Unsafe Sects 3 (2/2)
Zuula considered. “Soulstone him, Dreadbear.”
“What? Oh. Good idea. Soulstone.”
“What’s that?” The fishman spirit walked out of the water, and stared. “Dude, it’s like an angler trap, only a lot more interesting…” He reached out to touch it… and flowed into the stone.
“Weird,” The soulstone pulsed blue. “It’s tight in here, but comfy.”
“We can put you into a new body, if you like,” Said Threadbare, politely. “Or we can take you to YGlnargle’blah’s circle. He seems to be acting up lately.”
“Oh, that ring of stones thing? I’ve been looking for that! It’s not in the lake anywhere, and it’s supposed to be underwater, that’s what the old writings say.”
“Old writings from when ocean be here?” Zuula asked.
“Yeah.”
“See, dis why you not trust books. Ocean be long gone, remember?”
“Oh. Right.”
“Do you know why YGlnargle’blah is awake?” Madeline asked.
“He’s awake? Aw shoot. I was worried he’d notice me leaving. He’s like… think of a really protective grandfather. He used to walk the world and get it on with hot scaly chicks back in the day, most of us are descended from him. Then that Konol guy, the new god, did his thing and YGlnargle’blah had to go to the aether. So I think maybe YGlnargle’blah finally came looking for me. Man, I’m in so much trouble.”
“No so much,” Zuula said. “You dead now. But wait, more blood of yours is around.”
“The little nippers? Yeah, they’re cuties. Even if some of them have… urg… hair.”
“What will he do if he comes through the dolmen circle?” Garon asked.
“Who, YGlnargle’blah? He can’t. Not until the walls are way thinner and Konol’s all the way dead. But I guess he can stand on the edge and yell until I come back.”
“Okay, dat not add up,” Zuula said. “Zuula definitely had visions that humans be wiped out in a couple days, here. Mediocre old one standing on t’reshold and being cranky not do dat.”
“If not the old one, then perhaps something else?” Threadbare asked. “What could kill everyone here in a day?”
They thought.
Thanks to Threadbare’s noblesse oblige boosting their int, they didn’t have to think too hard.
“This village, which recently rebelled against the Crown? And killed every garrison member who didn’t run? And revealed their forbidden religious beliefs for all to see?” Garon said, flapping his wings. “Oh lordy, the army’s on its way.”
“I still have a question,” Fluffbear squeaked.
“What?” Threadbare turned to her, and everyone else glanced over.
“What’s a paladin?”
*****
A little later, the group came upstairs to the church. Smoke filled the air, and through the open doors they could see a burning pile of robes and fezzes. The fish children sat glumly around it, watching their tea party stuff burn. The now-regularly-clothed ex-cultists were standing around in small groups, talking. All save Marva, who was sitting on a stone bench, with two of the little fish children curled up next to her, sleeping. Threadbare could tell they were asleep by the way their eyes didn’t glow.
“Hello sir,” Marva cleared her throat as Threadbare walked out, cleaned from the fight. Immediately all eyes shifted to him. He coughed into one paw, nervously, as his “Work It Baby” skill shot up to its maximum level.
“Ah, hello. I apologize for fooling you with the dummy.”
“No, no, it’s all right. We talked it over, and we’re just glad you showed us the truth. That man-“ Marva snarled the word, “-tricked us all.”
“Oh. Well, yes. Um… there’s no easy way to say this. We think the army’s coming to kill everyone here.”
“We know.” Marva rocked her fishbabies.
“You do?” Madeline asked. “Why you still heah, then?”
“We have nowhere to go. This is our home, and all we know is fishing. No other settlement would offer aid to people who used to be cultists, and with the kingdom as shrunken as it is, there’s no civilized place to hide. The wars ground everyone down. And we’d die in the wilds, if we tried that. Assuming the army just let us go.”
Threadbare considered. He turned to his little group of toys. “Are they right?”
“Yeah,” Zuula said. “King not hesitate to wipe out villages. Taylor’s Delve proof of dat, and wasn’t any cult shenanigans involved.”
“The army will mow through this town like a scythe through wheat,” Garon said. “Most of these guys are level eight or under. I mean, we’re not much farther than that, after that fight, but we’ve got jobs and golem advantages over them.”
“Golem advantages.” Threadbare rubbed his chin. “Marva, I saw a lot of treasure on that boat below. Are there any reagents and crystals in there?”
“Why, yes. The trade mostly dried up since Catamountain closed, but we used to be quite the black market hub back in the day.” The middle-aged fishwife smiled. “We donated everything we had to the… society… but nobody was an enchanter so it went unused.”
“I see.” Threadbare said. “You have nowhere to run. How would you like to fight?”
“Fight for what?” Marva said. “Our pastor’s dead. We have no one to lead us.”
“You do,” said Zuula, standing her full eight inches tall. “Bend your knee and swear, and Dreadbear save you all!” Then she went downstairs to smash open barrels full of loot from the boat, because she'd been right dammit.
The ex-cultists muttered. They discussed. And in the end, they decided, they had nothing left to lose.
One by one, with more trickling in from the rest of the town, including most of the folk who assumed they’d be slaughtered along with the cultists, the people gathered to place their hope and their dreams in the paws of one small teddy bear.
And on that day, Dreadbear, Lord of Outsmouth, first of his name, swore in subject after subject and gained three ruler levels.
He’d need them, for the ordeal ahead.
QUICK REFERENCE - THREADBARE'S NEW SKILLS
Spoiler: Spoiler
Duelist Skills
PARRY
Level: 5 Cost: N/A Duration: Passive Constant
While you have your specialized weapon drawn, you have a chance of parrying any melee attack you are aware of.
SWASHBUCKLER'S SPIRIT
Level: 5 Cost: N/A Duration: Passive Constant
Your Charisma buffs your Cool.
SWINGER
Level: 5 Cost: N/A Duration: One minute per skill level
Activate this skill to buff your agility and climb skill while swinging from ropes, chains, chandeliers, etc...
Ruler Skills
IT'S GOOD TO BE KING
Level: 10 Cost: N/A Duration: Passive Constant
You gain a tiny fraction of experience whenever one of your subjects does. Experience gained from higher level individuals goes directly to leveling your ruler class. Experience gained from lower level individuals may only be utilized for King's Quest rewards.
KING'S QUEST
Level: 10 Cost: 20 Mox Duration: Permanent until changed
Decree a public quest. All your subjects within earshot may accept. Any who fulfill the quest reap the benefits of the quest immediately.
THREADBARE'S CHARACTER SHEET
Spoiler: Spoiler
Name: Threadbare
Age: 5
Jobs:
Greater Toy Golem Level 12
Cave Bear Level 11
Ruler Level 10
Scout Level 6
Tailor Level 10
Model Level 7
Necromancer Level 10
Duelist Level 5
Animator Level 11
Enchanter Level 2
Golemist Level 7
Smith Level 5
Attributes:
Strength: 109 Constitution: 115 Hit Points: 288(358) Armor: 47(51)
Intelligence: 161 Wisdom: 175(181) Sanity: 336(445) Mental Fortitude: 37
Dexterity: 103(109) Agility: 97(109) Stamina: 210(288) Endurance: 57
Charisma: 98(129) Willpower: 144 Moxie: 242(343) Cool: 20(45)
Perception: 94 Luck: 80(86) Fortune: 174(250) Fate: 12(18)
Generic Skills
Brawling - Level 33 (+7)
Climb - Level 13
Clubs and Maces - Level 9
Dagger - Level 9
Dodge - Level 8
Fishing - Level 1
Ride - Level 8
Stealth - Level 10
Swim - Level 5
Greater Toy Golem Skills
Adorable - Level 30
Bodyguard - Level 6
Gift of Sapience - Level NA
Golem Body - Level 23
Innocent Embrace - Level 12
Magic Resistance -Level 7
Bear Skills
Animalistic Interface - NA
Claw Swipes - 22
Darkspawn - NA
Forage - 13
Growl - 2
Hibernate - 37
Scents and Sensibility - 18
Stubborn - 8
Toughness - 17
Ruler Skills
Appoint Official - Level NA
Emboldening Speech - Level 11
Identify Subject - Level 10
It's Good to be King - NA
King's Quest - Level 5
Noblesse Oblige - Level 20
Organize Minions - Level NA
Royal Audience - Level 15
Simple Decree - Level 8
Swear Fealty - Level NA
Scout Skills
Alertness - Level 1
Best Route - Level 1
Camouflage - Level 1
Firestarter - Level 4
Keen Eye - Level 2
Sturdy Back - Level 6
Wind's Whisper - Level 5
Tailor Skills
Tailoring - Level 45(51)
Clean and Press - Level 9
Adjust Outfit - Level 2
Model Skills
Call Outfit - Level 1
Dietary Restriction - Level 35 (+70 to all pools)
Fascination - Level 4
Flex - Level 14
Makeup - Level 1
Self-Esteem - Level 14
Strong Pose - Level 1
Work it Baby - Level 35
Necromancer Skills
Assess Corpse - Level 10
Command the Dead - Level 28
Deathsight - Level 6
Drain Life - Level 1
Invite Undead - Level 12
Mana Focus - Level NA (+10% to sanity)
Skeletons - Level 16
Soulstone - Level 24
Speak With Dead - Level 18
Zombies - Level 3
Duelist Skills
Challenge - Level 4
Dazzling Entrance - Level 8
Fancy Flourish - Level 7 (13)
Guard Stance - Level 8
Parry - Level 1
Swashbuckler's Spirit - NA (+12 to cool)
Swinger - Level 1
Weapon Specialist - Level 15 (Brawling +7)
Animator Skills
Animus - Level 29
Animus Blade - Level 9
Animus Shield - Level 1
Arm Creation - Level 6
Command Animus - Level 18
Creator's Guardians - Level 20
Dollseye - Level 17
Eye for Detail - Level 19
Magic Mouth - Level 17
Mend - Level 31
Enchanter Skills
Appraise - Level 9
Glowgleam - Level 1
Harden - Level 5
Soften - Level 1
Spellstore - Level 1
Golemist Skills
Command Golem - Level 1
Golem Animus - Level 6
Invite Golem - Level 2
Mend Golem - Level 6
Program Golem - Level 1
Toy Golem - Level 6
Wood Golem - Level 1
Smith Skills
Adjust Arms and Armor - Level 4
Refine Ore - Level 1
Smithing - Level 21
Equipment
Apprentice Tailor's Apron (+4 Armor, +4 Tailoring)(+1 Armor, Tailoring, from WIB)
Baggy Pants of Hammerspace (+5 AGL, +5 CHA, Allows hammerspace for one blunt weapon)(+1 AGI, CHA, from WIB)
Poor Quality Bling
Ringtail Master's Coat (+5 CHA, +5 LUCK, +5 Armor, +5 Fate)(+1 CHA, LUCK, Armor, Fate from WIB)
Rod of Baronly Might (+5 CHA, +5 WIS, +10 Cool)(+1 CHA, WIS, +3 Cool from WIB)
Yellow Belt of Bravado (+5 AGL, +5 DEX, +5 to the Fancy Flourish skill)(+1 AGL, DEX, Fancy Flourish from WIB)
Toy Top Hat (CHA +10)(+3 CHA from WIB)
Inventory
A Finely-Made Dagger (Dagger Level 5)
A Dungeon Core
Tailor's Tools
A small jewelry box full of reagents and crystals, most minor.
Minorphone (Enhances voice and social skills focused through it twice per day)
Quests
Save Celia
Unlocked Jobs
Berserker, Cleric, Cook, Cultist, Grifter, Spirit Medium, Tamer, Wizard