Chapter 62: Skillful Applications

Chapter 62: Skillful Applications

Level Up!

Skill Points 551610

Progress to Tier 2: 787/1590

Basic Mana Sense Level 3645

Walking Level 4042

Athletics Level 5257

Breathing Level 5254

Identify Level 4344

Alchemy Level 6062

Flexibility Level 2729

Seeing Level 3133

Sleeping Level 3032

Outsiders Almanac Level 8284

Survival Level 3739

Visualization Level 4245

Firestarting Level 4550

Nutrition Level 2831

Mathematics Level 3940

Packing Level 2937

Mana Infusion Level 6566

Polyglot Level 3641

Memory Level 3436

Wow. Everything except for First Aid and Bomb Throwing had leveled at least once, even Mathematics, which had Edwin confused. He hadnt been using it that much, had he? Or was that just from normal, everyday use, now boosted by Inions token?

Heck, why had Alchemy only leveled two times? And Mana Infusion only a single time? With all of that pottery? He asked Inion as much.

Well, after level sixty, Skills slow down leveling. It takes a lot of effort to keep growing afterwards.

Edwin frowned, But my Almanac skill levels every couple of days, and it just reached 84.

Inion looked at him strangely, Really? Maybe it just levels quickly, then. The only thing that even might get it to grow that quickly might be absolute constant use and expansion, but its an active Skill, right? Passive Skills are easier to use constantly, but are also harder to push, so Im not sure what you have going on there.

Edwin opened his mouth, then closed it again, You know what, never mind.

Her gaze redoubled, How much?

Dont worry about it.

Edwin. How many things in the clearing do you not have marked with your Almanac?

Define things

Anything your Skill works on.

Im still working through the leaves on one of the nearby trees.

How many Almanac entries have you made in the last thirty heartbeats, since we just now started talking?

Twel- thirteen.

Inion shook her head, I really dont have a response for that. Well. Have fun with that.

Edwin marked off another leaf in the ceiling with Almanac. So what if he recorded every stray thought he ever had with it? Of all his Skills, that seemed to be the one which had no corresponding strain for overuse. It didnt make sense for him to not be using it constantly, with a bare fraction of his 887 character limit used any time.

Anyway, with Skills out of the way

Congratulations! For digging the foundations for a building out on your own, you have unlocked the Physical Laborer path!

Congratulations! For creating your own kiln and successfully making a number of ceramic vessels, you have unlocked the Potter path!

Congratulations! For witnessing and taking part in a Wildsong Ritual, you have unlocked the Primal Ritualist path!

Congratulations! For building a house with the aid of an Elder Fey, you have unlocked the Primal Constructor path!

Congratulations! For finishing construction upon the Hidden Workshop, you have unlocked the Master of the Hidden Workshop path!

Ooh! Good question! Im pretty sure that I can yep! Got the all-clear. You see, Inions voice cut out altogether as she tried to say something. Her mouth kept moving, but no sound came out. She realized fairly quickly something was up, though, and it returned a second later, is still in effect. Huh. So shes still alive then? I wouldnt have ever guessed. Sorry about that. I forgot about that Bargain. I have to keep a secret as long as the person I Bargained with lives, and I kind of figured she would have passed on centuries ago.

That was what it looked like when a Bargain came into effect? That was interesting, along with the idea that Inion was apparently the weaker party in that Bargain, where she couldnt break the terms, So where does that leave me?

She shrugged again, Cant explain that much. [.], Inion threw her head in the air, Thats not even a secret! It was common knowledge! she grumbled, then snapped attention back to Edwin, But Skills! What are you currently being offered? Thatll give a good idea for what you might naturally level!

Edwin flipped through his still-open prompts, giving Inion a quick rundown of what he had available. The naiad stroked her chin in consideration, I think Construction, Purify, and Harvest are probably the most interesting there.

Construction? Edwin asked, Why Construction? Purify makes sense, and maybe Harvest as well? But I would have thought youd point me more at well, I dont know. But something other than Construction.

Construction is a fairly broad Skill. Inion explained, Its a crafting Skill that covers pretty much anything that involves multiple parts, though doesnt help with any magical aspects of that assembly. You can use magical materials, but its no Potion-Making or Enchanting. Similar to Assembling, but it also aids in making the pieces rather than just combining them. Whatever you need to make should fall well within its scope, and youll have quite a few banked levels from constructing Obairlann. Because its so broad, you wont get the strongest benefits from it- rather like your Athletics skill, as it happens- but it will aid you in many endeavors. And! It should level any time you make essentially anything. Possibly even Alchemy, though I dont really know about that.

I guess. Purify I understand as well, heck, I was tempted myself. But why that instead of something like he picked another Skill hed been offered which seemed to fit the make higher quality bill, Precision? That might help with my whole wanting better measurements problem.

Well, when were you offered Precision?

Looks like towards the end. Maybe when I was trying to get that last knot whittled out of that log?

And Purify?

Pretty early on, probably from setting up my distillery one morning. Ah. Youre saying that Purify is more likely to be used?

Ya. Precision might be more broad, but its also kinda similar to high amounts of Perception. Purify is something you were complaining you didnt really have the right tools for, right?

True. While he had primarily been trying to think of how he could make better tools, it had mostly slipped Edwins mind that he should try and get Skills that would replicate what higher-quality instruments could accomplish. Probably because he wasnt thinking about getting a lot of Skills, and he couldnt afford to replace every tool he might normally need with a Skill.

Purify, though Purifying ingredients was probably the single biggest contributor to experimental replicability. He didnt need a Stirring skill, but a distillation or decontaminating one? Yeah, he could use that.

Round it off, I suppose. Why Harvest and not Gather?

Thats an easy one. Gather helps you find places that have stuff you might want, Harvest helps you to actually get it.

Edwin blinked, Dont I want both, then?

Inion motioned uncertainty with her scale-balancing hands, Maybe. But Gathering is less important if you already know what youre looking for or need to know exactly what you want. Gathering, especially at normal Levels, can only guide you towards things you already know where they are. By the time it would be an actual help, you probably wont need it. Harvest, though, should help you preserve more magic in whatever you take andll make it last longer! Super useful.

Last question, I guess. Shouldnt I try for a Skill like Potion Brewing?

Inion shook her head, Nah. Too specific for you. Sure, youll use it when practicing Alchemy, but not even always then. It doesnt seem like youre all that interested in only, or even primarilyusing Potions, but you want to branch out somewhat, right? Edwin nodded, There you go. Learn how to replicate what you need here, with what you have at hand.

Edwin couldnt say that he was exactly sure about it all, but he did kind of need new alchemy equipment, and the reasoning made sense. Crucially, it matched up with his own thinking.

You have unlocked the Construction skill!

Accept Skill? Y/N

You have unlocked the Purify skill!

Accept Skill? Y/N

You have unlocked the Harvest skill!

Accept Skill? Y/N

Yes, yes, and yes.

Construction

We can build it. We have the technology.

Create nonmagical objects

Proficiency increases with level.

Purify

Not useful in separation of variables

Remove contaminants

Maximum purity increases with level.

Harvest

For getting spoils before they spoil

Recover resources from natural sources

Ease of harvesting improves with level.

Level Up!

Construction 0 15

Harvesting 0 6

Purify 0 4