escaped, and the ear-to-ear grin he's wearing tells me more than Observe ever could.
Chapter III: Naps are Better than Death
[Unbound] Complete
Reward: 1000 XP, 1000 Gold, [ID Create]
Optional objective [Keep Hadvar alive] completed
Reward: 100 XP, 100 Gold, Rare Gacha Token
Path [Join Hadvar] completed
+11 Reputation with Hadvar (43/100), +10 Reputation with Alvor the Blacksmith (10/100), +11 Reputation with Imperial Legion (16/100)
Due to Ralof's death, negative reputation with him averted
[ID Create]
0 MP
Create a pocket dimension dungeon.
Current Instant Dungeons: Empty, Zombie
Level 10 Elementalist bonuses acquired.
[Burning Hands]
15 MP/s
Channel heat energy through an object. If it is a weapon, add 10 Fire damage to each attack. If it is armor, add 10% Cold Resistance. If it is an enemy, deal 20 Fire Damage per second.
[Stone Spikes]
30 MP
Form spikes of stone on a surface facing whatever direction you choose. They are molded into the earth as if eroded that way over centuries.
[Gale Palm]
20 MP
Create a gale-force wind from your palm, knocking back anything in its path. Enemies hit will suffer knockback, 25 HP of damage when impacting an object and be inflicted with [Paralyzed] for 3 seconds. May be resisted by enemies of sufficient size.
[Firebolt]
25 MP
Create an arrow of fire. It is fast and accurate, as well as explosive. Deal 50 Fire Damage.
Well, that's certainly a good notification to get one step out of the cave. Several quests being completed gets me all the way to Level 11, as well. Even better is the sight of Alduin flying off into the sky. I don't know where he's off to, but as long as it's away from me then I'm quite happy. Hadvar notices it too. "Looks like he's leaving. I don't think we should stick around to see if he comes back." I nod.
"Is there anywhere we can get some rest?" I ask him. I know that he'll lead me to his uncle's home. "After everything we've been through, I feel like we've earned it." Hadvar thinks a moment.
"There's a village not far from here, Riverwood. My uncle lives there and works as the village blacksmith. He'll probably let us stay for the night, especially after we tell him what happened." It's quite a story, even in-game. Actually living through it is another thing entirely. Even with Gamer's Mind.
"Let's make our way there then. I'm not very familiar with the area. Why don't you lead the way?" Hadvar seems hesitant. "You have a different idea?" He pauses a moment longer before answering.
"It might be wiser to travel separately and meet up in the village. There could be Stormcloaks left, and it would be better if at least one of us made it to tell the townsfolk." I give Hadvar a hard look, which seemed to make him reconsider his words.
"Hadvar, with all due respect, that's a terrible idea. We just fought our way through over a dozen Stormcloaks, half a dozen spiders and a bear. A few more rebels to add to today's list of kills is nothing. We're safer in numbers. Plus, no one in Riverwood even knows me. How many Nords will listen to an Imperial spouting off nonsense about a dragon attack? I'd be disregarded as a madman. You're the one that needs to tell your uncle so that he can warn the villagers. I just need to make sure you survive until we get there."
Hadvar sighed, but smiled. "You're right. I know that you're right. I suppose I'm just shook up from this whole experience today. Let's go ahead and make our way to Riverwood." I smile back and follow behind him. My eyes are peeled for any dangers. Starting now, things are going to be a lot less scripted. Helgen Keep was something I knew relatively well, but there's no telling what could happen from here.
All I could be sure of was that a pack of wolves would attack us on our way to Riverwood. After that, my knowledge would likely only help with dungeons and certain character interactions. Open world games are a lot less linear once you conquer the tutorial section, after all.
"Listen, Orpheus. I know you already said that you aren't really a soldier, but you really proved yourself today. You should head to Solitude and join the Legion." Hadvar says after a minute or two. We're walking at a somewhat sedate pace now that the danger is over with. "I wouldn't have made it today if it wasn't for you and we could really use someone like you. If the Rebels have themselves a Dragon, General Tullius is the only one who can stop them." I can't help but laugh on the inside. No, no. Alduin will gladly kill Stormcloaks as easily as Imperials.
"I'll give it some thought. I'm not entirely sure what I want to do though. I came to Skyrim to try and start myself up as a trader, not fight in a Civil War. Mostly, I wanted to help the Legion in that capacity. Joining up myself though? The thought never really occurred to me." Hadvar nodded in understanding.
"Still, it's something to think on. If you ever do decide you want to join up, I'll put in a good word for you with the General. You deserve it, after what you did." I can't help but smile a bit. Yeah, Hadvar seems like a good choice. My only regret is that I can't bring him along as a companion.
[For the Emperor!] added
Join the Imperial Legion
Reward: [?] perk added, [?] perk added, Reputation with various people and factions change, Start Civil War questline, [Companion: Hadvar] unlocked
Well, that's rather convenient. It's almost like I have a disembodied voice listening in on my thoughts and shaping my experience around them.
You're welcome!
Still, I can imagine what the reputation changes will include. Do I really want to start the civil war questline so early though? Hm… there's some things I should probably do before that. I do think that I'll join the Imperials though. It just sounds like a good idea to me. Plus, I still want Ulfric's coat.
Hadvar stopped and pointed towards a nearby mountain where I could make out some unnatural architecture. "You see that ruin over there? That's Bleak-Falls Barrow. When I was a kid, I used to have nightmares about the place: Draugr creeping in through my window at night, that sort of thing. Even to this day, I don't really like the idea of it being so close."
[Bleak-Falls Barrow] Location added to map
Hadvar is inflicted with [Anxious]
"Aren't Draugr just a children's story to get them to go to bed?" I ask, trying to relieve his new status. I don't have anything in the way of healing magic, so it's the only thing I can do. Hadvar chuckles a bit.
"Perhaps. Aren't Dragons supposed to be the same way though? I'm not really certain what is just a fairy tale and what's truth right now." We were both silent a moment before a familiar set of rocks came into view.
"You've not been to Skyrim before, have you? These are the Guardian Stones. They're three of the thirteen ancient stones that are scattered over Skyrim. It's said that they can grant some protection to those they think deserve their power. Go ahead and take a closer look."
I take his advice. Immediately, I wander over to the Mage Stone and place a hand on it. A notification pops up.
Would you like to add [The Mage Stone] perk? You may only have a single Standing Stone perk and this choice cannot be changed.
I narrow my eyes at the message. That… isn't what I thought it would say. So, if I choose this then I can't get anything else, is that it? You know… I feel like I might want to wait until I find The Lover or The Atronach, on second thought.
"They're quite impressive. How do the carvings not get eroded by the elements?" I wonder. Hadvar shrugs it off, clearly never having thought about that. Turning around, I join back with him.
As we begin walking again, Hadvar seems like he's got something else to say. I don't pressure him, knowing he'll tell me when he's ready. "Listen." He starts, his tone very cautious. "As far as I'm concerned, you've earned your pardon. However, until we get it confirmed through the General… it might be best that you steer clear of any Imperial soldiers and avoid anything complicated. Alright?"
"Don't worry, Hadvar. I'll keep my head low. I don't want to have to do a repeat of today." Hadvar chuckles a bit at that and nods. "Wait, do you hear that?" As I speak, there's a low growling noise. I look up towards a rock outcropping above and in front of us, spotting a couple of wolves. Here it is.
Hadvar already has his sword out by the time I cast Fireball. A direct hit in the head kills one of them and the explosion sends two of the remaining four off the rock. Hadvar wastes no time in running his blade through them. The other pair lunge at me. I bring up my shield to knock back one, but the other manages to pounce onto me.
I wrap my arms around its throat, casting [Cold Touch] and [Burning Hands] at once. It whines, and then howls, at the pain nearly immediately, ignoring its prey in exchange for what must be the worst experience in its short life. Frost coated the fur on the left side, until it froze solid and began to spread. On the right side, fur and flesh were consumed in a flash fire. Mere seconds had passed, but the life drained from its eyes even quicker than MP from my bar.
Once I'm sure the danger is over, I toss the wolf from me. That was much heavier than I thought it was. My HP had taken a hit from the initial attack and the weight of the wolf. A moment later and Hadvar was standing over me, hand extended.
After I'm on my feet, I sigh. "F.u.c.k.i.n.g hell, that was a bit too close for my liking." I notice that he's already killed the one I disoriented with a shield bash. "Have much of a wolf problem in this area?" I wonder.
Hadvar laughs at the notion. "In the area? Try a wolf problem all over Skyrim. They aren't too dangerous on their own, but the packs can get pretty big. You alright?" He looks over me and whistles. "I don't know what that robe is made of, but looks like it's not even damaged from the claws." I look down at my chest and notice that he's right. Not even a single tear. "Still, I feel like I might owe you my life twice now. You were right to keep us together. I'm not certain I could take on five of them on my own with just a sword."
I wave it off. "Don't worry about it, Hadvar. We're just looking out for each other. That entire journey through the Keep doesn't mean much if either of us dies now. I won't allow it to have been in vain."
+11 Reputation with Hadvar (54/100) for being humble despite keeping him alive today
[Honor, Duty, Sacrifice] perk added
Reputation with soldiers increases faster
Oh, so that's what a minor perk at 50 Reputation means. Hm… well, at least that means that it'll be easier to get Legionary Reputation up now. "What do you want to do with these?" I wonder as I look at the wolves.
"Leave them for now. If they're still here in the morning, we can drag them back to the village to skin and butcher for their pelts and meat. I'm sure my uncle can find some use for it." With that taken care of, we begin moving again. "We're almost to Riverwood, anyways.
Almost is a bit of an understatement. After we turn around the next corner, I can see it. It seems like it's got a major upgrade. I mean, it is a village that has had to survive in the harsh climate of Skyrim, so it only makes sense that there's more realism to it than I recall in the game.
First of all, there's a very large, wooden wall I can see from here. I have to assume that it surrounds the entire village. A pair of doors hang open in line with the road. It's daylight and there's no attackers, so there's probably little reason to keep it shut.
As we walk into the village itself, I notice more differences. The road that travels through the village is filled with many more buildings than I remember. This is likely a major road, since it travels straight from Cyrodiil to Whiterun. Thinking about it, Riverwood was pretty small for a village along what is likely a major trade route. Based on the increase in businesses along the main road, I can probably expect there to be about five times as many people here as I'm used to, maybe more. Hm… that means that there's probably some side quests to complete here. That means extra experience and gold. I'm liking this already.
As we walked down the road I could hear Sven and his mother arguing. Just the usual. She was trying to explain that she'd seen a dragon fly over Bleak Falls Barrow, he was trying to assure her that she was a lunatic. You should listen to your crazy mother, Sven.
"There's my uncle now." Hadvar explained. Alvor's house was a bit further into the town than it usually was, with three whole buildings between the gate and his workshop. I'd have to explore Riverwood a bit, it seems. I wanted to see what new shops had popped up and what quests I might partake in before moving on to Whiterun. "Uncle Alvor!"
As Hadvar called out to him, Alvor looked up from the anvil he was at. He'd been shaping a piece of metal just now. "Hadvar? By the Divines, what's happened to you?" The worry was thick in his eyes. "And who is this?"
"Please keep it down, uncle." Hadvar pleaded. "I'll explain, but we need to talk inside." The insistence in his voice seemed to convey how important it was. With a nod, he led the way to the front door.
"Of course. Sigrid will make you a plate and we can discuss this over a meal." A moment later, we're in the house and seated at the table. "Sigrid, we have guests!" Alvor announced. Peeking out from the stairs that led into their bas.e.m.e.nt,the blacksmith's wife showed herself.
"Hadvar? Oh, we've been worried sick about you. What's happened?" A look from Hadvar seemed to convey that he would explain. She picked up on it with a soft smile. "Why don't I get you two some food?"
Alvor gained Hadvar's attention once more. "Now, would you please explain why you look like you lost an argument with a cave bear? And who is this?" I remained quiet, thinking it wiser for Hadvar to introduce me.
"This is Orpheus, a friend. I might not be here if not for him, actually." Alvor and Sigrid – who had returned with some food just in time to hear that – both gave me a look.
+5 Reputation with Alvor the Blacksmith (15/100) for saving his nephew
+5 Reputation with Sigrid (10/100) for saving her nephew
"You know that I was placed in General Tullius' guard. When we were in Helgen, a dragon attacked us. There was mass confusion."
"A dragon? You aren't drunk, are you boy?" Alvor eyed his nephew skeptically. Honestly, I couldn't find it in myself to blame him.
"Husband, let him tell his story." Sigrid chastised the burly man. With a sigh, Alvor nodded and gestured for Hadvar to keep going.
"There's not much else to tell, really." Hadvar confessed. "I'm not sure who is left. The two of us made it out, somehow. The way we escaped got caved in though. I've got to get to Solitude and report this in, if General Tullius hasn't already made it back. I was hoping that you could help us: food, supplies, and a place to sleep."
Alvor smiled softly and nodded. "Of course. Any friend of yours is a friend of mine. I'll be more than happy to help out in any way that I can. Feel free to take what you need, within reason of course. However, if there really is a dragon, then the Jarl will need to know. Do you think I could bother you to travel to Whiterun and let Jarl Balgruuf know?"
[A Favor for the Blacksmith] started
Inform the Jarl of Whiterun Hold that a Dragon attacked Helgen. Riverwood is defenseless
Rewards: Reputation gain with various people and factions, Alvor the Blacksmith will be in your debt
"Of course I can do that. I need to go to Whiterun anyways, so it's no trouble at all." I assure him. Hadvar smiles in response.
"I will make preparations for my journey to Solitude and we can travel to the stables at Whiterun together. We should rest tonight and we can both spend tomorrow preparing. We'll leave the morning after."
"That sounds like a plan to me. Is Whiterun very far from here?" If the village is this large, then I'm not actually sure how far away it would be in between locations.
"It shouldn't be more than half a day's walk." Hadvar assures me. "The road to Whiterun is quite safe, so we shouldn't be attacked by anything on our way there. I'll write you a letter of introduction. I may not rank as highly as I'd like, but being a member of the General's personal guard detail is still a position that holds weight."
"Now, that's enough talk." Sigrid intervenes. "You boys eat your food before it gets cold. I'm sure you're going to want to rest up after dinner, so I'll get things prepared." She went downstairs again, leaving the three of us at the table.
Looking down at the bowl in front of me, I used a quick observe to see what it was exactly. Venison stew with carrots and potatoes actually sounded really appetizing right now and it tasted even better. A home-cooked meal after nearly dying several times over the course of a single day was the best way to wrap up my first day in this crazy world.
[A few hours later]
I very quickly discovered a side-effect of Gamer's Body that I hadn't really thought about. It specifically stated that I only required 30 minutes to be revitalized. I thought that meant that I needed half an hour at most to go back to full HP – which is true – but it meant something a little more. 30 minutes of sleep is equivalent to 8 hours. I was pretty exhausted after today, but after two hours of sleep, I became extremely restless.
I wasn't really sure what to do, so I ended up leaving Alvor's house at that crack of half past midnight, making sure not to wake anyone up. The village was nearly silent by this time and I wasn't really sure what to do.
If I tried to leave the village right now, I'm pretty sure that the guards would have questions. If I tried exploring the village right now, it would lead to the same conclusion. Honestly, there's not much for me to do but sit on one of the chairs in Alvor's workshop. That's fine though. I've got things to figure out until dawn comes.
The very first thing is to figure out exactly what this gacha thing is. You got anything to tell me, oh powerful voice of my corporate overlords?
The gacha system is quite fun and addicting! There are seven levels of prizes: Common, Uncommon, Rare, Super Rare, Ultra Rare, Epic and Legendary. Whenever you get a gacha token, it randomly selects a prize from the list. Your common tokens can select from all prizes, while the Epic token will only draw from the Epic and Legendary list. A Rare token would disregard all common and uncommon prizes.
I see. Well, I do have a number of gacha tokens after the tutorial section, so I don't see why I shouldn't use it. Let's start with the common token.
[Fallout: New Vegas Soundtrack] (Common) added.
Radio unlocked.
Skyrim OST added due to starter world.
I'm sorry, what? Thinking about the radio, an interface that looks eerily similar to the Spotify app pops up. Right now, there are three options. Fallout: New Vegas radio, Skyrim radio and shuffle. With a sigh, I press the shuffle button and chuckle when Big Iron by Marty Robbins starts playing. It's so out of place, but I have to admit that it is my favorite song from Radio New Vegas. Some background music while I play should make things more interesting, at the very least. Next up is the Rare token.
10 Skill Points added.
Well, that's pretty nice. Since my stats are based on class levels, getting some extra points to put into what I want whenever I want could potentially be a lifesaver. Plus, my OCD has been f.u.c.k.i.n.g with me considering these stupid numbers. I immediately round off everything but my intelligence and Wisdom and smile. Now I just need a little bit more and everything will be rounded off to multiples of five. Everything but my main stats are 20, with INT and WIS at 76 and 72 respectively.
Taking a deep breath, I can feel my excitement building. Now for the Epic token. Time to see what sort of stuff is in this highest tier of prizes. Well, only one way to find out.
[Summonstone: Shiva (Final Fantasy VI)] added to inventory
I nearly fall out of my chair when I see that. Composing myself, and hoping that I didn't wake anyone, I have to control my breath. Opening my inventory, I quickly use observe.
[Summonstone: Shiva (Final Fantasy VI)]
When used, adds a spell for summoning Shiva's Final Fantasy VI form, which will use her signature Diamond Dust spell on all enemies in the area. Only a Summoner or Elementalist can use the spell.
I don't even need to think about it before bringing the stone out of my inventory. How do I add the spell though? Even as I'm thinking that, the stone shatters in my hands. I guess you just squeeze it?
[Summon Shiva (Final Fantasy VI)]
1000 MP
Use this spell to summon the Esper, Shiva, to aid you in battle. May only be used once per day. She will use her signature spell, Diamond Dust.
Well, shit. I barely have a third of the required MP cost to use the spell. Okay, that's fine. There's not really anything that I would need Shiva for in the immediate future. I just need to make sure I increase my level substantially before I have to solo my first dragon. That's really what I want her for.
I spot something else in my inventory as well. It's that spell tome I got from the Keep. Bringing it out, I observe it. My eyes light up as I see what it is. A notification pops up asking if I want to learn it, which I quickly say yes to.
[Chain Lightning] learned.
[Chain Lightning]
30 MP/sec
Create a continuous stream of lightning. It will jump to nearby targets and inflict [Paralyze] on whoever is being hit by it. Deals 15 lightning damage per second.
I wouldn't be able to keep it up for more than 12 seconds, but that's a really good spell for crowd control. Clearly, MP is going to be my biggest obstacle in battles. I just need to push my class levels up higher. I think Bleak Falls Barrow will be the best way to do that. Well, maybe. There's still one more thing I need to check. Hey, HR, what's this instant dungeon thing?
Excuse me, I am not some lowly Human Resources agent! I am the head of the Public Relations department!
Of course, of course. How could I possibly make such an egregious error. So, what's an instant dungeon? It's quiet for a moment before the voice is back.
The Instant Dungeon is a newer mechanic that we've been working on. Essentially, you can create an isolated space in the area you cast it. The other people will still exist, it's just you that's isolated. You'll be in the same area that you cast it. Well, more like a copy of the place you cast it.
I see. So, if I were to cast it here then I'd end up in a copy of Riverwood with none of its occupants. Can I take things from the Instant Dungeon?
Only partially. You can't take anything that the Instant Dungeon copied. However, any enemies you defeat may drop gold and items. On top of that, at the end of each wave, a prize chest will appear. These item drops and prize chests are the only things that you're able to take with you. Just a warning, time does pass while you use this.
So, if I use it here and come back when someone is looking over here then it might cause some issues. That's not good. There has to be somewhere I can go where no one is likely to be at this time of night. Well, I guess there's Helgen, or the cave under Helgen. Still, that means I'd have to leave Riverwood.
Is there a way to do this without leaving? The wall means that sneaking off is a bit more difficult. Hey, PR Department Head, what happens when I leave the Instant Dungeon?
You will appear back in the real world in the place where you are in the copied world, of course!
Okay, that makes this much easier. I can enter it here and re-appear outside of the city. Wait, isn't this ability really broken though? Can't I just use this to get around security in places like the Thalmor Embassy? Oh, I'm going to enjoy this. Okay, let's try this.
"Instant Dungeon Create: Zombie." I say quietly. I don't really notice a difference, but I think that it worked. Standing up, I walk down the stairs back to the main road. A smile forms on my face as I notice a lone undead slowly making its way towards me. It's looks like it was once a peasant farmer, half of its face crawling with maggots. With a limping gait, it pushes closer to me.
Wave 1: Start! Kill 5 Zombies to reach Wave 2.
You know what? This seems like a really good way to spend the rest of my night. Observing the zombie, I get a small amount of information.
Zombie
Level 1
HP: 25
A generic human undead. It moves slowly and can't take a hit. Dangerous in hordes.
Well, I don't see a horde yet, so looks like danger isn't really a thing. An Ice Spike through the eye sends it to the floor quickly. The corpse turns to dust once its HP reaches 0. Well, at least I don't have to worry about confusing the dead and undead ones, at least.
Looking around, I realize that these walls are actually pretty useful. It means that I know where the zombies will likely appear and only have so many places I'll have to look. I'm just hoping I don't have to go in any of the houses to find them.
Though, I don't even have to go looking by the looks of it. The other four came to the main road after a few moments. None of them are near each other which means I can't just use Fireball. Well, they're slow and all heading towards me specifically. I could outpace them with my regular walking speed, to be honest. Standing in front of Alvor's place, I watch as they approach me. My MP regenerates before even one of them makes it halfway across the road. Well, that's fine.
I decide to just snipe them with four more Ice Spikes through the skull. They're slow and I got a bit impatient. Bringing up my character sheet, I'm a little disappointed to see they only gave 10 XP each. Well, they are level 1 and extremely fragile. I guess I should expect that. I bet the XP will get much better with stronger zombies and when the waves are more numerous.
Wave 1 Complete!
Rewards: 50 XP, 50 Gold, Common Gacha Token, 1 Skill Point
Would you like to start the next Wave?
Yeah, let's keep going. This time, the notification tells me that there's ten. Hm… is it going to double each wave? That might be interesting. It would likely get out of hand relatively quickly. Still, I wonder if there's any way I can get onto the roof of one of these houses? If the zombies come towards me no matter where I am, then that would be useful for the later waves.
My thoughts are interrupted as 10 zombie hands erupt from the soft dirt to either side of the road at once. They are each joined by a second one, before 10 decaying corpses pull themselves out of the ground. They're spaced out relatively far apart. Far enough that I can't hit any of them with Fireball and hope to get the explosive effect's use. Well, that's fine.
Feeling electricity crackle along my fingers, I extend my hand and watch as all of them convulse from my Chain Lightning. It only takes three seconds for them to fall, but I notice something worrying. I had thought that I would only lose 45 MP from that, since it says 15 MP per second. Instead, I lost almost 200 MP. Do the links in the chain actually increase the cost then?
I still have some MP left, but losing half of my MP in three seconds is not cost-effective. I don't know whether I could do that again, especially if the numbers really do double.
Wave 2 Complete!
Rewards: 100 XP, 100 Gold, Common Gacha Token, 2 Skill Points
Before I start the next wave, I take the opportunity to create a stone wall beneath my feet. It's just tall enough that I can step over onto Alvor's roof. I'd rather be up here as I wait for my MP to come back than down there, after all.
Just as I thought, the game informs me that there's 20 this time. It takes almost half a minute for my MP to top up. When it does though, I let loose. If they can't reach me and I can take as long as I need to recharge my MP, then this shouldn't be that difficult. A couple Fireballs and they're taken care of as well.
Just as I thought, I got 200 XP and Gold, another Common Gacha Token and 3 Skill Points. This did seem like it was a bit too easy, but that's just because I was a ranged fighter in a place that the enemy couldn't reach me, I think.
Wave 4 came and went with about the same amount of ease the previous one. Before I pushed into Wave 5 though, I increased my INT up to 80 and my WIS up to 75 to satiate my OCD. It seemed like a good idea considering I got the warning that Wave 5 is a boss round. As soon as it started, I understood why.
Gone were the shambling undead from before. Instead, they were replaced by various other types of undead. I quickly used Observe on all of them.
Decayed Commander
HP 1500
Fire Reaper
HP 100
Armored Zombie
HP 300
Burning Skull Head
HP 50
The Commander looked like some sort of samurai general. There was still flesh on his body, but not much. He wielded a katana in one hand and was probably the boss of this wave. The others had to be his mob support.
The Fire Reaper was literally just a skeleton in a purple robe that had a bow in hand. The arrows in his quiver all seemed to be on fire without burning said quiver. I'll have to assume magic is responsible there. There were five of these archers in total scattered across the road.
The Armored Zombies also wore samurai armor but had green flesh filled with cracks. Clearly, these were the Commander's foot soldiers. They numbered 15.
Lastly were the Burning Skull Heads. They had about as literal of a name as one could hope for. They were floating skulls that were engulfed in flames. I'm willing to bet that they'll try and kamikaze me as soon as I aggro them. They were the most numerous as a total of 25.
This might be a bit tougher than I originally thought. Luckily, I had plenty of potions and a decent selection of spells to choose from. Feeling magic crackle along my fingers, I couldn't help the excitement that flowed through my veins.
Status [Adrenaline Rush] added.
[Adrenaline Rush] increases HP Regeneration by 50%, STR by 25% and END by 15% but lowers WIS by 30%.
I closed the notification quickly and focused on the matter at hand. The Commander didn't look like it would be particularly dangerous. It had high HP, but only wielded a sword. Honestly, the biggest danger is the mob of Skulls. With that in mind, I cast several Ice Spikes in succession. Ten of the Skulls go down at the cost of a third of my mana. The attack paints a marker on me though, figuratively.
All eyes, whether in the air or on the ground, point towards my location now. Launching a Wind Blade forward, I manage to catch one of the flaming arrows mid-air. The shockwave sends some of the archers and soldiers to the floor but I now have 15 Skulls flying towards me at dangerous speeds.
Maybe being on this roof isn't the best idea right now. That's the thought that has me jumping to the ground. I take 10 HP damage when I land – I really need to increase my CON, badly – I run to the river that runs through Riverwood. The Skulls chase after me even when I dive into it.
So, now I'm at the bottom of the river with 15 Skulls around me, no longer on fire. They seem to have completely stopped their movement. With that in mind, I quickly swim to the surface and make my way to the bank opposite the road. A Lightning Bolt to the river kills all of the enemies inside immediately.
I had momentarily considered using Chain Lightning on them while I was inside the lake. I think the 30% hit to my wisdom is what made me even think that was a good idea for a little bit. This is a dangerous status effect, for sure.
Looking towards the road, I notice the remaining wave fast approaching. They aren't slow like the zombies. The archers have stationed themselves on five different rooftops while the soldiers are running at me. The Commander leads the charge.
Arrows fly towards me, but a stone wall blocks them. Quickly, I use one of my newer spells and form stone spikes along the other side of the river to try and break the charge when they finally get to it. The archers let loose another volley, destroying my wall in the process.
The spread of the archers certainly made things more difficult than I would have liked, but not impossible to deal with. Two on Alvor's roof, three on his neighbors. I launched two fireballs. They weren't aimed at the skeletons themselves, but the rooftop. Thanks to the physics of Skyrim, fire rose from the point of impact. It would only last a couple seconds, but I had immediately followed it up with two Wind Blades. The explosion had exactly the effect I wanted. The archers were blown back in all directions, with their clothes catching fire.
With that problem taken care of for the moment, I noted the katana-wielding part of my enemies had finally reached the spike wall. Their charge halted momentarily as they had to try and climb over the multiple layers of spikes criss-crossing. The Commander is giving orders in what sounds like Japanese. He's not climbing with them, just standing back.
As he shouts, he was surrounded by some sort of blue aura, which also surrounds the Armored Zombies. After a quick observe, I see that they have a status effect, [Valor]. Based on [Observe], it seems to increase their speed and attack power. Right, he's a commanding officer, so of course he'd have abilities relating to making his troops stronger. I better end this before that becomes a problem.
I begin launching Lightning Bolts at them, remembering that it does extra damage to those in metal armor. Despite that, it still takes five bolts just to put one of them down. I'm only able to kill three of them before the rest get over the spikes and begin to wade through the river. At that point, I repeat my previous strategy with the Skulls. Two Bolts to the river and the remaining twelve drop. That only leaves the Commander.
Looking towards him, I notice that he has several different colored auras surrounding him. Observe gives me a pretty good understanding as to why. He lacks any mob support, but he's been buffing himself. He's got that Valor buff from before, as well as Adrenaline Rush and something called [Avenger]. On inspection, it means that for every ally that has been killed this battle, all of his stats get a 1% boost. F.u.c.k.
Okay, okay. It's fine. I'm only going up against something that was five times stronger than Ralof before it buffed itself, and now it's nearly half again as strong as that. I'll be fine. I really wish I could summon Shiva right now.
The Commander then rushes towards my spikes. Quickly, I use Gale Palm. To my surprise, it knocks him to the ground. That's right, resistance on that is based on size, not stats. He even took some damage from it. While he's prone, I launch a Firebolt followed by Wind Blade. Like a ragdoll, he flew further. His health had dipped only by 10% from that, but it was definitely manageable to do that nine more times without even drinking one of my MP potions.
As he tried to get back to his feet, I launched a Firebolt and Lightning Bolt from either hand, as they were the only things that I felt confident could reach him from the distance between us. He gets pushed even further away, going back to the main road. The buildings obscure him from view, and so I'm left waiting on my side of the river. I feel like a total coward for hiding behind a river and spikes and not chasing after him, but I'm a mage with no tank. I don't really have many options.
While I'm waiting for the Commander to appear again, I'm struck by a realization. I'm clearly not prepared for Bleak Falls Barrow as things stand. My survival right now hinges on the fact that the Commander seems to lack any ranged capabilities, but both the bandits and Draugr are under no such limitations. Not to mention that the tomb is nothing but narrow halls and traps. I would die very quickly if I attempted to do anything up there. I need to get my hands on a companion or two.
As I'm thinking over who I could get in Whiterun, the Commander pops into view again. In the space of a second he's made it from Alvor's house to my spikes. He does not look very pleased.
Instead of climbing over the spikes though, he grabs one of them and rips it straight from the ground. If not for a well-timed Wind Blade bisecting it, I would definitely be crushed right now. Reacting without thinking, I electrocute the river once again. The Commander isn't killed from that, but his flesh is smoking now.
One of my hands casts another two Lightning Bolts to drain what HP I can while I focus on raising more spikes in the river, as well as walls. I put anything in his way I possibly can to slow him down. He's not even down to half health yet, but I did succeed in keeping him from progressing. He screams something at me in Japanese. I can only assume he's insulting my parents and cursing my ancestors.
I launch three more Lightning Bolts into the river before a notification pops up.
Challenge: [Greased Lightning I] (Use Lightning Bolt 25 times) Complete.
Reward: Lightning Bolt damage increased, Rare Gacha, [Greased Lightning II] unlocked
[Greased Lightning II]: Use Lightning Bolt 50 times
Well then. That couldn't have come at a better time. It looks like the damage output has been doubled from that upgrade, and that means I might actually be able to do this. That's good too, since the Commander pulled out another spike and used it to smash the wall in front of him.
I hit the water with two more Lightning Bolts before he can climb up to the bank. Getting an evil idea, I create a spike on the bank's wall, watching as it pierces through his torso. Two more Lightning Bolts and he's been destroyed.
A couple of notifications pop up at once. Firstly, I've gone up to Level 14. I have never felt like I earned any levels more in my life. Second, I am informed of my prizes for completing Wave 5. It's 2250 XP and Gold, 5 Skill Points that I immediately put into WIS so that my INT and WIS are finally equal and an Uncommon Gacha Token. The last notification asks if I'd like to start Wave 6.
You know what? I'm gonna have to give that a hard pass, Game. I'm just gonna go back to bed. Sleep is good. Sleep doesn't try to kill me.
And that's it!
Things are moving forward nicely. There's still a number of things before Whiterun comes into the picture, and our poor MC may have been traumatized by the Instant Dungeon, but... at least he's earned his nap this time. Don't forget to let me know your thoughts in the usual places: Reviews, PM or over on the Discord server at (slash) PWDD44v
Orpheus out! Ja ne!
- Home
- Genre
- Fantasy
- Romance
- Romantic
- Modern Romance
- CEO
- Urban
- Billionaire
- Action
- Modern Life
- Historical Romance
- Game
- Xianxia
- Sci-fi
- Historical
- Drama
- Adult
- Urban Life
- Fantasy Romance
- Comedy
- Harem
- Farming
- Military
- Adventure
- Son-In-Law
- Wuxia
- Games
- Josei
- Ecchi
- School Life
- Mystery
- Completed
- Top
- Power Ranking
- Trending Ranking
- New novel
- Latest Release
- History
- All Novel